hurting adj.
1. short of money.
![]() | Dict. Service Sl. n.p.: I’m hurtin’ . . . broke. | |
![]() | Hy Lit’s Unbelievable Dict. of Hip Words 50: hurtin’ – Without money. | |
![]() | Patolman 215: ‘I hope he gave you some money, man. I’m hurtin’’. | |
![]() | Suicide Hill 244: ‘[H]e ain't hurting—I bought some vids off him last week’. | |
![]() | Sweet La-La Land (1999) 42: ‘The word is out that you’re hurting.’ ‘I’ve had expenses.’. |
2. generally miserable or in trouble.
![]() | Corner Boy 124: Specs was hurting, man, was he hurting. | |
![]() | Hell’s Angels (1967) 36: I mean the heat was on, man. We were hurtin’. | |
![]() | Last Detail 120: ‘Make out pretty well there, do you?’ ‘I ain’t hurtin’.’. | |
![]() | Totally True Diaries of an Eighties Roller Queen 🌐 2 Sept. I don’t want go back to school. It’s going to be hurtin’. | |
![]() | Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightdress 24: I know you’re basically hurting, Babes. |
3. (drugs) urgently needing narcotics to sustain one’s regular dosage.
![]() | S.R.O. (1998) 348: ‘Leah’s laying in there right now hurting for a fix’. | |
![]() | Property Of (1978) 104: I’m hurting [...] He’s going to be hurting too, McKay is. Or does he have some shit? | |
![]() | Homeboy 48: You must be hurtin pretty bad by now. | |
![]() | Pain Killers 94: Jesus wanted to help, he coulda [...] got me an eight-ball when i was hurtin’. | |
![]() | The Force [ebook] ‘I’m hurtin’. Can’t find no one’. |
4. (US campus, also hurtin’ cowboy) drunk.
![]() | Campus Sl. Fall 4: hurtin’ – heavily intoxicated. hurtin’ cowboy – person who is heavily intoxicated: ‘She was a hurtin’ cowboy last night.’. | |
![]() | Campus Sl. Sept. 4: I’m hurting – suffering the consequences of heavy drinking. |
5. (US campus) bad, out of condition.
![]() | Campus Sl. Oct. 6: hurting – bad worthless. ‘This movie is really hurting.’. | |
![]() | Campus Sl. Fall 6: hurtin’ – needing repair, replacing, improvement. |
In compounds
(orig. US) sadness, frustration, jealousy, usu. in a relationship in which one person has another doing a hurting dance.
![]() | Current Sl. V:4 15: Hurt dance, n. A bad state of affairs or a bad situation. | |
![]() | Blood Brothers 55: It’s Cheri, right? [...] She got you doin’ a hurtin’ dance. |
In phrases
1. distressed, in trouble.
![]() | Cinderella Liberty 178: ‘How about you?’ ‘Hurtin’ for certain.’. | |
![]() | no Survivors 177: We got to get them covered quick or we’re gonna be hurtin’ for certain! | |
![]() | Shorty 270: The two wounded men might have an infection and were hurtin' for certain. | |
![]() | Widespread Panic 153: He was booze-bombed and hurtin’ for certain. |
2. ugly, very unattractive.
![]() | Runnin’ Down Some Lines 145: Unattractiveness is often characterized in terms that suggest physical pain (she is hurtin’ for certain). |
3. in great need, esp. of drugs or sex.
![]() | Choirboys (1976) 86: ‘If you gotta buy it it ain’t worth it.’ ‘I woulda bought it that night. I was hurtin for certain.’. | |
![]() | Supreme Witness 20: ‘You’re hurtin for certain, dude.’ ‘Yeah,’ he nodded. ‘But so what? I’m gonna get laid’. | |
![]() | Crank n.p.: During one particular drought spell, I was hurtin’ for certain, and went looking for a new source. [...] He flashed a bindle. |