Hasten
/ˈheɪ.sən/noun
To move or act quickly; to hurry.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from a Germanic root meaning “to hurry” or “to be eager,” showing how English often turns physical speed into a mental state of pressing urgency.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*haswaz / *hasjaną
“To hurry, press on, or become quick”
Old English
OE
hæstan
“To make haste; to hurry”
Middle English
ME
hasten
“To hurry or speed up”
Early Modern English
English
hasten
“To cause to move or act more quickly”
Modern English
English
hasten
“To move or act quickly; to hurry”