| harp | 1. A musical instrument consisting of a triangular frame furnished with strings and sometimes with pedals, held upright, and played with the fingers. 2. <astronomy> A constellation; Lyra, or the Lyre. 3. <zoology> Harp seal, a beautiful marine gastropod shell of the genus Harpa, of several species, found in tropical seas. See Harpa. Origin: OE. Harpe, AS. Hearpe; akin to D. Harp, G.harfe, OHG. Harpha, Dan. Harpe. (06 Mar 1998) |
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| harpa | <zoology> A genus of marine univalve shells; the harp shells; so called from the form of the shells, and their ornamental ribs. Origin: L, harp. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| harpaxophobia | <psychology> Morbid fear of robbers. Origin: G. Harpax, robber, + phobos, fear (05 Mar 2000) |
| harpoon | A spear or javelin used to strike and kill large fish, as whales; a harping iron. It consists of a long shank, with a broad, fiat, triangular head, sharpened at both edges, and is thrown by hand, or discharged from a gun. Harpoon fork, a kind of hayfork, consisting of bar with hinged barbs at one end a loop for a rope at the other end, used for lifting hay from the load by horse power. Harpoon gun, a gun used in the whale fishery for shooting the harpoon into a whale. Origin: F. Harpon, LL. Harpo, perh. Of Ger. Origin, fr. The harp; cf. F. Harper to take and grasp strongly, harpe a dog's claw, harpin boathook (the sense of hook coming from the shape of the harp); but cf. Also Gr. The kite, sickle, and E. Harpy. Cf. Harp. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| harpress | A female harper. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| harpy | 1. A fabulous winged monster, ravenous and filthy, having the face of a woman and the body of a vulture, with long claws, and the face pale with hunger. Some writers mention two, others three. "Both table and provisions vanished guite. With sound of harpies' wings and talons heard." (Milton) 2. One who is rapacious or ravenous; an extortioner. "The harpies about all pocket the pool." (Goldsmith) 3. <ornithology> The European moor buzzard or marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus). A large and powerful, double-crested, short-winged American eagle (Thrasaetus harpyia). It ranges from Texas to Brazil. 4. <zoology> Harpy bat, an East Indian fruit bat of the genus Harpyia (especially. H. Cerphalotes), having prominent, tubular nostrils. A small, insectivorous Indian bat (Harpiocephalus harpia). 5. <zoology> Harpy fly, the house fly. F. Harpie, L. Harpyia, Gr, from the root of to snatch, to seize. Gf. Rapacious. (06 Mar 1998) |
| jew's-harp | Origin: Jew + harp; or possibly a corrupt. Of jaw's harp; cf. G. Maultrommel, lit, mouthdrum]</ety 1. An instrument of music, which, when placed between the teeth, gives, by means of a bent metal tongue struck by the finger, a sound which is modulated by the breath; called also Jew's-trump. 2. The shackle for joining a chain cable to an anchor. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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