[hahrp] 
| 1. | a musical instrument consisting of a triangular frame formed by a soundbox, a pillar, and a curved neck, and having strings stretched between the soundbox and the neck that are plucked with the fingers. |
| 2. | anything that resembles this instrument, esp. in having a row of parallel strings or wires, as various mechanical devices or kitchen implements for slicing cheese. |
| 3. | a vertical metal frame shaped to bend around the bulb in a standing lamp and used to support a lamp shade. |
| 4. | Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a person of Irish birth or descent. |
| 5. | Also called harper. any of several English coins issued for use in Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries, bearing the figure of a harp on the reverse. |
| 6. | South Midland and Southern U.S. a mouth harp; harmonica. |
| 7. | to play on a harp. |
| 8. | harp on or upon, to dwell on persistently or tediously in speaking or writing: He was always harping on the importance of taking vitamin supplements. |
harp (härp)  (click for larger image in new window) n.
To play a harp. Phrasal Verb(s): harp onTo talk or write about to an excessive and tedious degree; dwell on. [Middle English, from Old English hearpe and from Old French harpe, of Germanic origin.] harp'er n., harp'ist n. |
harp on
Dwell on; talk or write about to a tedious and excessive extent. For example, She kept harping on the fact that she had no household help at all. This expression is a shortening of harp on the same string, meaning "to play the same note over and over." It was first recorded in 1518.