HARRY

harry, ravage

(verb) make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes

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

Proper noun

Harry

A male given name from Germanic languages, also used as a pet form of Henry and Harold.

(rare compared to given name) A patronymic surname.

Etymology

Verb

harry (third-person singular simple present harries, present participle harrying, simple past and past participle harried) (transitive)

To plunder, pillage, assault.

To make repeated attacks on an enemy.

To strip, lay waste, ravage.

To harass, bother or distress with demands, threats, or criticism.

Source: Wiktionary

Har"ry, v. t.. [imp. & p. p. Harried( ); p. pr. & vb. n. Harrying.] Etym: [OF. harwen, herien, her, AS. hergisn to act as an army, to ravage, plunder, fr. here army; akin to G. here army; akin to G. heer, Icel. herr, Goth. harjis, and Lith. karas war. Gf. Harbor, Herald, Heriot.]

1. To strip; to lay waste; as, the Northmen came several times and harried the land. To harry this beautiful region. W. Irving. A red squirrel had harried the nest of a wood thrush. J. Burroughs.

2. To agitate; to worry; to harrow; to harass. Shak.

Syn.

– To ravage; plunder; pillage; lay waste; vex; tease; worry; annoy; harass.

Har"ry, v. i..

Definition: To make a predatory incursion; to plunder or lay waste. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition