Meanings
plural harping irons
- archaicA harpoon.
it [a whale] was killed with a harping iron , struck in the head
1658 June 12 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for June 3 1658]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC1 more example
They row up gently to the Whale, and so he will scarcely shun them; and when the Harpineer, standing ready fitted, sees his opportunity, he strikes his Harping-Iron into the Whale about or before the Fins, rather than toward the Tail.
December 9 1667, Richard Norwood, Philosophical Transactions/Volume 2/Number 30, an extract of a letter, page 166
Origin
- Frenchharper“to grasp strongly”
- Englishharping iron
From French harper (“to grasp strongly”). See harpoon.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
harping iron. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/harping%20iron
“harping iron.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/harping%20iron. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “harping iron,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/harping%20iron.
Source: harping iron on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.