noun
harrow
HA-roh
noun
1
A heavy farming tool with rows of spikes or discs, dragged over ploughed soil to break it up.
"The farmer pulled the harrow behind his tractor to prepare the field for planting."
verb
1
To deeply upset or torment someone.
"The survivors' stories harrowed everyone who heard them."
"She was harrowed by guilt after the accident."
How to Use Harrow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA farm tool for breaking up soil, or (as a verb) to cause someone deep emotional pain.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
harrow the fields
harrowed by grief
Word Forms
harrowed past tense, harrows plural, harrows singular
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The farmer pulled the _____ behind his tractor to prepare the field for planting.
Etymology
From Old English hearwa or Old Norse-related forms; the verb sense of "torment" grew out of an older link with harry, "to harass."