HARASS

harass

(verb) exhaust by attacking repeatedly; “harass the enemy”

harass, hassle, harry, chivy, chivvy, chevy, chevvy, beset, plague, molest, provoke

(verb) annoy continually or chronically; “He is known to harry his staff when he is overworked”; “This man harasses his female co-workers”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

harass (third-person singular simple present harasses, present participle harassing, simple past and past participle harassed)

To fatigue or to tire with repeated and exhausting efforts.

To annoy endlessly or systematically; to molest.

To put excessive burdens upon; to subject to anxieties.

Synonyms

• hassle

• harry

• chivy or chivvy

• chevy or chevvy

• beset

• plague

• molest

• provoke

Noun

harass

(obsolete) devastation; waste

(obsolete) worry; harassment

Anagrams

• hassar

Source: Wiktionary

Har"ass (hâr"as), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Harassed; p. pr. & vb. n. Harassing.] Etym: [F. harasser; cf. OF. harace a basket made of cords, harace, harasse,a very heavy and large shield; or harer to set (a dog) on.]

Definition: To fatigue; to tire with repeated and exhausting efforts; esp., to weary by importunity, teasing, or fretting; to cause to endure excessive burdens or anxieties; -- sometimes followed by out. [Troops] harassed with a long and wearisome march. Bacon. Nature oppressed and harass'd out with care. Addison. Vext with lawyers and harass'd with debt. Tennyson.

Syn.

– To weary; jade; tire; perplex; distress; tease; worry; disquiet; chafe; gall; annoy; irritate; plague; vex; molest; trouble; disturb; torment.

Har"ass, n.

1. Devastation; waste. [Obs.] Milton.

2. Worry; harassment. [R.] Byron.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition