ha·rass (h -r s , hrs)tr.v. ha·rassed, ha·rass·ing, ha·rass·es 1. To irritate or torment persistently. 2. To wear out; exhaust. 3. To impede and exhaust (an enemy) by repeated attacks or raids. [French harasser, possibly from Old French harer, to set a dog on, from hare, interj. used to set a dog on, of Germanic origin.] ha·rass er n.ha·rass ment n.Synonyms: harass, harry, hound, badger, pester, plague These verbs mean to trouble persistently or incessantly. Harass and harry imply systematic persecution by besieging with repeated annoyances, threats, or demands: The landlord harassed tenants who were behind in their rent. A rude customer had harried the storekeeper. Hound suggests unrelenting pursuit to gain a desired end: Reporters hounded the celebrity for an interview. To badger is to nag or tease persistently: The child badgered his parents for a new bicycle. To pester is to inflict a succession of petty annoyances: "How she would have pursued and pestered me with questions and surmises" (Charlotte Brontë). Plague refers to a problem likened to an epidemic disease: "As I have no estate, I am plagued with no tenants or stewards" (Henry Fielding). Usage Note: Educated usage appears to be evenly divided on the pronunciation of harass. In our 1987 survey 50 percent of the Usage Panel preferred stressing the first syllable, while 50 percent preferred stressing the second. Curiously, the Panelists' comments appear to indicate that each side regards itself as an embattled minority. |
An incident in which the primary objective is to disrupt the activities of a unit, installation, or ship, rather than to inflict serious casualties or damage.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  harassment - a feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented; "so great was his harassment that he wanted to destroy his tormentors" |
| 2. | harassment - the act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism mistreatment - the practice of treating (someone or something) badly; "he should be punished for his mistreatment of his mother" baiting - harassment especially of a tethered animal sexual harassment - unwelcome sexual behavior by a supervisor toward an employee tantalization, teasing, ribbing, tease - the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances; "he ignored their teases"; "his ribbing was gentle but persistent" witch-hunt - searching out and harassing dissenters |
harassment
noun hassle, trouble, bother, grief (informal) torment, irritation, persecution (informal) nuisance, badgering, annoyance, pestering, aggravation (informal) molestation, vexation, bedevilment
Translations
harassment [ˈhærəsmənt] harass n → Schikanierung f;
sexual harassment harass → sexuelle Belästigung f
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