harry Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb annoy continually or chronically
    beset; chivy; chevy; chevvy; harass; hassle; chivvy; plague; molest; provoke.
    • He is known to harry his staff when he is overworked
    • This man harasses his female co-workers
  2. verb make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes
    ravage.

WordNet

Har"ry transitive verb
Etymology
OF. harwen, herien, herien, AS. hergisn to act as an army, to ravage, plunder, fr. here army; akin to G. here army; akin to G. heer, Icel. herr, Goth. harjis, and Lith. karas war. Gf. Harbor, Herald, Heriot.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Harried present participle & verbal noun Harrying
Definitions
  1. To strip; to lay waste; as, the Northmen came several times and harried the land.
    To harry this beautiful region. W. Irving.
    A red squirrel had harried the nest of a wood thrush. J. Burroughs.
  2. To agitate; to worry; to harrow; to harass. Shak. Syn. -- To ravage; plunder; pillage; lay waste; vex; tease; worry; annoy; harass.
Har"ry intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make a predatory incursion; to plunder or lay waste. Obs. Beau. & Fl.

Webster 1913