Past tense of 'hurl': to throw something with great force or violence, or to vomit.
From Middle English 'hurlen,' possibly from Old Norse 'hurl' or imitative in origin. The word emphasizes the violent, forceful nature of the throwing action and has been used since the 14th century.
The word 'hurled' is onomatopoetic—it sounds like the action it describes! The 'hr' beginning and hard 'l' ending give it a violent quality that makes it perfect for describing something thrown with force, which is why writers use it instead of just 'threw.'
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