Present participle of 'haste'; moving quickly or urging someone to move faster.
From Old Norse 'hasta' via Middle English. The '-ing' suffix (Old English 'ing') creates the continuous form, allowing the word to describe ongoing urgent action.
The word 'hasting' appears in older poetry and religious texts because it sounds more elevated than 'hurrying'—writers chose certain words to match the solemnity of their message, and we've forgotten that words carry dignity.
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