hustings

9.1

Meetings where political candidates give public speeches during a campaign

noun
/ˈhʌstɪŋz/

: campaña electoral

Why can't you take to the hustings, persuade your fellow citizens that taxation is unjust, and try to get a majority?

Examples

Many citizens attended the hustings in the park to hear speeches from various candidates vying for office.
He pulls the speech out, covered with blood and reads it, spends an hour and a half or so on the hustings and proved to the world that, yes, he's as tough as a bull moose.
So out on the hustings that fall, the campaign appeals were on the one hand by Democrats to prejudice and racism and leave the South alone.
During the election season, candidates often take to the hustings to address the public and share their policies.
The local community center hosted a series of hustings where candidates answered residents' questions about important issues.

Synonyms

campaigning

vshustings

75 3.2

Organized work to help a person or group win an election

focuses specifically on meetings and public speaking events rather than all activities

electioneering

vshustings

4 6.1

Trying to persuade people to vote for a candidate or party during an election

covers meetings with speeches but centers on persuasion acts generally

barnstorming

vshustings

Literature

1 6.9

A series of energetic political speeches in different places to gain support

includes public meetings but not necessarily energetic touring speeches

stumping

vshustings

7.4

An activity where politicians travel and give speeches to win votes

is about public meetings and events where candidates speak

How Public

mass meeting

2 3.4

rally

384 3.8

hustings

9.1

town meeting

42 2.6

backroom meeting

Literature

7.1

Surface Forms

hustings singular

hustings plural

Etymology

The word hustings comes from old Norse words hús and thing, which mean 'house' and 'assembly', basically a meeting in a house. That's why hustings came to mean the public campaign meetings or events where candidates speak.