harass

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English

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] French harasser (to tire out, to vex), of obscure origin, perhaps from Old French harer (to stir up, provoke, set a dog on) and/or Old French harier (to harry); see harry; compare (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French, harace (a basket made of cords), harace, harasse (a very heavy and large shield).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "GenAm" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: hərăsʹ, hăʹrəs, IPA(key): /həˈɹæs/, /ˈhæɹəs/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. enPR: hăʹrəs, hərăsʹ, IPA(key): /ˈhæɹəs/, /həˈɹæs/
  • Rhymes: -æs
  • Rhymes: -ærəs

Verb

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  1. To fatigue or to tire with repeated and exhausting efforts.
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 4, in The Celebrity:
      No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or [] . And at last I began to realize in my harassed soul that all elusion was futile, and to take such holidays as I could get, when he was off with a girl, in a spirit of thankfulness.
  2. To annoy endlessly or systematically; to molest.
    • 1877, Anna Sewell, Black Beauty Chapter 23[1]
      In my old home, I always knew that John and my master were my friends; but here, although in many ways I was well treated, I had no friend. York might have known, and very likely did know, how that rein harassed me; but I suppose he took it as a matter of course that could not be helped; at any rate nothing was done to relieve me.
  3. To put excessive burdens upon; to subject to anxieties.
    To harass good people is no different than speaking ill of them.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

Noun

harass

  1. (obsolete) devastation; waste
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)
  2. (obsolete) worry; harassment
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Byron to this entry?)

Anagrams