I. ˈhärp, ˈhȧp noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English harpe, from Old English hearpe; akin to Old High German harpha harp, Old Norse harpa harp, Greek karphos dry stalk, stick, Russian korobit' to bend, warp, and probably to Latin curvus curved — more at crown
1.
a. : a musical instrument (as the clarsach, lyre) of ancient origin with strings set usually in an open frame and plucked with the fingers
b. : an orchestral instrument with a triangular frame consisting of a large, hollow, and tapering back which is the sounding board, a vertical pillar, a curved neck to which the strings are attached by wrest pins, a base or pedestal equipped with seven pedals each of which when depressed one notch raises all strings of the same letter names one half step and when depressed two notches raises them a whole step, having usually 46 strings tuned diatonically in C-flat major with a compass of 6 1/2 octaves above C flat and with all C and F strings colored for ease of recognition
c. : jew's harp 1
d. : harmonica
e. : a percussion pipe-organ stop of metal or wooden bars with resonators sounded by electric hammer action
2. : harper 2
3. : something that resembles a harp: as
a. : a forked fitting for holding a trolley wheel or shoe in contact with a power-supplying wire or cable
b. : a many-stringed implement used in cutting the curd of Swiss cheese
c. : a metal hoop or arch that supports a lampshade
4. : harp seal
5. often capitalized : a person of Irish birth or descent — often taken to be offensive
[s]harp.jpg[/s] [
harp 1
]
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English harpen, from Old English hearpian, from hearpe, n.
intransitive verb
1. : to play on a harp
2. : to dwell on a subject : repeat a theme with tiresome frequency
continues to harp on higher wages and shorter hours — G.W.Johnson
if I seem to be harping away at the value of variety — Alistair Cooke
3. obsolete : to form an opinion on insufficient evidence : guess
only to harp at the matter — John Cotgrave
4. : to make a sound like a harp
hear the wind harp — E.J.Schoettle
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to play on or recite to the accompaniment of a harp
a tale … harped in hall and bower — Thomas Warton
2. archaic : to attract or compel by playing sweetly on the harp
could harp his wife up out of hell — Alfred Tennyson
3. archaic : to discuss or refer to repeatedly and tediously
4. archaic : to guess at or give expression to
thou hast harped my fear aright — Shakespeare
5. : to cut and mix curd of (Swiss cheese) with a harp