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harp

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Harp

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle English harpe, from Old English hearpe (“harp”), from Proto-West Germanic *harpā, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ (“harp”). Cognate with Scots hairp (“harp”), West Frisian harpe, harp (“harp”), Low German Harp (“harp”), Dutch harp (“harp”), German Harfe (“harp”), Danish harpe (“harp”), Swedish harpa (“harp”).

Pronunciation

Noun

harp (plural harps)

  2. (music) A musical instrument consisting of a body and a curved neck, strung with strings of varying length that are stroked or plucked with the fingers and are vertical to the soundboard when viewed from the end of the body
    • 1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh], “In the Fleete Made by Me William Cornishe otherwise Called Nyshwhete Chapelman with the Most Famose and Noble Kyng Henry the VII. His Reygne the XIX. Yere the Moneth of July. A Treatise betwene Trouth, and Information.”, in John Skelton, edited by J[ohn] S[tow], Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, Imprinted at London: In Fletestreate, neare vnto Saint Dunstones Churche by Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; republished as Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate to King Henry the VIIIth, London: Printed for C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, 1736, →OCLC, page 290:
      The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge
    1. Any instrument of the same musicological type.
  3. (music, colloquial) Any musical instrument.
    1. A harmonica.
    2. A struck tuned percussion instrument of metal or wooden bars, especially as a function of a theatre organ.
  4. (Scotland) A grain sieve.
  5. The component of a lamp to which one attaches the lampshade, consisting of a lightweight frame that usually surrounds the bulb with an attachment at the top for the finial.
    • 1960, School Shop, volume 20, page 36:
      Contains charts and instructions for wiring. Shows sockets, wire, harps, glass chimneys and globes, shade holders, bases, finials, and hundreds of items necessary in the building of lamps.
    • 1991, Kalton C. Lahue, Cheryl Smith, Interior Lighting, page 104:
      Both types of harp have a swiveling shade holder at the top. The threaded stud on the swivel accepts the finial.
  6. Ellipsis of harp seal.
    • 2006, John Gimlette, Theatre of Fish: Travels Through Newfoundland and Labrador, page 225:
      More likely, it was the prospect of meat. Curwen was by now craving a juicy roast – 'even seal chop' – and was always loosing off at tickleasses and harps.

Synonyms

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Verb

harp (third-person singular simple present harps, present participle harping, simple past and past participle harped)

  1. (derogatory, usually with on) To repeatedly mention a subject, especially so as to nag or complain.
    Why do you harp on a single small mistake?
    (US)
    Why do you harp on about a single small mistake?
    (UK)
  2. (transitive) To play on (a harp or similar instrument).
  3. (transitive) To play (a tune) on the harp.
  4. (transitive, archaic) To develop or give expression to by skill and art; to sound forth as from a harp; to hit upon.

Synonyms

Translations

References

Anagrams

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Dutch

Dutch Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nl

Etymology

From Middle Dutch harpe, from Old Dutch *harpa, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ.

Pronunciation

Noun

harp f or m (plural harpen, diminutive harpje n)

  1. harp

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish حرب (harb), borrowed from Arabic حَرْب (ḥarb), from Proto-Semitic *x̣arb-.

Pronunciation

Noun

harp (definite accusative harbi, plural harpler)

  1. (dated) war
    Synonym: savaş
    • 1941 June 23, Yenigün‎:
      Alman-Rus harbinde bitaraf kalacağız
      We will remain neutral in the German-Russian war

Derived terms

Turkmen

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf).

Noun

harp (definite accusative harpy, plural harplar)

  1. letter (of an alphabet)

Declension

More information singular, plural ...

Further reading

  • “harp” in Enedilim.com
  • “harp” in Webonary.org
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