harrow

¹

[ har-oh ]

noun

1. an agricultural implement with spikelike teeth or upright disks, drawn chiefly over plowed land to level it, break up clods, root up weeds, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. to draw a harrow over (land).
2. to disturb keenly or painfully; distress the mind, feelings, etc., of.

verb (used without object)

1. to become broken up by harrowing, as soil.

harrow

²

[ har-oh ]

verb (used with object)

, Archaic.

1. to ravish; violate; despoil.
2. harry ( def 2 ).
3. (of Christ) to descend into (hell) to free the righteous held captive.

Harrow

³

[ har-oh ]

noun

1. a borough of Greater London, in SE England.
2. a boarding school for boys, founded in 1571 at Harrow-on-the-Hill, an urban district near London, England.

Harrow

¹

/ ˈhærəʊ /

noun

1. a borough of NW Greater London; site of an English boys' public school founded in 1571 at Harrow-on-the-Hill, a part of this borough. Pop: 210 700 (2003 est). Area: 51 sq km (20 sq miles)

harrow

²

/ ˈhærəʊ /

verb

1. to plunder or ravish
2. (of Christ) to descend into (hell) to rescue righteous souls

harrow

³

/ ˈhærəʊ /

noun

1. any of various implements used to level the ground, stir the soil, break up clods, destroy weeds, etc, in soil

verb

1. tr to draw a harrow over (land)
2. intr (of soil) to become broken up through harrowing
3. tr to distress; vex

Derived Forms

• ˈharrowment, noun
• ˈharrower, noun
• ˈharrowing, adjectivenoun

Other Words From

• harrow·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of harrow¹

1250–1300; Middle English harwe; akin to Old Norse herfi harrow, Dutch hark rake, Greek krṓpion sickle

Origin of harrow²

before 1000; Middle English harwen, herwen, Old English hergian to harry

Word History and Origins

Origin of harrow¹

C13: variant of Old English hergian to harry

Origin of harrow²

C13: of Scandinavian origin; compare Danish harv, Swedish harf; related to Middle Dutch harke rake

Example Sentences

The writers definitely picked the wrong week to give Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) a breather.

From The Daily Beast

And watching these two programs side by side makes one feel infinitely happier to have been expelled from Eton than from Harrow.

From The Daily Beast

Bo Guagua went to two private boarding schools, Papplewick and Harrow, before going on to study at Balliol College, Oxford.

From The Daily Beast

“My name, period, is Richard Harrow,” which I interpreted as Richard having trouble speaking.

From The Daily Beast

What initially attracted you to the character of Richard Harrow and how much of his mannerisms did you create?

From The Daily Beast

There was also one at the Plough and Harrow, and several may stil be found in the neighbourhood.

From Project Gutenberg

The steam-shoveller was removed, or the tormentor irons raised, when only the harrow was required.

From Project Gutenberg

We reached Harrow too late to attend church as we had hoped, the morning services just closing as we entered the churchyard.

From Project Gutenberg

If he has stolen a watering bucket or a harrow, he shall pay three shekels of silver.

From Project Gutenberg

Upon the plateau I saw my rusty old disk harrow–a legacy from Milt–standing on the brown earth.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• afflict
• annoy
• bedevil
• bother
• harass
• hound
• hurt
• irritate
• mistreat
• molest
• nag
• pester
• plague
• smite
• tease
• torture
• vex