harp

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.

Lamp harp with fluorescent bulb

• (UK) IPA^(key): /hɑːp/
• (US) IPA^(key): /hɑɹp/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)p

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

harp (plural harps)

1. (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, edited by J[ohn] S[tow], Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, Imprinted at London: In Fletestreate, neare vnto Saint Dunstones Churche by Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; 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, page 290:

     The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge

   1. Any instrument of the same musicological type.
2. (colloquial) A harmonica.
3. (Scotland) A grain sieve.
4. The component of a lamp to which one attaches the lampshade, consisting of a lightweight frame that usually surrounds the bulb with an attachment at the top for the finial.
   • 1960, School Shop, volume 20, page 36:

     Contains charts and instructions for wiring. Shows sockets, wire, harps, glass chimneys and globes, shade holders, bases, finials, and hundreds of items necessary in the building of lamps.

   • 1991, Kalton C. Lahue, Cheryl Smith, Interior Lighting, page 104:

     Both types of harp have a swiveling shade holder at the top. The threaded stud on the swivel accepts the finial.

5. 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.

• glee-beam

• harp seal

• lyre

harp (third-person singular simple present harps, present participle harping, simple past and past participle harped)

1. (derogatory, usually with on) To repeatedly mention a subject, especially so as to nag or complain.

   Why do you harp on a single small mistake?

   (US)

   Why do you harp on about a single small mistake?

   (UK)

2. (transitive) To play on (a harp or similar instrument).
3. (transitive) To play (a tune) on the harp.
4. (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, [Act IV, scene iv]:

     Thou harped my fear aright.

• keep on about
• perseverate

• 2013. The Physics of Musical Instruments. Neville H. Fletcher, Thomas Rossing. Pg. 331.

• PHAR

From Middle Dutch harpe, from Old Dutch *harpa, from Proto-Germanic *harpǭ.

• Rhymes: -ɑrp

• audio

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ɦɑrp/

harp f or m (plural harpen, diminutive harpje n)

1. harp

From Ottoman Turkish حرب (harb), borrowed from Arabic حَرْب (ḥarb).

• IPA^(key): /hɑɾʲp/

harp (definite accusative harbi, plural harpler)

1. (archaic) war

   Synonym: savaş

   • 1941 June 23, Yenigün‎:

     Alman-Rus harbinde bitaraf kalacağız

     We will remain neutral in the German-Russian war

• Büyük Harp
• Cihan Harbi

• harbî (“military”)
• harbiye

Borrowed from Arabic حَرْف (ḥarf).

harp (definite accusative harpy, plural harplar)

1. letter (of an alphabet)