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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

harp en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /hɑːp/ (UK)
  • /hɑɹp/ (US)

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”).

Meanings

  1. 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
    • The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge 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:
  2. 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 ▸ Any instrument of the same musicological type.
  3. (colloquial) Any musical instrument. ▸ A harmonica.
  4. (colloquial) Any musical instrument. ▸ A struck tuned percussion instrument of metal or wooden bars, especially as a function of a theatre organ.
  5. (Scotland) A grain sieve.
  6. 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.
    • 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. 1960, School Shop, volume 20, page 36:
    • Both types of harp have a swiveling shade holder at the top. The threaded stud on the swivel accepts the finial. 1991, Kalton C. Lahue, Cheryl Smith, Interior Lighting, page 104:
  7. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of harp seal.
    alt of harp seal
    • 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. 2006, John Gimlette, Theatre of Fish: Travels Through Newfoundland and Labrador, page 225:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
harps Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

jews harp · jews-harp · Harp · harp-guitarist · harpstring · harp-player · harpist · harp trap · Jews-harp · harp on one string · harplike · Jew's-harp · Jews harp · jews'-harp · harp closure · Jewes-harp · Harp Island · Jews' harp · jaws harp · Aeolian harp · jaws' harp · harper · jew's harp · æolian harp · harp snail · harp-guitar · jewes harp · Jewes harp · arched harp · jew harp · laser harp · harp shell · jaw's harp · harp shackle · Jaws-harp · harp on the same string · harpmaker · Jaw's harp · harp holder · harp on · harpless · harp guitarist · lamp harp · Celtic harp · Welsh harp · Welsh Harp · jaws-harp · Kafir harp · Jaws'-harp · Jews'-harp · Harper

Hyponyms

harpsichord · Judaic harp · arch harp · autoharp · jaw harp · juice harp · French harp · pillar harp · electric harp · vibraharp · angle harp · harp of David · double harp · aeolian harp · angular harp · King David's harp · open harp · Irish harp · harp guitar · triple harp · Indian harp · frame harp · bow harp · claviharp · glass harp · mouth harp · key harp · sacred harp · Jew's harp · wind harp · triangular harp

Relateds

harp seal · lyre

Synonyms

glee-beam

Translations (99)

ar قِيثَارَة (musical instrument) · be а́рфа (musical instrument) · la harpa (musical instrument) · ga cruit (musical instrument) · nl harp (musical instrument) · la sambuca (musical instrument) · ast arpa (musical instrument) · vi đàn harp (musical instrument) · lv arfa (musical instrument) · arz هارب (musical instrument) · uga 𐎋𐎐𐎗 (musical instrument) · ro harfă (musical instrument) · cs harfa (musical instrument) · gl arpa (musical instrument) · nn harpe (musical instrument) · ky арфа (musical instrument) · yi האַרפֿע (musical instrument) · lt arfa (musical instrument) · tl alpa (musical instrument) · mi aurau (musical instrument) · ga cláirseach (musical instrument) · nan-hbl 徛琴 (musical instrument) · uz arfa (musical instrument) · es harpa (musical instrument) · de Harfe (musical instrument) · hsb harfa (musical instrument) · hi वीणा (musical instrument) · br telenn (musical instrument) · mi hāpa (musical instrument) · sw kinubi (musical instrument) · fo hørpa (musical instrument) · gd clàrsach (musical instrument) · ms harpa (musical instrument) · ur بربط (musical instrument) · he נֵבֶל (musical instrument) · la psalterium (musical instrument) · hil árpa (musical instrument) · mk харфа (musical instrument) · fa چنگ (musical instrument) · ro harpă (musical instrument) · sq jongan (musical instrument) · te హార్ప్ (musical instrument) · hy տավիղ (musical instrument) · my စောင်း (musical instrument) · cmn 豎琴 /竖琴 (musical instrument) · th ฮาร์ป (musical instrument) · fur arpe (musical instrument) · nds Harp (musical instrument) · sk harfa (musical instrument) · km ពិណ (musical instrument) · vi đàn hạc (musical instrument) · xal ятх (musical instrument) · pl harfa (musical instrument) · hak 豎琴 /竖琴 (musical instrument) · et harf (musical instrument) · nrf harpe (musical instrument) · sq harpë (musical instrument) · id harpa (musical instrument) · kw telyn (musical instrument) · vi thụ cầm (musical instrument) · hu hárfa (musical instrument) · tr arp (musical instrument) · ja ハープ (musical instrument) · sh харфа (musical instrument) · fi harppu (musical instrument) · ko 하프 (musical instrument) · mr तुणतुणे (musical instrument) · vi hạc cầm (musical instrument) · nb harpe (musical instrument) · cy telyn (musical instrument) · pdt Hoap (musical instrument) · fr harpe (musical instrument) · is harpa (musical instrument) · gd troman (musical instrument) · ota چنك (musical instrument) · fo harpa (musical instrument) · ti በገና (musical instrument) · am በገና (musical instrument) · uk а́рфа (musical instrument) · ca arpa (musical instrument) · sh harfa (musical instrument) · sl harfa (musical instrument) · it arpa (musical instrument) · el άρπα (musical instrument) · pl arfa (musical instrument) · ru а́рфа (musical instrument) · gd troman-ciùil (musical instrument) · da harpe (musical instrument) · yue 豎琴 /竖琴 (musical instrument) · ka არფა (musical instrument) · yi האַרף (musical instrument) · eo harpo (musical instrument) · bg а́рфа (musical instrument) · dsb harfa (musical instrument) · sv harpa (musical instrument) · mg dokanga (musical instrument) · ml ഹാർപ്പ് (musical instrument) · pt harpa (musical instrument) · es arpa (musical instrument)

wikidata: Q47369 · wikidata: Q47369

harp en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /hɑːp/ (UK)
  • /hɑɹp/ (US)

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”).

Meanings

  1. (derogatory, usually, with-on) To repeatedly mention a subject, especially so as to nag or complain.
    • Why do you harp on about a single small mistake?
    • Why do you harp on a single small mistake?
    • On his part, however, he keeps harping on that arbitration case of his, and the other matters which I knew very well before you left Rome were causing him offence. 1920, Cicero, translated by Evelyn Shirley Shuckburgh, The Letters of Cicero: The Whole Extant Correspondence in Chronological Order, volume 1 (hardcover), London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., page 9:
  2. (transitive) To play on (a harp or similar instrument).
  3. (transitive) To play (a tune) on the harp.
  4. (archaic, transitive) To develop or give expression to by skill and art; to sound forth as from a harp; to hit upon.
    • Thou harped my fear aright. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
harped Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
harped Tense=Past lexicographic
harps Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
harping Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Synonyms

keep on about · perseverate

Translations (11)

tr ısrarla belirtmek (to repeatedly mention a subject) · bg опявам (to repeatedly mention a subject) · de auf herumreiten (etwas) (to repeatedly mention a subject) · mi kunanu (to repeatedly mention a subject) · fi jankuttaa (to repeatedly mention a subject) · hu lovagol (to repeatedly mention a subject) · nl doordrammen (to repeatedly mention a subject) · sv älta (to repeatedly mention a subject) · sv tjata (to repeatedly mention a subject) · ja くどくど言う (to repeatedly mention a subject) · sv mala (to repeatedly mention a subject)