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.

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. 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

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. 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)

Other Word Forms

• harrower noun
• harrowment noun
• harrowing adjective

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

Origin of harrow²

C13: variant of Old English hergian to _harry

Example Sentences

Survivors have spoken of their harrowing escapes to local media.

From BBC

Court evidence about the nature of the abuse and suffering Ethan was subjected to was so harrowing that the judge excused the jurors from ever having to serve on a jury again.

From BBC

"When Vicki was found it was obviously a really harrowing time," Lindsay says.

From BBC

He later recounted the harrowing conditions in captivity - isolated and denied food for most of the days.

From BBC

Students who survived the incident have recounting their harrowing escapes to local media.

From BBC

Related Words

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