harp
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English harpe, from Old English hearpe (“harp”), from Proto-West Germanic *harpā, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ (“harp”). Cognate with Scots hairp (“harp”), West Frisian harpe, harp (“harp”), Low German Harp (“harp”), Dutch harp (“harp”), German Harfe (“harp”), Danish harpe (“harp”), Swedish harpa (“harp”).
Pronunciation
editNoun
editharp (plural harps)
- (music) A musical instrument consisting of a body and a curved neck, strung with strings of varying length that are stroked or plucked with the fingers and are vertical to the soundboard when viewed from the end of the body
- 1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh], “In the Fleete Made by Me William Cornishe otherwise Called Nyshwhete Chapelman with the Most Famose and Noble Kyng Henry the VII. His Reygne the XIX. Yere the Moneth of July. A Treatise betwene Trouth, and Information.”, in John Skelton, edited by J[ohn] S[tow], Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, Imprinted at London: In Fletestreate, neare vnto Saint Dunstones Churche by Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; republished as Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate to King Henry the VIIIth, London: Printed for C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, 1736, →OCLC, page 290:
- The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge
- Any instrument of the same musicological type.
- (music, colloquial) Any musical instrument.
- A harmonica.
- A struck tuned percussion instrument of metal or wooden bars, especially as a function of a theatre organ.
- (Scotland) A grain sieve.
- The component of a lamp to which one attaches the lampshade, consisting of a lightweight frame that usually surrounds the bulb with an attachment at the top for the finial.
- 1960, School Shop, volume 20, page 36:
- Contains charts and instructions for wiring. Shows sockets, wire, harps, glass chimneys and globes, shade holders, bases, finials, and hundreds of items necessary in the building of lamps.
- 1991, Kalton C. Lahue, Cheryl Smith, Interior Lighting, page 104:
- Both types of harp have a swiveling shade holder at the top. The threaded stud on the swivel accepts the finial.
- Short for harp seal.
- 2006, John Gimlette, Theatre of Fish: Travels Through Newfoundland and Labrador, page 225:
- More likely, it was the prospect of meat. Curwen was by now craving a juicy roast – 'even seal chop' – and was always loosing off at tickleasses and harps.
Synonyms
editHyponyms
editDerived terms
edit- æolian harp
- arched harp
- Celtic harp
- Harp
- harp closure
- harper
- Harper
- harp-guitar
- harp guitarist
- harp-guitarist
- harp holder
- Harp Island
- harpist
- harp on
- harp on one string
- harp on the same string
- harp-player
- harp shackle
- harp shell
- harp snail
- Jaws-harp
- jaws-harp
- Jaws'-harp
- jaws harp
- jaw's harp
- jaws' harp
- Jaw's harp
- Jewes-harp
- Jewes harp
- jewes harp
- jew harp
- jews-harp
- Jews-harp
- jews'-harp
- Jews' harp
- jews harp
- Jews harp
- Jew's-harp
- Jews'-harp
- jew's harp
- Kafir harp
- lamp harp
- laser harp
- Welsh harp
Related terms
editTranslations
edit
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See also
editVerb
editharp (third-person singular simple present harps, present participle harping, simple past and past participle harped)
- (derogatory, usually with on) To repeatedly mention a subject, especially so as to nag or complain.
- Why do you harp on a single small mistake?(US)
- Why do you harp on about a single small mistake?(UK)
- (transitive) To play on (a harp or similar instrument).
- (transitive) To play (a tune) on the harp.
- (transitive, archaic) To develop or give expression to by skill and art; to sound forth as from a harp; to hit upon.
- c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
- Thou harped my fear aright.
Synonyms
edit- keep on about
- perseverate
Translations
edit
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References
edit- 2013. The Physics of Musical Instruments. Neville H. Fletcher, Thomas Rossing. Pg. 331.
Anagrams
editDutch
editEtymology
editFrom Middle Dutch harpe, from Old Dutch *harpa, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editharp f or m (plural harpen, diminutive harpje n)
Turkish
editEtymology
editFrom Ottoman Turkish حرب (harb), borrowed from Arabic حَرْب (ḥarb).
Pronunciation
editNoun
editharp (definite accusative harbi, plural harpler)
- (archaic) war
- Synonym: savaş
- 1941 June 23, Yenigün[1]:
- Alman-Rus harbinde bitaraf kalacağız
- We will remain neutral in the German-Russian war
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editTurkmen
editEtymology
editBorrowed from Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf).
Noun
editharp (definite accusative harpy, plural harplar)
- letter (of an alphabet)
Declension
editFurther reading
edit- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)p
- Rhymes:English/ɑː(ɹ)p/1 syllable
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- en:String instruments
- English terms with quotations
- en:Music
- English colloquialisms
- Scottish English
- English short forms
- English verbs
- English derogatory terms
- English terms with usage examples
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with archaic senses
- en:Heraldic charges
- en:Ireland
- Dutch terms inherited from Middle Dutch
- Dutch terms derived from Middle Dutch
- Dutch terms inherited from Old Dutch
- Dutch terms derived from Old Dutch
- Dutch terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Dutch terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Rhymes:Dutch/ɑrp
- Rhymes:Dutch/ɑrp/1 syllable
- Dutch terms with audio pronunciation
- Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation
- Dutch lemmas
- Dutch nouns
- Dutch nouns with plural in -en
- Dutch feminine nouns
- Dutch masculine nouns
- Dutch nouns with multiple genders
- nl:Musical instruments
- Turkish terms inherited from Ottoman Turkish
- Turkish terms derived from Ottoman Turkish
- Turkish terms derived from Arabic
- Turkish terms derived from the Arabic root ح ر ب
- Turkish terms with IPA pronunciation
- Turkish terms with audio pronunciation
- Turkish lemmas
- Turkish nouns
- Turkish terms with archaic senses
- Turkish terms with quotations
- Turkmen terms borrowed from Arabic
- Turkmen terms derived from Arabic
- Turkmen terms derived from the Arabic root ح ر ف
- Turkmen lemmas
- Turkmen nouns