hustle

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hus·tle / ˈhəsəl/ • v. 1. [tr.] force (someone) to move hurriedly or unceremoniously in a specified direction: they hustled him into the back of a horse-drawn wagon. ∎  [tr.] push roughly; jostle: they were hissed and hustled as they went in. ∎  [intr.] hurry; bustle: he had to retag second base and hustle back to first.2. [tr.] inf. obtain by forceful action or persuasion: the brothers headed to New York to try and hustle a record deal. ∎  (hustle someone into) coerce or pressure someone into doing or choosing something: don't be hustled into anything. ∎  sell aggressively: he hustled his company's oil around the country. ∎  obtain by illicit action; swindle; cheat: Linda hustled money from men she met.3. [intr.] inf. engage in prostitution.• n. 1. busy movement and activity: the hustle and bustle of the big cities. ∎  energetic effort: he forced a turnover with his hustle, diving after a loose ball.2. inf. a fraud or swindle.PHRASES: hustle one's butt (or vulgar slang ass) inf. move or act quickly.

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hustle

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