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hound

- 7 dictionary results

hound

1  [hound]
Use hound in a Sentence
–noun
1. one of any of several breeds of dogs trained to pursue game either by sight or by scent, esp. one with a long face and large drooping ears.
2. Informal. any dog.
3. a mean, despicable person.
4. Informal. an addict or devotee: an autograph hound.
5. one of the pursuers in the game of hare and hounds.
–verb (used with object)
6. to hunt or track with hounds, or as a hound does; pursue.
7. to pursue or harass without respite: Her little brother wouldn't stop hounding her.
8. to incite (a hound) to pursuit or attack; urge on.
9. Informal. to incite or urge (a person) to do something (usually fol. by on).
—Idioms
10. follow the hounds, Fox Hunting. to participate in a hunt, esp. as a member of the field.
11. ride to hounds, Fox Hunting. to participate in a hunt, whether as a member of the field or of the hunt staff.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME h(o)und, OE hund; c. D hond, ON hundr, Dan, Sw hund, G Hund, Goth hunds; akin to L canis, Gk kýōn (gen. kynós), Skt śván (gen. śunas), OIr cú (gen. con), Welsh ci (pl. cwn), Tocharian A kū, Lith šuõ

Related forms:
hounder, noun
houndish, houndy, adjective
houndlike, adjective

Synonyms:
6. dog, follow, chase, trail; tail. 7. pester, annoy, persecute, bully.

hound

2  [hound]
–noun
1. Nautical. either of a pair of fore-and-aft members at the lower end of the head of a mast, for supporting the trestletrees, that support an upper mast at its heel. Compare cheek (def. 12).
2. a horizontal bar or brace, usually one of a pair, for strengthening the running gear of a horse-drawn wagon or the like.
Origin:
1175–1225; ME hūn < ON hūnn knob at the masthead
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To hound
hound   (hound)   
n.  
    1. A domestic dog of any of various breeds commonly used for hunting, characteristically having drooping ears, a short coat, and a deep resonant voice.
    2. A dog.
    3. One who eagerly pursues something: a gossip hound.
    4. A devotee or an enthusiast: a coffee hound.
  2. A contemptible person; a scoundrel.
    1. One who eagerly pursues something: a gossip hound.
    2. A devotee or an enthusiast: a coffee hound.
tr.v.   hound·ed, hound·ing, hounds
  1. To pursue relentlessly and tenaciously. See Synonyms at harass.
  2. To urge insistently; nag: hounded me until I agreed to cut my hair.

[Middle English, from Old English hund; see kwon- in Indo-European roots.]
hound'er n.
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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Hound

Hound\, n. [OE. hound, hund, dog, AS. hund; akin to OS. & OFries. hund, D. hond, G. hund, OHG. hunt, Icel. hundr, Dan. & Sw. hund, Goth. hunds, and prob. to Lith. sz?, Ir. & Gael. cu, L. canis, Gr. ?, ?, Skr. [,c]van. [root]229. Cf. Canine, Cynic, Kennel.]

1. (Zo["o]l.) A variety of the domestic dog, usually having large, drooping ears, esp. one which hunts game by scent, as the foxhound, bloodhound, deerhound, but also used for various breeds of fleet hunting dogs, as the greyhound, boarhound, etc.

Hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs. --Shak.

2. A despicable person. "Boy! false hound!" --Shak.

3. (Zo["o]l.) A houndfish.

4. pl. (Naut.) Projections at the masthead, serving as a support for the trestletrees and top to rest on.

5. A side bar used to strengthen portions of the running gear of a vehicle.

To follow the hounds, to hunt with hounds.

Hound

Hound\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Hounding.]

1. To set on the chase; to incite to pursuit; as, to hounda dog at a hare; to hound on pursuers. --Abp. Bramhall.

2. To hunt or chase with hounds, or as with hounds. --L'Estrange.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : hound
Spanish: perro de caza,
German: der Jagdhund,
Japanese: 猟犬
More Translations »

hound 
O.E. hund "dog," from P.Gmc. *khundas (cf. Ger. Hund, O.N. hundr, Goth. hunds), from PIE *kuntos, dental enlargement of base *kwon- "dog" (see canine). Meaning narrowed 12c. to "dog used for hunting." The verb sense of "urge on, incite" is first attested 1528, that of "pursue relentlessly" is first recorded 1605.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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hound

see run with (the hare, hunt with the hounds).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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