haunt
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.1haunt
verb \ˈhȯnt, ˈhänt\Definition of HAUNT
transitive verb
1
a : to visit often : frequent b : to continually seek the company of
2
a : to have a disquieting or harmful effect on : trouble <problems we ignore now will come back to haunt us> b : to recur constantly and spontaneously to <the tune haunted her> c : to reappear continually in <a sense of tension that haunts his writing>
3
: to visit or inhabit as a ghost
intransitive verb
1
: to stay around or persist : linger
2
: to appear habitually as a ghost
— haunt·er noun
— haunt·ing·ly \ˈhȯn-tiŋ-lē, ˈhän-\ adverb
See Examples of HAUNT
- Some people believe that the ghost of an old sea captain haunts the beach.
- If you ignore the problem, it will come back to haunt you.
- Their failure to plan ahead is now coming back to haunt them.
- The tune haunted me all day.
Origin of HAUNT
Middle English, from Anglo-French hanter, probably from Old Norse heimta to lead home, pull, claim, from heimr home
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to HAUNT
2haunt
noun \ˈhȯnt, ˈhänt, 2 is usually ˈhant\Definition of HAUNT
1
: a place habitually frequented
2
chiefly dialect : ghost
Examples of HAUNT
- The restaurant became one of her favorite haunts.
- <one of their favorite after-school haunts is Joe's Pizza>
First Known Use of HAUNT
14th century
Related to HAUNT
- Synonyms
- hangout, purlieu, rendezvous, resort, stamping ground, stomping ground
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