harpoon
[ hahr-poon ]
/ hɑrˈpun /
noun
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.
(initial capital letter)Military. 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.
verb (used with object)
to strike, catch, or kill with or as if with a harpoon.
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a person who acts as though he or she knows everything and who dismisses the opinions, comments, or suggestions of others.
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a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUTOrigin of harpoon
1590–1600; <Dutch harpoen ≪ Old French harpon a clasp, brooch, equivalent to harp- (<Latin harpē<Greek: hook) + -on diminutive suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM harpoon
har·poon·er, nounhar·poon·like, adjectiveWords nearby harpoon
Harpies, harping, harpings, harpist, harp on, harpoon, harpoon gun, harp seal, harpsichord, Harpy, harpy eagle
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for harpoon
British Dictionary definitions for harpoon
harpoon
/ (hɑːˈpuːn) /
noun
- a barbed missile attached to a long cord and hurled or fired from a gun when hunting whales, etc
- (as modifier)a harpoon gun
verb
(tr) to spear with or as if with a harpoon
Derived forms of harpoon
harpooner or harpooneer, nounharpoon-like, adjectiveWord Origin for harpoon
C17: probably from Dutch harpoen, from Old French harpon clasp, from harper to seize, perhaps of Scandinavian origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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