Harp (?), n. [OE. harpe, AS. hearpe; akin to D. harp, G.harfe, OHG. harpha, Dan. harpe, Icel. & Sw. harpa.]
1.
A musical instrument consisting of a triangular frame furnished with strings and sometimes with pedals, held upright, and played with the fingers.
2. Astron.
A constellation; Lyra, or the Lyre.
3.
A grain sieve.
[Scot.]
Aeolian harp. See under Aeolian.
Harp seal Zool., an arctic seal (Phoca Grenlandica). The adult males have a light-colored body, with a harp-shaped mark of black on each side, and the face and throat black. Called also saddler, and saddleback. The immature ones are called bluesides. -- Harp shell Zool., a beautiful marine gastropod shell of the genus Harpa, of several species, found in tropical seas. See Harpa.
© Webster 1913.
Harp, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Harped (?) p. pr. & vb. n. Harping.] [AS. hearpian. See Harp, n.]
1.
To play on the harp.
I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps.
Rev. xiv. 2.
2.
To dwell on or recur to a subject tediously or monotonously in speaking or in writing; to refer to something repeatedly or continually; -- usually with on or upon.
"
Harpings upon old themes."
W. Irving.
Harping on what I am,
Not what he knew I was.
Shak.
To harp on one string, to dwell upon one subject with disagreeable or wearisome persistence. [Collog.]
© Webster 1913.
Harp, v. t.
To play on, as a harp; to play (a tune) on the harp; to develop or give expression to by skill and art; to sound forth as from a harp; to hit upon.
Thou 'harped my fear aright.
Shak.
© Webster 1913.