ballyhoo

bal·ly·hoo  (bl-h)

n. pl. bal·ly·hoos

1. Sensational or clamorous advertising or publicity.

2. Noisy shouting or uproar.

tr.v. bal·ly·hooed, bal·ly·hoo·ing, bal·ly·hoos

To advertise or publicize by sensational methods.

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[Origin unknown.]

Word History: The origin of ballyhoo has been the subject of much speculation. This spelling has actually been used for four different words: ballyhoo, "sensational advertising"; ballyhoo, a spelling of balao, a kind of fish; ballyhoo, a part of the name ballyhoo bird, about which more later; and ballyhoo, a sailor's epithet for an unpopular ship. This last ballyhoo (first recorded in 1836) was thought to be related to, or the same as, the word ballahou, from Spanish balahú, "a type of schooner common in the Antilles." First recorded in 1867, ballahou, besides being a term for a specific kind of ship, was also used contemptuously of inferior ships. But the connection between these sailing terms or the name of the fish and our word ballyhoo, first recorded in 1901, has not been established. There may, however, be a tie between ballyhoo and the creature called a ballyhoo bird. According to a July 1880 article in Harper's, the bird had four wings and two heads and could whistle through one bill while singing through the other. Anyone who has ever been on a snipe hunt will know what hunting ballyhoo birds was like.

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ballyhoo

Noun

Informal unnecessary or exaggerated fuss [origin unknown]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	ballyhoo - blatant or sensational promotion hoopla, hype, plug promotion, promotional material, publicity, packaging - a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution; "the packaging of new ideas"
Verb	1.	ballyhoo - advertize noisily or blatantly advertise, publicise, publicize, advertize - call attention to; "Please don't advertise the fact that he has AIDS"

Translations

ballyhoo

n ballyhoo [bӕliˈhuː, (American ) ˈbӕlihu:]

noisy or sensational advertising or publicity a lot of ballyhoo about the filmstar's visit. geraas دِعايَةٌ مُضَلِّله، جَعْجَعـه врява barnumská reklama, povyk påstyr; ståhej; hurlumhej der Rummel έντονη δημοσιότητα, σάλος bombo, propaganda estrepitosa reklaamikõmu آگهی پر هیاهو häly, rummutus battage פִּרסוֹמֶת רַעֲשָנִית शोर गुल hvaliti, naveliko reklamirati nagy hűhó publikasi, pemberitaan sensasional gauragangur campagna pubblicitaria 騒々しい宣伝 떠들썩한 선전 triukšmas, triukšminga/išpūsta reklama kliedzoša/ skaļa reklāma gembar-gembur bombarie reklamemakeri, ståhei przesadna reklama publicidade publi­ci­tate zgo­­motoasă шумиха prehnaná reklama hrup, reklama halabuka braskande reklam, ståhej การทำเสียงเอะอะ büyük çapta reklâm, gösterişli ilân 大吹大擂 галас گمراہ کن اشتہار بازی sự quảng cáo rùm beng 大吹大擂