hound

¹

[hound]

noun

1. one of any of several breeds of dogs trained to pursue game either by sight or by scent, especially one with a long face and large drooping ears.

2. Informal.,  any dog.

3. Slang.

   1. an unpleasant, mean, or despicable person.

   2. a man who chases women; a promiscuous man.

4. Informal.,  an ardent fan or devotee.

   an autograph hound.

5. one of the pursuers in the game of hare and hounds.

verb (used with object)

1. to hunt or track with hounds, or as a hound does; pursue.

   Synonyms: tail, trail, chase, follow, dog

2. to pursue or harass without respite.

   Her little brother wouldn't stop hounding her.

   Synonyms: bully, persecute, annoy, pester

3. to incite (a hound) to pursuit or attack; urge on.

4. Informal.,  to incite or urge (a person) to do something (often followed byon ).

   The committee has been hounded on by those who want these repairs done immediately.

hound

²

[hound]

noun

1. Nautical.,  either of a pair of fore-and-aft members at the lower end of the head of a mast, for supporting the trestletrees, that support an upper mast at its heel.

2. a horizontal bar or brace, usually one of a pair, for strengthening the running gear of a horse-drawn wagon or the like.

hound

¹

/ haʊnd /

noun

1. 1. any of several breeds of dog used for hunting

   2. ( in combination )

      an otterhound

      a deerhound

2. a pack of foxhounds, etc

3. a dog, esp one regarded as annoying

4. a despicable person

5. (in hare and hounds) a runner who pursues a hare

6. slang,  an enthusiast

   an autograph hound

7. short for houndfish See also nursehound

8. to take part in a fox hunt with hounds

verb

1. to pursue or chase relentlessly

2. to urge on

hound

²

/ haʊnd /

noun

1. either of a pair of horizontal bars that reinforce the running gear of a horse-drawn vehicle

2. nautical either of a pair of fore-and-aft braces that serve as supports for a topmast

Other Word Forms

• hounder noun
• houndish adjective
• houndy adjective
• houndlike adjective
• unhounded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hound¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English h(o)und, Old English hund; cognate with Dutch hond, Old Norse hundr, Danish, Swedish hund, German Hund, Gothic hunds; akin to Latin canis, Greek kýōn (genitive kynós ), Sanskrit śván (genitive śunas ), Old Irish cú (genitive con ), Welsh ci (plural cwn ), Tocharian A kū, Lithuanian šuõ

Origin of hound²

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English houn(e), hune, from Old Norse hūnn “knob at the top of a masthead”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hound¹

Old English hund; related to Old High German hunt, Old Norse hundr, Gothic hunds

Origin of hound²

C15: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse hūnn knob, cube

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. ride to hounds, to participate in a hunt, whether as a member of the field or of the hunt staff.

2. follow the hounds, to participate in a hunt, especially as a member of the field.

see run with (the hare, hunt with the hounds).

Example Sentences

Soon the fraying American regiments were being hounded south by west through New Jersey, and by Christmas Day King George’s troops had driven them across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She was trapped in a country not her own and hounded by police who were suspicious of her loyalty because she refused to renounce her American citizenship.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Master of hounds...Danish pastries...I see nothing wrong here.”

Read more on Literature

After his release, he is hounded mercilessly by an unhappy policeman.

Read more on Literature

Remember, if my hounds find it before the wolf children do, it gets shot and stuffed and goes in my study with all the rest.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• annoy 
• bother 
• goad 
• harass 
• heckle 
• hector 
• persecute 
• pester 
• pursue