harp
See also: Harp and härp
English
Etymology
From Middle English harpe, from Old English hearpe (“harp”), from Proto-West Germanic *harpā, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ (“harp”). Cognate with Scots hairp (“harp”), West Frisian harpe, harp (“harp”), Low German Harp (“harp”), Dutch harp (“harp”), German Harfe (“harp”), Danish harpe (“harp”), Swedish harpa (“harp”).
A woman playing a harp.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /hɑːp/
- (US) IPA(key): /hɑɹp/
- Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)p
Audio (UK) (file)
Noun
harp (plural harps)
- (music) A musical instrument consisting of a body and a curved neck, strung with strings of varying length that are stroked or plucked with the fingers and are vertical to the soundboard when viewed from the end of the body
- 1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh], “In the Fleete Made by Me William Cornishe otherwise Called Nyshwhete Chapelman with the Most Famose and Noble Kyng Henry the VII. His Reygne the XIX. Yere the Moneth of July. A Treatise betwene Trouth, and Information.”, in John Skelton; J[ohn] S[tow], editor, Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, Imprinted at London: In Fletestreate, neare vnto Saint Dunstones Churche by Thomas Marshe, OCLC 54747393; republished as Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate to King Henry the VIIIth, London: Printed for C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, 1736, OCLC 731569711, page 290:
- The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge
- Any instrument of the same musicological type.
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- (colloquial) A harmonica.
- (Scotland) A grain sieve.
- Short for harp seal.
- 2006, John Gimlette, Theatre of Fish: Travels Through Newfoundland and Labrador (page 225)
- More likely, it was the prospect of meat. Curwen was by now craving a juicy roast – 'even seal chop' – and was always loosing off at tickleasses and harps.
- 2006, John Gimlette, Theatre of Fish: Travels Through Newfoundland and Labrador (page 225)
Synonyms
- glee-beam
Hyponyms
- aeolian harp
- angle harp
- angular harp
- arch harp
- autoharp
- bow harp
- claviharp
- electric harp
- frame harp
- French harp
- glass harp
- harp guitar
- harp of David
- harpsichord
- Indian harp
- jaw harp
- Jew's harp
- Judaic harp
- juice harp
- King David's harp
- mouth harp
- open harp
- pillar harp
- sacred harp
- triangular harp
- triple harp
- vibraharp
- wind harp
Derived terms
- Harp
- Harper
- harper
- harpist
Related terms
- harp seal
Translations
musical instrument
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See also
- lyre
Verb
harp (third-person singular simple present harps, present participle harping, simple past and past participle harped)
- (usually with on) To repeatedly mention a subject.
- Why do you harp on a single small mistake?(US)
- Why do you harp on about a single small mistake?(UK)
- (transitive) To play on (a harp or similar instrument).
- (transitive) To play (a tune) on the harp.
- (transitive, archaic) To develop or give expression to by skill and art; to sound forth as from a harp; to hit upon.
- c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act IV, scene iv]:
- Thou harped my fear aright.
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Synonyms
- keep on about
- perseverate
Translations
to repeatedly mention a subject
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References
- 2013. The Physics of Musical Instruments. Neville H. Fletcher, Thomas Rossing. Pg. 331.
Anagrams
- PHAR
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch harpe, from Old Dutch *harpa, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɑrp
audio (file) - IPA(key): /ɦɑrp/
Noun
harp f or m (plural harpen, diminutive harpje n)
- harp
Turkish
Etymology
From Ottoman Turkish حرب (harb), borrowed from Arabic حَرْب (ḥarb).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /hɑɾʲp/
Noun
harp (definite accusative harbi, plural harpler)
- (archaic) war
- Synonym: savaş
- 1941 June 23, Yenigün:
- Alman-Rus harbinde bitaraf kalacağız
- We will remain neutral in the German-Russian war
Derived terms
- Büyük Harp
- Cihan Harbi
Related terms
- harbî (“military”)
- harbiye
Turkmen
Etymology
Borrowed from Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf).
Noun
harp (definite accusative harpy, plural harplar)
- letter (of an alphabet)
Declension
Declension of harp
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | harp | harplar |
| accusative | harpy | harplary |
| genitive | harpyň | harplaryň |
| dative | harpa | harplara |
| locative | harpda | harplarda |
| ablative | harpdan | harplardan |