hurdle

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 each of a series of upright frames that a person or horse jumps over in a race: His horse fell at the final hurdle. * to clear a hurdle (= jump over it successfully) 2 (hurdles) [pl.] a race in which runners or horses have to jump over hurdles: the 300 m hurdles 3 a problem or difficulty that must be solved or dealt with before you can achieve sth: The next hurdle will be getting her parents' agreement. * Well we've cleared the first hurdle; let's see what happens next. * We worked hard for three months on the deal only to see it fall at the final hurdle. verb 1 ~ (over) sth to jump over sth while you are running: [VN] He hurdled two barriers to avoid reporters. * [V] to hurdle over a fence 2 [V] to run in a hurdles race