harridan

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“
Where, where has that----harridan hid my glasses?

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Definitions (4)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. noun A woman regarded as scolding and vicious.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

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Examples (50)

  • She was the Old Englishwoman not only of Surtees but of Fielding and Wycherley and Johnson: a bully and a harridan, but one who spoke with authority. —  Death of a Fool - Ngaio Marsh - Alleyn 19: 1956
  • In the process of pinching pennies and tormenting dimes, Myra had so toughened that scarcely a fleck of the girl I had wed remained, except for the temper and rough tongue She had become a hard-eyed harridan, her hair graying and her lips ever compressed into a thin line. —  FSF - March2006
  • "Now that's a sensible harridan," Metria said approvingly. —  Harpy Thyme
  • "As sure as you're married to a harridan," he replied. —  F ;SF; - vol 099 issue 01 - July 2000
  • Her majesty was harridan-haggard and exhausted, for each blow against the land was a blow against her. —  JEFF GRUBB
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Possibly from French haridelle, gaunt woman, old horse, nag.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Origin uncertain; supposed by Skeat to be a variant of Old French aridelle, haridelle, a worn-out horse, a lean, ill-favored jade, F. a jade, a thin scraggy woman (cf. jade, similarly used); apparently diminutive from aride, dry, withered: see arid.
 

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/ˈhærɪdən/
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