I. ˈhau̇nd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hund; akin to Old High German hunt dog, Old Norse hundr, Gothic hunds, Latin canis, Greek kyōn, Sanskrit śvā
1.
a. : dog
b. : a dog of any of various breeds used in the chase that have typically large drooping ears and a deep voice and follow their prey by scent
c. Britain : foxhound
2. : a mean or despicable person
that low-down, sneaking hound
3.
a. : dogfish 1
b. Newfoundland : old-squaw
4. : one of the chasers in the game hare and hounds
5. : one closely attached to a habit or pursuit : addict
autograph hound
an expert lens hound — H.H.Miller
— often used in combinations
booze hound
chow hound
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English (Sc. dialect) hounden, from hound, n.
1.
a. : to hunt, chase, or track with hounds or as if with hounds
b. : to pursue unrelentingly
was hounded by his creditors
: heckle or harass unceasingly
hounded from office by the press
2. : to set on the chase : incite to pursuit
hound a dog at a hare
— often used with on
hound on pursuers
Synonyms: see bait
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English hune, hownde, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hūnn cube, knob at the top of a masthead, young of an animal, bear cub — more at cave
1. hounds plural : the framing at the masthead of a ship for supporting the heel of the topmast and the upper parts of the lower rigging
2. : a sidebar connecting the tongue of a wagon with the forecarriage or the reach with the hind carriage in order to give additional rigidity to those parts