harrow

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: har=row

CIDE DICTIONARY

harrow, n. [OE. harowe, harwe, AS. hearge; cf. D. hark rake, G. harke, Icel. herfi harrow, Dan. harve, Sw. harf.

•  An implement of agriculture, usually formed of pieces of timber or metal crossing each other, and set with iron or wooden teeth. It is drawn over plowed land to level it and break the clods, to stir the soil and make it fine, or to cover seed when sown.  [1913 Webster]
•  An obstacle formed by turning an ordinary harrow upside down, the frame being buried.  [1913 Webster]

Bush harrow, a kind of light harrow made of bushes, for harrowing grass lands and covering seeds, or to finish the work of a toothed harrow. -- Drill harrow. See under 6th Drill. -- Under the harrow, subjected to actual torture with a toothed instrument, or to great affliction or oppression.

harrow, v. t. [OE. harowen, harwen; cf. Dan. harve. See Harrow, n.].

•  To draw a harrow over, as for the purpose of breaking clods and leveling the surface, or for covering seed; as, to harrow land.  [1913 Webster]

  "Will he harrow the valleys after thee?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To break or tear, as with a harrow; to wound; to lacerate; to torment or distress; to vex.  [1913 Webster]

  "My aged muscles harrowed up with whips."  [1913 Webster]

  "I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word
  Would harrow up thy soul."  [1913 Webster]

harrow, interj. [OF. harau, haro; fr. OHG. hara, hera, herot, or fr. OS. herod hither, akin to E. here.].

 Help! Halloo! An exclamation of distress; a call for succor; -- the ancient Norman hue and cry.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
"Harrow! alas! here lies my fellow slain."  [1913 Webster]

harrow, v. t. [See Harry.].

 To pillage; to harry; to oppress.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
"Meaning thereby to harrow his people."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

harrow, n. & v.
--n. a heavy frame with iron teeth dragged over ploughed land to break up clods, remove weeds, cover seed, etc.
--v.tr.
1 draw a harrow over (land).
2 (usu. as harrowing adj.) distress greatly.

Derivative

harrower n. harrowingly adv.

Etymology

ME f. ON hervi

THESAURUS

harrow

afflict, agonize, ail, backset, badger, bait, bedevil, bite, bloody, burn, chafe, claw, cog, comb, convulse, crag, crucify, cultivate, culture, cut, dab, delve, devil, dig, distress, drag, dress, dub, equalize, even, excruciate, fallow, fang, fertilize, fester, flatten, force, fret, gall, give pain, gnaw, grade, grate, grease, grind, gripe, heckle, hector, hoe, hurt, impale, inflame, inflict pain, irritate, jag, kill by inches, lacerate, lancinate, lay, level, list, lubricate, macerate, martyr, martyrize, mow, mulch, needle, nip, oil, pain, peak, pecten, pester, pierce, pinch, plane, planish, plaster, plow, prick, projection, prolong the agony, prune, punish, put to torture, rack, rake, rankle, rasp, ratchet, rip, rub, savage, sawtooth, scarify, shave, smooth, smooth down, smooth out, snag, snaggle, spade, spire, sprocket, spur, stab, steeple, sting, tantalize, tease, thin, thin out, till, till the soil, tooth, torment, torture, try, tweak, twist, weed, weed out, work, wound, wring

ROGET THESAURUS

harrow

Painfulness

VB cause pain, occasion pain, give pain, bring pain, induce pain, produce pain, create pain, inflict pain, pain, hurt, wound, pinch, prick, gripe, pierce, lancinate, cut, hurt the feelings, wound the feelings, grate upon the feelings, grate upon the nerves, jar upon the feelings, wring the heart, pierce the heart, lacerate the heart, break the heart, rend the heart, make the heart bleed, tear the heart strings, rend the heart strings, draw tears from the eyes, sadden, make unhappy, plunge into sorrow, grieve, fash, afflict, distress, cut up, cut to the heart, displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet, faze, feaze, feeze, disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune, wring, harrow, torment, torture, bullyrag, put to the rack, put to the question, break on the wheel, rack, scarify, cruciate, crucify, convulse, agonize, barb the dart, plant a dagger in the breast, plant a thorn in one's side, irritate, provoke, sting, nettle, try the patience, pique, fret, rile, tweak the nose, chafe, gall, sting to the quick, wound to the quick, cut to the quick, aggrieve, affront, enchafe, enrage, ruffle, sour the temper, give offense, maltreat, bite, snap at, assail, smite, sicken, disgust, revolt, nauseate, disenchant, repel, offend, shock, stink in the nostrils, go against the stomach, turn the stomach, make one sick, set the teeth on edge, go against the grain, grate on the ear, stick in one's throat, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, gnaw, corrode, horrify, appal, appall, freeze the blood, make the flesh creep, make the hair stand on end, make the blood curdle, make the blood run cold, make one shudder, haunt the memory, weigh on the heart, prey on the heart, weigh on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, prey on the spirits, bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, add a nail to one's coffin.

Agriculture

VB cultivate, till the soil, farm, garden, sow, plant, reap, mow, cut, manure, dress the ground, dig, delve, dibble, hoe, plough, plow, harrow, rake, weed, lop and top, backset.

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