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harrowing

 - 6 dictionary results

har⋅row⋅ing

[har-oh-ing]
–adjective
extremely disturbing or distressing; grievous: a harrowing experience.

Origin:
1800–10; harrow 1 + -ing 2


har⋅row⋅ing⋅ly, adverb


painful, agonizing, tormenting, heartbreaking.

har⋅row

1[har-oh]
–noun
1. an agricultural implement with spikelike teeth or upright disks, drawn chiefly over plowed land to level it, break up clods, root up weeds, etc.
–verb (used with object)
2. to draw a harrow over (land).
3. to disturb keenly or painfully; distress the mind, feelings, etc., of.
–verb (used without object)
4. to become broken up by harrowing, as soil.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME harwe; akin to ON herfi harrow, D hark rake, Gk krpion sickle


har⋅row⋅er, noun

har⋅row

2[har-oh]
–verb (used with object) Archaic.
1. to ravish; violate; despoil.
2. harry (def. 2).
3. (of Christ) to descend into (hell) to free the righteous held captive.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME harwen, herwen, OE hergian to harry


har⋅row⋅ment, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To harrowing
har·row 1   (hār'ō)   
n.  A farm implement consisting of a heavy frame with sharp teeth or upright disks, used to break up and even off plowed ground.
tr.v.   har·rowed, har·row·ing, har·rows
  1. To break up and level (soil or land) with a harrow.

  2. To inflict great distress or torment on.


[Middle English harwe.]
har'row·er n.
har·row 2   (hār'ō)   
tr.v.   har·rowed, har·row·ing, har·rows Archaic
To plunder; sack.

[Middle English herwen, variant of harien; see harry.]
har·row·ing   (hār'ō-ĭng)   
adj.  Extremely distressing; agonizing: a harrowing experience.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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