hound

¹

[ hound ]

noun

1. one of any of several breeds of dogs trained to pursue game either by sight or by scent, especially one with a long face and large drooping ears.
2. Informal. any dog.
3. Slang.
   1. an unpleasant, mean, or despicable person.
   2. a man who chases women; a promiscuous man.
4. Informal. an ardent fan or devotee:

   an autograph hound.

5. one of the pursuers in the game of hare and hounds.

verb (used with object)

1. to hunt or track with hounds, or as a hound does; pursue.

   Synonyms: tail, trail, chase, follow, dog

2. to pursue or harass without respite:

   Her little brother wouldn't stop hounding her.

   Synonyms: bully, persecute, annoy, pester

3. to incite (a hound) to pursuit or attack; urge on.
4. Informal. to incite or urge (a person) to do something (often followed by on ):

   The committee has been hounded on by those who want these repairs done immediately.

hound

²

[ hound ]

noun

1. Nautical. either of a pair of fore-and-aft members at the lower end of the head of a mast, for supporting the trestletrees, that support an upper mast at its heel. Compare cheek ( def 12 ).
2. a horizontal bar or brace, usually one of a pair, for strengthening the running gear of a horse-drawn wagon or the like.

hound

¹

/ haʊnd /

noun

1. either of a pair of horizontal bars that reinforce the running gear of a horse-drawn vehicle
2. nautical either of a pair of fore-and-aft braces that serve as supports for a topmast

hound

²

/ haʊnd /

noun

1. 1. any of several breeds of dog used for hunting
   2. ( in combination )

      an otterhound

      a deerhound

2. the hounds
   a pack of foxhounds, etc
3. a dog, esp one regarded as annoying
4. a despicable person
5. (in hare and hounds) a runner who pursues a hare
6. slang.
   an enthusiast

   an autograph hound

7. short for houndfish See also nursehound
8. ride to hounds or follow the hounds
   to take part in a fox hunt with hounds

verb

1. to pursue or chase relentlessly
2. to urge on

Derived Forms

• ˈhounder, noun

Other Words From

• hound·er noun
• hound·ish hound·y adjective
• hound·like adjective
• un·hound·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hound¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English h(o)und, Old English hund; cognate with Dutch hond, Old Norse hundr, Danish, Swedish hund, German Hund, Gothic hunds; akin to Latin canis, Greek kýōn (genitive kynós ), Sanskrit śván (genitive śunas ), Old Irish cú (genitive con ), Welsh ci (plural cwn ), Tocharian A kū, Lithuanian šuõ

Origin of hound²

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English houn(e), hune, from Old Norse hūnn “knob at the top of a masthead”

Word History and Origins

Origin of hound¹

C15: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse hūnn knob, cube

Origin of hound²

Old English hund; related to Old High German hunt, Old Norse hundr, Gothic hunds

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. follow the hounds, Fox Hunting. to participate in a hunt, especially as a member of the field.
2. ride to hounds, Fox Hunting. to participate in a hunt, whether as a member of the field or of the hunt staff.

More idioms and phrases containing hound

see run with (the hare, hunt with the hounds) .

Example Sentences

The 59-year-old politician, popularly known as “Riggy G”, has described the allegations against him as "outrageous" and "sheer propaganda", maintaining they are part of a plot to hound him out of office.

From BBC

Campaigners The Stars are for Everyone, who were part of a demonstration at Hound Tor on Sunday, said whatever the outcome, the Darwalls' legal action had "succeeded in unleashing something powerful and ancient, a commitment to our commons, our love for the land, our right to belong".

From BBC

She appeared in Channel 4's Geordie Hospital alongside her staff welfare hound Poppy.

From BBC

Even when Roberts somehow scraped up the money to move to New York, his father continued to hound him with an endless stream of letters in which he would alternately browbeat him as an underachieving mediocrity, praise his talent, ask for money and accuse him of abandonment.

From Los Angeles Times

Police said a woman's body was found in the Hound Point area of South Queensferry on Saturday afternoon.

From BBC

Related Words

• annoy
• bother
• goad
• harass
• heckle
• hector
• persecute
• pester
• pursue