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harass

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Harass is defined as to torment or irritate.

(verb)

An example of harass is a woman calling a man twenty times a day after he's asked her not to.

See harass in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to trouble, worry, or torment, as with cares, debts, repeated questions, etc.
to trouble by repeated raids or attacks, etc.; harry

Origin: Fr harasser < OFr harer, to set a dog on < hare, cry to incite dogs < OHG harēn, to call, cry out

Related Forms:

harasser noun
harassment noun

See harass in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb ha·rassed, ha·rass·ing, ha·rass·es

To irritate or torment persistently.
To wear out; exhaust.
To impede and exhaust (an enemy) by repeated attacks or raids.

Origin:

Origin: French harasser

Origin: , possibly from Old French harer, to set a dog on

Origin: , from hare, interj. used to set a dog on

Origin: , of Germanic origin

Related Forms:

ha·rassˈer noun

ha·rassˈment noun

Usage Note: Educated usage appears to be evenly divided on the pronunciation of harass. In our 1987 survey 50 percent of the Usage Panel preferred stressing the first syllable, while 50 percent preferred stressing the second. Curiously, the Panelists' comments appear to indicate that each side regards itself as an embattled minority.

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