harry

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verb har·ry \ˈher-ē, ˈha-rē\

Definition of harry

harried

;

harrying

transitive verb
1 : to make a pillaging or destructive raid on : assault
2 : to force to move along by harassing harrying the terrified horses down out of the mountains — R. A. Sokolov
3 : to torment by or as if by constant attack

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Recent Examples of harry from the Web

Ramey built his reputation as a pass-first point guard with dizzying speed and quickness that helps him harry opposing guards on the defensive end.

— jeff greer, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville basketball | Cards pledge Courtney Ramey ready for next step," 15 July 2017
This is supposed to be the age of the universal player, in which even goalscorers press and tackle and hassle and harry.

— jonathan wilson, SI.com, "Cristiano Ronaldo's trophy-winning prowess a constant amid his personal evolution," 3 June 2017
Construction resumed in 2014, but has been harried by the decades-long conflict between the Turkish state and the guerilla Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

— rachel brown, National Geographic, "This Medieval Tomb Weighs 1,100 Tons. Watch Workers Move it On Wheels," 23 May 2017
Its planning was notably harried and last-minute, apparently the result of Melania being slow to hire staff and take on White House duties, the New York Times reported.

— martha ross, The Mercury News, "Melania Trump welcomed teachers to a White House ceremony called ‘weird,’ even a ‘disgrace’," 1 May 2017
For almost the entire game the Americans had harried China with their version of a full-court press--the 100 defense--which prevented the Chinese midfielders from giving quick support to their forwards.

— grant wahl, SI.com, "SI Vault: Out Of This World – How the U.S. women won the 1999 World Cup," 2 July 2015
With 12 seconds on the shot clock and no other defender besides Allen to harry him, Bryant used up six seconds fighting Allen to the left corner of the free throw line.

— kyle stack, WIRED, "NBA Players Scoff at Mathematical Model Suggesting When to Shoot," 15 Feb. 2012

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'harry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Was there once a warlike man named Harry who is the source for the verb harry? One particularly belligerent Harry does come to mind: Shakespeare once described how "famine, sword, and fire" accompanied "the warlike Harry," England's King Henry the Fifth. But neither this king nor any of his namesakes are the source for the verb. Rather, harry (or a word resembling it) has been a part of English for as long as there has been anything that could be called English. It took the form hergian in Old English and harien in Middle English, passing through numerous variations before finally settling into its modern spelling. The word's Old English ancestors are related to Old High German words heriōn ("to lay waste") and heri ("army").

Origin and Etymology of harry

Middle English harien, from Old English hergian; akin to Old High German heriōn to lay waste, heri army, Greek koiranos ruler

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of harry

worry, annoy, harass, harry, plague, pester, tease mean to disturb or irritate by persistent acts. worry implies an incessant goading or attacking that drives one to desperation. pursued a policy of worrying the enemy annoy implies disturbing one's composure or peace of mind by intrusion, interference, or petty attacks. you're doing that just to annoy me harass implies petty persecutions or burdensome demands that exhaust one's nervous or mental power. harassed on all sides by creditors harry may imply heavy oppression or maltreatment. the strikers had been harried by thugs plague implies a painful and persistent affliction. plagued all her life by poverty pester stresses the repetition of petty attacks. constantly pestered with trivial complaints tease suggests an attempt to break down one's resistance or rouse to wrath. children teased the dog