harrying

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To plunder, pillage, assault.
   • I repent me much , That so I harry'd himc. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard...

   Synonyms:

   maraud, raid, sack

2. (transitive) To make repeated attacks on an enemy.
   • 'One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night, / But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light; / Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day, / Then look for me by moonlight, / Watch for me by moonlight, / I'll come to thee by moonlight, though Hell...1906 August, Alfred Noyes, “The Highwayman”, in Poems, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., published October 1906, →OCLC, part 1, stanza V, page 47

   Synonyms:

   harass

3. (transitive) To strip, lay waste, ravage.
   • to harry this beautiful region1855–1859, Washington Irving, The Life of George Washington

   Synonyms:

   devastate, obliterate, destroy, annihilate, aerosolize, atomize, benothing, bewreck, blot out, blotto

4. (transitive) To harass, bother or distress with demands, threats, or criticism.
   • Chelsea also struggled to keep possession as QPR harried and chased at every opportunity, giving their opponents no time on the ball.2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 – 0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms:

   harrow, torment, afflict, lacerate, aggrieve, plague, atray, cag, distress, engrieve

See all 12 meanings of harry