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harridan
[ hahr-i-dn ]
/ ˈhɑr ɪ dn /
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noun
a scolding, vicious woman; hag; shrew.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of harridan
1690–1700; perhaps alteration of French haridelle thin, worn-out horse, large, gaunt woman (compared with the initial element of haras stud farm, though derivation is unclear)
Words nearby harridan
Harpy, harpy eagle, harquebus, harquebusier, Harrer, harridan, harried, harrier, Harriet, Harriman, Harrington
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use harridan in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for harridan
harridan
/ (ˈhærɪdən) /
noun
a scolding old woman; nag
Word Origin for harridan
C17: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to French haridelle, literally: broken-down horse; of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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