Definitions for harpoon
hɑrˈpunhar·poon

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. harpoonverb

   a spear with a shaft and barbed point for throwing; used for catching large fish or whales; a strong line is attached to it

2. harpoonverb

   spear with a harpoon

   "harpoon whales"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. harpoonnoun

   A spearlike weapon with a barbed head used in hunting whales and large fish.

2. harpoonnoun

   A harmonica.

3. harpoonverb

   To hunt something with a harpoon.

4. Etymology: From harpon, from harpaga, from ἁρπάγη, from ἁρπάζω.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Harpoonnoun

   A harping iron.

   Etymology: harpon, French.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Harpoon

   A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument and tool used in fishing, whaling, sealing, and other marine hunting to catch and injure large fish or marine mammals such as seals and whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal and securing it with barb or toggling claws, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the projectile to catch the animal. A harpoon can also be used as a weapon. Certain harpoons are made with different builds to perform better with the type of target being aimed at. For example, the Inuit have short, fixed foreshaft harpoons for hunting seals at their breathing holes while loose shafted ones are made for attaching to the game thrown at.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Harpoonnoun

   a spear or javelin used to strike and kill large fish, as whales; a harping iron. It consists of a long shank, with a broad, fiat, triangular head, sharpened at both edges, and is thrown by hand, or discharged from a gun

2. Harpoonverb

   to strike, catch, or kill with a harpoon

3. Etymology: [F. harpon, LL. harpo, perh. of Ger. origin, fr. the harp; cf. F. harper to take and grasp strongly, harpe a dog's claw, harpin boathook (the sense of hook coming from the shape of the harp); but cf. also Gr. "a`rph the kite, sickle, and E. harpy. Cf. Harp.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Harpoon

   A harpoon is a long spear-like instrument used in fishing to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. It accomplishes this task by impaling the target animal, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch the animal. A harpoon can also be used as a weapon.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Harpoon

   här-pōōn′, n. a dart for striking and killing whales.—v.t. to strike with the harpoon.—ns. Harpoon′er, Harpooneer′, one who uses a harpoon; Harpoon′-gun, a gun from which a harpoon or toggle-iron may be discharged. [Fr. harpon—harpe, a clamp—L. harpa, Gr. harpē, sickle.]

Dictionary of Nautical TermsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. harpoon

   A spear or javelin with a barbed point, used to strike whales and other fish. The harpoon is furnished with a long shank, and has at one end a broad and flat triangular head, sharpened at both edges so as to penetrate the whale with facility, but blunt behind to prevent its cutting out. To the other end a fore-ganger is bent, to which is fastened a long cord called the whale-line, which lies carefully coiled in the boat in such a manner as to run out without being interrupted or entangled. Several coils, each 130 fathoms of whale-line (soft laid and of clean silky fibre) are in readiness; the instant the whale is struck the men cant the oars, so that the roll may not immerse them in the water. The line, which has a turn round the bollard, flies like lightning, and is intensely watched. One man pours water on the smoking bollard, another is ready with a sharp axe to cut, and the others see that the lines run free. Seven or eight coils have been run out before the whale "sounds," or strikes bottom, when he rises again to breathe, and probably gets a similar dose.--Gun harpoon. A weapon used for the same purpose as the preceding, but it is fired out of a gun, instead of being thrown by hand; it is made entirely of steel, and has a chain or long shackle attached to it, to which the whale-line is fastened. Greener's harpoon-gun is a kind of wall-piece fixed in a crutch, which steps into the bow-bollard of the whale-boat. The harpoon projects about four inches beyond the muzzle. It consists of its barbed point attached to a long link, with a solid button at its opposite end to fit the gun; on one rod of this link is a ring which runs to the muzzle, and is there attached to the whale-line by a thong of seal or walrus hide, wet. The gun being fired, the harpoon is projected, the ring sliding up to the button, when the line follows. Some of these harpoons or other engines have grenades--glass globules with prussic acid or other chemicals--which sicken the whale instantly, and little trouble ensues.

Matched Categories

1. • Catch

How to pronounce harpoon?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say harpoon in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of harpoon in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of harpoon in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of harpoon in a Sentence

1. Rear Admiral John Kirby:

   What can I tell you is we are continuing to review the security assistance policy in light of developments -- developments inside Egypt, so we are still holding -- currently holding on the delivery of several weapon systems, to include the F-16s, the --the M1A1 tanks and -- and some other things, like Harpoon missiles. Those are still on -- on hold, and there's been no decision with respect to that.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=harpoon
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Harpoon
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=harpoon
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpoon
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harpoon
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=harpoon
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=harpoon
8. ^ Dictionary of Nautical Terms
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26000/pg26000-images.html#:~:text=harpoon