Word Study
hurly-burly
CIDE DICTIONARY
hurly-burly, n. [Reduplicated fr. OE. hurly confusion: cf. F. hurler to howl, yell, L. ululare; or cf. E. hurry.].
Tumult; bustle; confusion. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"All places were filled with tumult and hurly-burly." [1913 Webster]
ROGET THESAURUS
hurly-burly
Agitation
N agitation, stir, tremor, shake, ripple, jog, jolt, jar, jerk, shock, succussion, trepidation, quiver, quaver, dance, jactitation, quassation, shuffling, twitter, flicker, flutter, turbulence, perturbation, commotion, turmoil, disquiet, tumult, tumultuation, hubbub, rout, bustle, fuss, racket, subsultus, staggers, megrims, epilepsy, fits, carphology, chorea, floccillation, the jerks, St. Vitus's dance, tilmus, spasm, throe, throb, palpitation, convulsion, disturbance, chaos, restlessness, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, effervescence, hurly-burly, cahotage, tempest, storm, ground swell, heavy sea, whirlpool, vortex, whirlwind, shaking, agitated tremulous, desultory, subsultory, saltatoric, quasative, shambling, giddy-paced, saltatory, convulsive, unquiet, restless, all of a twitter, by fits and starts, subsultorily, per saltum, hop skip and jump, in convulsions, in fits, tempete dans un verre d'eau.For further exploring for "hurly-burly" in Webster Dictionary Online