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View synonyms for harpoon
harpoon
[ hahr-poon ]
noun
- a barbed, spearlike missile attached to a rope, and thrown by hand or shot from a gun, used for killing and capturing whales and large fish.
- Harpoon, Military. a jet-powered, radar-guided U.S. Navy cruise missile with a high explosive warhead designed for use against surface ships and launchable from a surface vessel, submerged submarine, or aircraft.
verb (used with object)
- to strike, catch, or kill with or as if with a harpoon.
harpoon
/ hɑːˈpuːn /
noun
- a barbed missile attached to a long cord and hurled or fired from a gun when hunting whales, etc
- ( as modifier )
a harpoon gun
verb
- tr to spear with or as if with a harpoon
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Derived Forms
- harˈpooner, noun
- harˈpoon-ˌlike, adjective
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Other Words From
- har·pooner noun
- har·poonlike adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of harpoon1
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Dutch harpoen, ultimately derived from Old French harpon “a clasp, brooch,” equivalent to harp- (from Latin harpē, from Greek: “hook”) + -on diminutive suffix
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Word History and Origins
Origin of harpoon1
C17: probably from Dutch harpoen, from Old French harpon clasp, from harper to seize, perhaps of Scandinavian origin
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Example Sentences
We passed several large sting-rays asleep on the surface of the sea, which our people ineffectually endeavoured to harpoon.
From Project Gutenberg
By bending one finger like a hook and striking the butt of the shaft, he could send a harpoon straight to the mark.
From Project Gutenberg
Take a harpoon and show how the shaft would swing against the feet of an animal that had been hit by the head.
From Project Gutenberg
Kamelillo had a bamboo pole in his hand to pole the raft with, but he had shod it with his harpoon head.
From Project Gutenberg
They are caught at night in shallow places along the sandy beach, a torch, harpoon, and net being the necessary outfit.
From Project Gutenberg
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