— harpooner , n. — harpoonlike , adj.
/hahr poohn"/ , n.
1. a barbed, spearlike missile attached to a rope, and thrown by hand or shot from a gun, used for killing and capturing whales and large fish.
2. ( cap. ) Mil. a jet-powered, radar-guided U.S. Navy cruise missile with a high explosive warhead designed for use against surface ships and launchable from a surface vessel, submerged submarine, or aircraft.
v.t.
3. to strike, catch, or kill with or as if with a harpoon.
[ 1590-1600; harpoen harpon a clasp, brooch, equiv. to harp- ( harpe -on dim. suffix ]