harrow
see also: Harrow
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /ˈhæɹəʊ/
  • (America, non-Mary-marry-merry) IPA: /ˈhæɹoʊ/
  • (America, Mary-marry-merry) IPA: /ˈhɛɹoʊ/
Etymology 1

From Middle English harwe, harow, from Old English *hearwa (perhaps ultimately cognate with harvest), or from Old Norse harfr/herfi; compare Danish harve, Dutch hark.

Noun

harrow (plural harrows)

  1. A device consisting of a heavy framework having several disks or teeth in a row, which is dragged across ploughed land to smooth or break up the soil, to remove weeds or cover seeds; a harrow plow.
  2. (military) An obstacle formed by turning an ordinary harrow upside down, the frame being buried.
Translations Verb

harrow (harrows, present participle harrowing; simple past and past participle harrowed)

  1. (transitive) To drag a harrow over; to break up with a harrow.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Job 39:10 ↗:
      Will he harrow the valleys after thee?
    • 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC ↗:
      When the corn was sown, I had no harrow, but was forced to go over it myself, and drag a great heavy bough of a tree over it, to scratch it, as it may be called, rather than rake or harrow it.
  2. (transitive) To traumatize or disturb; to frighten or torment.
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene i]:
      It harrows me with fear and wonder.
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act I, scene v], page 257 ↗, column 2:
      I could a Tale vnfold, vvhoſe lighteſt vvord / VVould harrovv vp thy ſoule, freeze thy young blood, / Make thy tvvo eyes like Starres, ſtart from their Spheres, / Thy knotty and combined locks to part, / And each particular haire to ſtand an end, / Like Quilles vpon the fretfull Porpentine: […]
  3. (transitive) To break or tear, as if with a harrow; to wound; to lacerate; to torment or distress; to vex.
    • 1707, Nicholas Rowe, The Royal Convert:
      my aged muscles harrow'd up with whips
Translations Translations Etymology 2

From Middle English harrow, harrowe, haro, from Old French haro, harou, harau, harol, from Frankish *harot, *hara, from *hēr.

Interjection
  1. (obsolete) A call for help, or of distress, alarm etc.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto VI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC ↗:
      Harrow, the flames, which me consume (said hee) / Ne can be quencht, within my secret bowels bee.

Harrow
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /hæɹəʊ/
Etymology 1

From Old English hearg, from Proto-Germanic *harugaz.

Proper noun
  1. A town in northwestern Greater London.
  2. London borough in Greater London, England.
  3. A prestigious public school for boys in the town of Harrow.
Etymology 2

From harrow.

Proper noun
  1. Surname for a harrower.



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