harridan en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈhæɹ.ɪ.dən/ (US)
- /ˈhæɹ.ɪ.dən/ (UK)
- /ˈhɛɹ.ɪ.dən/ (US)
- (US) audio
Etymology
Perhaps a modification of French haridelle (“old horse, nag”).
Meanings
-
A vicious and scolding woman, especially an older one.
Well there was one old lady, and a drunken old harridan she was surely, that paid all her attention to me.
1916, James Joyce, chapter I, in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, New York, N.Y.: B[enjamin] W. Huebsch, →OCLC, page 37:Why is that tattling old harridan, Peggy O'Dowd, to make free with my name at her d—d supper-table, and advertise my engagement over the three kingdoms?
1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 13, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| harridans | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
witch · scold · cockatrice · battle axe · nag · she-devil · shrew · crow · fishwife · faggot · harridan · hellcat · harpy · dragon · termagant · brimstone · jade · bitch · nudnik · virago · cat · vixen · brim
Translations (44)
es arpía (vicious and scolding woman) · ja 鬼婆 (vicious and scolding woman) · fr harpie (vicious and scolding woman) · sv morrhoppa (vicious and scolding woman) · sv huskors (vicious and scolding woman) · cmn 老太婆 (vicious and scolding woman) · fr casse-couilles (vicious and scolding woman) · ru карга́ (vicious and scolding woman) · fr haridelle (vicious and scolding woman) · ja 悪婆 (vicious and scolding woman) · ru гры́мза (vicious and scolding woman) · bg вещица (vicious and scolding woman) · cmn 老潑婦 /老泼妇 (vicious and scolding woman) · mk ве́штерка (vicious and scolding woman) · fr virago (vicious and scolding woman) · hy ջադու (vicious and scolding woman) · sv argbigga (vicious and scolding woman) · hu banya (vicious and scolding woman) · de Vettel (vicious and scolding woman) · sv ragata (vicious and scolding woman) · fr xanthippe (vicious and scolding woman) · sv rivjärn (vicious and scolding woman) · nl harpij (vicious and scolding woman) · ru меге́ра (vicious and scolding woman) · sv satkärring (vicious and scolding woman) · pl jędza (vicious and scolding woman) · hy վհուկ (vicious and scolding woman) · de Hexe (vicious and scolding woman) · es vieja gruñona (vicious and scolding woman) · ja 鬼女 (vicious and scolding woman) · bg зла старица (vicious and scolding woman) · fr dragon (vicious and scolding woman) · ru ве́дьма (vicious and scolding woman) · nl helleveeg (vicious and scolding woman) · pl sekutnica (vicious and scolding woman) · ru мы́мра (vicious and scolding woman) · it arpìa (vicious and scolding woman) · de Xanthippe (vicious and scolding woman) · sv surtant (vicious and scolding woman) · nl viswijf (vicious and scolding woman) · de Drache (alter Drachen m) (vicious and scolding woman) · fi äkäpussi (vicious and scolding woman) · fr mégère (vicious and scolding woman) · pl wiedźma (vicious and scolding woman)