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 'st harped my fear aright.
Shak.
Harp , v. i. [imp. & p. p. Harped (härpt) 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. [Colloq.]
Harp (härp), 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.]
Æolian harp. See under Æolian.
Harp seal (Zoöl.), an arctic seal (Phoca Grœnlandica). 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 (Zoöl.), a beautiful marine gastropod shell of the genus
Harpa, of several species, found in tropical seas. See Harpa.
Hear it pronounced