verb
hustle
To move or work energetically, or to pressure or deceive someone for gain.
Where it comes from
Hustle ordinarily means to move or work energetically, or to pressure or deceive someone for gain. English hustle came from Dutch husselen, to shake or toss. Its earliest English sense was likewise to shake, including shaking coins in a cap during a game. Shaking developed into jostling and pushing, then hurried or energetic movement.
How the meaning developed
That forceful pursuit produced opposite modern tones: admired drive and energetic work on one side, aggressive selling, illicit earning, and swindling on the other.
Sources
- The Origins of 'Side-Hustle'
- American Heritage Dictionary Entry: hustle
- Hustle: Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-10-05. Report a correction.