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hie

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

To go quickly, hasten, or hurry with urgency; to rush toward a destination, often used imperatively as "Hie thee hence!" meaning "Go quickly from here!"

Detailed Definition
“Hie” compresses urgency into one syllable, common in ballads and drama. It implies purposeful speed—“hie thee hence.” The verb’s brevity suits imperative commands or frantic action. Poets use it to energize escape, pursuit, or divine summons, where time is critical in narratives of rescue, judgment, or fleeting opportunity.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Hie thee to the chapel, ere the bell tolls thrice,” commands the abbess; In Shakespeare’s Macbeth: “Hie thee hither, / That I may pour my spirits in thine ear”; “Hie not away, my love—stay till dawn,” pleads the lover; “Hie to the hills, for danger comes,” warns the scout in an epic; “She hied herself through the forest like a frightened doe”; Hie, messenger, with news of peace!
Additional Notes
“Hie” is a compact, urgent verb for swift motion (“hie thee hence”); poets use it to maintain meter while conveying haste, especially in commands or flight scenes, preserving archaic tone without verbosity.
Also Known As
hurry hasten speed hies
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