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• Jew's harp
  Jew's harp

  noun

  a small, simple musical instrument consisting of a lyre-shaped metal frame containing a metal tongue, which is plucked while the frame is held in the teeth, the vibrations causing twanging tones.
• jew's-harp
  jew's-harp

  noun

  a musical instrument consisting of a small lyre-shaped metal frame held between the teeth, with a steel tongue plucked with the finger. Changes in pitch are produced by varying the size of the mouth cavities

Jew's harp

American  

Or Jews' harp

noun

1. (sometimes lowercase) a small, simple musical instrument consisting of a lyre-shaped metal frame containing a metal tongue, which is plucked while the frame is held in the teeth, the vibrations causing twanging tones.

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jew's-harp British  

noun

1. a musical instrument consisting of a small lyre-shaped metal frame held between the teeth, with a steel tongue plucked with the finger. Changes in pitch are produced by varying the size of the mouth cavities

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Etymology

Origin of Jew's harp

First recorded in 1585–95; perhaps jocular; earlier called Jew's trump

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Jew's harp jew's-harp

It sounds something like a Jew’s harp, but much louder.

From Slate ● Sep. 30, 2018

Geillis Duncan was the only instrumental performer, and she played on a Jew's harp, called in Scotland a trump.

From Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft by Sir Walter Scott

The memoirs of Madame de Genlis first made known the astonishing powers of a poor German soldier on the Jew's harp.

From The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 269, August 18, 1827 by Various

He carries a Jew's harp and a mouth-organ, and when not fingering one he is blowing music-hall tunes out of the other.

From The Red Horizon by Patrick MacGill

Bill played his Jew's harp, strummed countless sentimental, music-hall ditties on its sensitive tongue, his being was flooded with exuberant song, he was transported by his trumpery toy.

From The Red Horizon by Patrick MacGill

He likes the Rolling Stones, he plays the jew’s-harp — it’s incredible.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2019

Ms. Arnold delivered the texts in a half-sung Sprechstimme manner over the drone of a lone jew’s-harp.

From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2011

The drone of a jew's-harp, which serves as a musical bridge in Up on Cripple Creek, is actually produced by the wah-wah pedal on Garth's clavinette.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the man who just likes to sing in the bathtub or twang a lick on the jew's-harp has never had a book to tell him where to go from there.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Where’s the jew’s-harp, Jo?” cried Laurie, as soon as he was within speaking distance.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott