huzzah

intj, noun, verb — 4 senses

huzzah

intj

/həˈzɑː/

Etymology Likely originally a hoisting cry, possibly related to hoise. Compare possibly to the cognate Swedish hissa (“to hoist; huzzah”), Spanish izar (“to hoist”) and French Ho, hisse! (“Hey, hoist!”). First attested in the 1570s.

1

Nautical, Transport Dated Used as a call for coordinated physical effort, as in hoisting.

2

Archaic, Humorous, Literary, Poetic, Sometimes Used as a cheer indicating exaltation, enjoyment, or approval.

  • Deposed King: 'KING KNIGHT REIGNS NO MORE? HUZZAH! NOW I CAN RULE PRIDEMOOR! HURRAH!'2014, Yacht Club Games, Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope, Nintendo 3DS, level/area: Village:
Synonyms
heave, heave-ho, hooray, hurrah, hurray

huzzah

noun

Etymology Likely originally a hoisting cry, possibly related to hoise. Compare possibly to the cognate Swedish hissa (“to hoist; huzzah”), Spanish izar (“to hoist”) and French Ho, hisse! (“Hey, hoist!”). First attested in the 1570s.

1

A cheer often associated with sailors, shouted by a group in praise of a thing or event.

  • The night that she was awakened by the loud huzzah of the Watchman on her palace roof, she thrilled with the hope that her vengeance awaited only the arrival of the propitious hour.1924, Herbert Weir Smyth, “VI. Orestea. I: Agamemnon”, in Aeschylean Tragedy, page 167:

huzzah

verb

Etymology Likely originally a hoisting cry, possibly related to hoise. Compare possibly to the cognate Swedish hissa (“to hoist; huzzah”), Spanish izar (“to hoist”) and French Ho, hisse! (“Hey, hoist!”). First attested in the 1570s.

1

Ambitransitive To cheer (someone or something) with a huzzah sound.

  • Towns have been taken, and battles have been won; the mob has huzza'd round bonefires, the Stentor of the chappel has ſtrained his throat in the gallery, and the Stentor of S——m has deafned his audience from the pulpit.1710 October 1 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Whig-Examiner: No. 2. Wednesday, September 21. [1710.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC, page 339:
  • In the course of his table-talk, during the French war, the ex-chancellor once remarked that, though the Prussian people huzza'd and beclapped their great Frederick when alive, […]1891, Littell’s Living Age, volume 191, page 260:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.