Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The appearance of the crescent moon.
  • noun A mock serenade with tin horns and other discordant instruments, performed either in humorous congratulation, as of a newly married couple, or as a manifestation of public disapproval, as of some obnoxious person.
  • noun Public proclamation by the blowing of a horn; specifically, same as letters of horning.
  • noun See horn, n., 4 .

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Appearance of the moon when increasing, or in the form of a crescent.
  • noun (Scots Law) the process or authority by which a person, directed by the decree of a court of justice to pay or perform anything, is ordered to comply therewith.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of horn.
  • noun The activity of blowing the horn of a train
  • noun The appearance of the Moon when increasing, or in the form of a crescent.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Probably because horns are blown at the shivaree.]

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