hied; hying or hieing

intransitive verb

: to go quickly : hasten
thither we advise you to hieNew Yorker

transitive verb

: to cause (oneself) to go quickly
hie you to churchWilliam Shakespeare

Did you know?

Hie Isn't a Word of the Past

Hie has been part of English since the 12th century, and it stems from the even hoarier hīgian, an Old English word meaning "to strive" or "to hasten." Hie enjoyed a high popularity period from the 16th to the 19th centuries, and you're sure to encounter it in the literature of those times—writers from Shakespeare to Twain penned it into their prose. But don't get the idea that hie is just a word of the past; it regularly pops up in current publications as well—often, though not always, in contexts in which the author is wanting to approximate an old-timey way of communicating.

Examples of hie in a Sentence

we had best hie home before the snow gets worse
Recent Examples on the Web Then hie ye to the brewery/concert hall, 9990 AleSmith Court, San Diego, for the 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. performance. Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Jan. 2024 Such shows—in major museums in major cities—are perfect for the summer, when much of the art world has hied off to beaches and country houses, but when regular-folk tourists arrive in droves. Peter Plagens, WSJ, 8 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hīgian to strive, hasten

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of hie was in the 12th century

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Dictionary Entries Near hie

Cite this Entry

“Hie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hie. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hie

verb
hied; hying or hieing
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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