Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A musical instrument consisting of a flexible metal tongue set in a small stiff iron frame of peculiar shape, which is held to the player's mouth and pressed against his teeth, the metal tongue of the instrument being bent outward at a right angle so as to be struck with the hand.
- noun Nautical, the shackle by which a cable is secured to the anchor-ring.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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The musicians, who were occasionally joined by two or three men who performed wonders with the jews'-harp, played incessantly, stopping only when someone slipped them a mug of beer, and this encouraged dancing day and night.
Poland Michener, James 1983
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Fred Kaler was so excited he tried to played a mouth organ, a jews'-harp and a tin flute, all at the same time, with results anything but musical, while Will Slade stuttered as he never had before.
Jack Ranger's Western Trip Or, from Boarding School to Ranch and Range Clarence Young
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"I-- I played the -- I tried to play --" Fortunately he checked himself; he had been about to offer the information that he had failed to master the jews'-harp in his boyhood.
The Turmoil 1915
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The lover's "jews'-harp," made both of bamboo and of brass, is found throughout the Bontoc area.
The Bontoc Igorot Albert Ernest Jenks 1911
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Hide anywhere in the woods, and make any queer sound you will -- play a jews'-harp, or pull a devil's fiddle, or just call softly -- and first comes a blue jay, all agog to find out all about it.
Ways of Wood Folk William Joseph Long 1909
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"I'd call him a musician if he could play 'Bedelia' on a jews'-harp; but he can't, so's he's got to be a poet."
Cape Cod Stories Joseph Crosby Lincoln 1907
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A primitive jews'-harp, universally found among the tribes, is played to frighten away antohs, and so is the flute.
Through Central Borneo; an Account of Two Years' Travel in the Land of Head-Hunters Between the Years 1913 and 1917 Carl Lumholtz 1886
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Musical instruments: the drum; the flute; the jews'-harp; the sapi; the sarunai; the shield; trumpet; folk-tale about
Through Central Borneo; an Account of Two Years' Travel in the Land of Head-Hunters Between the Years 1913 and 1917 Carl Lumholtz 1886
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India, men may often be seen for hours together, flying what with us are children's kites; and I procured a jews'-harp from Tibet.
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