n. [ OE. harpe, AS. hearpe; akin to D. harp, G. harfe, OHG. harpha, Dan. harpe, Icel. & Sw. harpa. ] 1. A musical instrument consisting of a triangular frame furnished with strings and sometimes with pedals, held upright, and played with the fingers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Astron.) A constellation; Lyra, or the Lyre. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A grain sieve. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Aeolian harp. See under Aeolian. [ 1913 Webster ]

Harp seal (Zool.), an arctic seal (Phoca Grœnlandica). The adult males have a light-colored body, with a harp-shaped mark of black on each side, and the face and throat black. Called also saddler, and saddleback. The immature ones are called bluesides; their fur is white, and they are killed and skinned to harvest the fur. --
Harp shell (Zool.), a beautiful marine gastropod shell of the genus Harpa, of several species, found in tropical seas. See Harpa. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Harped pos>p. pr. & vb. n. Harping. ] [ AS. hearpian. See Harp, n. ] 1. To play on the harp. [ 1913 Webster ]

I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps. Rev. xiv. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To dwell on or recur to a subject tediously or monotonously in speaking or in writing; to refer to something repeatedly or continually; -- usually with on or upon. “Harpings upon old themes.” W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

Harping on what I am,
Not what he knew I was. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To harp on one string, to dwell upon one subject with disagreeable or wearisome persistence. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To play on, as a harp; to play (a tune) on the harp; to develop or give expression to by skill and art; to sound forth as from a harp; to hit upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou 'st harped my fear aright. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ L., harp. ] (Zool.) A genus of marine univalve shells; the harp shells; -- so called from the form of the shells, and their ornamental ribs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. harpago, Gr. "arpa`gh hook, rake.] A grappling iron. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

n. [ AS. hearpere. ] 1. A player on the harp; a minstrel. [ 1913 Webster ]

The murmuring pines and the hemlocks . . .
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A brass coin bearing the emblem of a harp, -- formerly current in Ireland. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to the harp; as, harping symphonies. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ F. harper to grasp strongly. See Harpoon. ] A harpoon. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. (Naut.) The fore parts of the wales, which encompass the bow of a vessel, and are fastened to the stem. [ Written also harpins. ] Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. harpiste. ] A player on the harp; a harper. W. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]