Haw ‧ thorne, Na ‧ than ‧ i ‧ el /ˈhɔːθɔːn $ -θɔːrn, nəˈθæniəl/ BrE AmE
(1806–64) a US writer of novels and short stories, whose most famous novels are The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables . His books are mainly concerned with subjects such as ↑ sin (=doing wrong) and punishment.