harry en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio nMmmm
- /ˈhɛɹi/ (New-Zealand)
- /-ɾi/ (Scotland)
- (Southern-England) audio
- (US) audio Mmmm
- /ˈhaɾe/ (Scotland)
- /ˈhaɹɪj/ (British, Southern, Standard)
- /ˈhaɾi/ (Wales)
- /ˈhæɹi/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈhɛɹi/ US, Mary–marry–merry merger
- /ˈhæɹi/ (US) without the Mary–marry–merry merger
- /-ɾɪ/ (Scotland)
Etymology
From Middle English herien, harien, from Old English herġian, from Proto-West Germanic *harjōn, from Proto-Germanic *harjōną, from *harjaz (“army”), from Proto-Indo-European *koryos, from *ker- (“army”). Cognates See also Walloon hairyî, Old French hairier, harier; also Saterland Frisian ferheerje, German verheeren (“to harry, devastate”), Swedish härja (“ravage, harry”); also Old English here, West Frisian hear, Dutch heer, German Heer); also Middle Irish cuire (“army”), Lithuanian kãrias (“army; war”), Old Church Slavonic кара (kara, “strife”), Ancient Greek κοίρανος (koíranos, “chief, commander”), Old Persian [script needed] (kāra, “army”)). More at here (“army”). Compare typologically Latin populor.
Meanings
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(transitive) To plunder, pillage, assault.
I repent me much , That so I harry'd him
c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
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(transitive) To make repeated attacks on an enemy.
'One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night, / But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light; / Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day, / Then look for me by moonlight, / Watch for me by moonlight, / I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell should bar the way.'
1906 August, Alfred Noyes, “The Highwayman”, in Poems, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., published October 1906, →OCLC, part 1, stanza V, page 47:
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(transitive) To strip, lay waste, ravage.
to harry this beautiful region
1855–1859, Washington Irving, The Life of George Washington:A red squirrel had harried the nest of a wood thrush.
1896, John Burroughs, Birds and bees and other studies in nature:
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(transitive) To harass, bother or distress with demands, threats, or criticism.
The Colombians' ire was raised even more 10 minutes later when the referee showed a yellow card to [James] Rodríguez – who was apoplectic at the decision – for an innocuous trip that was, as Rodríguez vociferously pointed out with multiple hand gestures, a first offense compared with Fernandinho's harrying.
2014 July 5, Sam Borden, “For bellicose Brazil, payback carries heavy price: Loss of Neymar [International New York Times version: Brazil and referee share some blame for Neymar's injury: Spaniard's failure to curb early pattern of fouls is seen as major factor (7 July 2014, p. 13)]”, in The New York Times:Chelsea also struggled to keep possession as QPR harried and chased at every opportunity, giving their opponents no time on the ball.
2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 – 0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| harried | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| harried | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| harrying | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| harries | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
lay waste · torment · harass · overturn · jazz · give someone grief · harrow · aerosolize · bullyrag · race · level · harry · distress · cag · wreck · hound · maraud · eliminate · besiege · harass · waste · beleaguer · obliterate · beset · wipe off · afflict · sack · raid · pulverize · ruinate · dash · blot out · plague · persecute · pester · harry · devil · ravage · dissolve · extirpate · extinguish · devastate · unmake · atomize · engrieve · unbreed · fordo · pick at · vex · bug · demolish · raze · disperse · plague · ruin · grame · harrow · desolate · trouble · pull down · total · erase · eradicate · diffuse · blotto · subvert · chevy · dog · bedevil · fuck · bewreck · annihilate · overthrow · benothing · destroy · disintegrate · ravel · atray · devastate · bait · obliterate · harry · nuke · unexist · wipe out · wring · lacerate · vex · remove · badger · decompose · torment · rend · exterminate · liquidate · stamp out · harass · uproot · aggrieve
Translations (14)
uk спустошувати (To strip; to lay waste) · pl zdewastować (To strip; to lay waste) · pl dręczyć (To bother; to trouble) · cs obtěžovat (To bother; to trouble) · bg безпокоя (To bother; to trouble) · cs dotírat (To bother; to trouble) · cs otravovat (To bother; to trouble) · pl zadręczać (To bother; to trouble) · mi whakakūrakuraku (To bother; to trouble) · ga creach (To strip; to lay waste) · bg опустошавам (To strip; to lay waste) · pl zadręczyć (To bother; to trouble) · pl dewastować (To strip; to lay waste) · uk плюндрувати (To strip; to lay waste)