flurry of activity
4
3.6
- noun
:
oleada de actividad
- TR: Last month there was a flurry of activity around the political conventions here in the U.S.
Examples
-
Recently, there has been a flurry of activity focused on graduate school reform.
Academic text (1995) -
The courtroom is a flurry of activity as last-minute preparations continue for the start of the trial.
-
If Mike Martin had any idea of the flurry of activity his demand had started, he gave no sign of it.
Fiction book (1994) -
Almost immediately the story kicked up a flurry of activity around the area.
-
And, likely as a result, that year saw him producing a large body of paintings in a flurry of activity.
Academic text (2011) -
The president arrives amid a flurry of activity.
Academic text (2000) -
The Mortier decision has set off a flurry of activity on federal and state levels.
Academic text (1992) -
There's a flurry of activity outside the cell area.
Fiction book (2002) -
When Regan and Nora got to Nick Fargus's suite, they stepped into a flurry of activity.
Fiction book (1993) -
For an hour and a half, there was a flurry of activity behind the scenes.
Synonyms
132
4.2
A sudden big rise in amount or number
83
3.9
A sudden strong show of feeling like anger or laughter
80
4.2
A short time of excitement and activity
57
3.5
A short, strong period of activity or feeling
53
3.9
A sudden short burst of activity, wind, or snow
44
3.0
A sudden strong burst of emotion or noise
20
4.1
Busy, noisy movement in a place with many people
11
6.0
A sudden increase in violence, anger, or symptoms
1
4.1
A busy time when many things happen quickly and in a confused way
Antonyms
How Intense
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'flurry' denotes a sudden short burst and 'activity' denotes actions, so 'flurry of activity' straightforwardly yields 'a sudden burst/period of actions'. This noun + of‑phrase pattern is common and predictable in English (and mirrored in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The phrase flurry of activity comes from the image of a quick, swirling burst—like a small cloud of snow or a sudden rush of birds. The flurry is that sudden movement, so a flurry of activity means 'a short, busy time when many things happen'.