harp

• 

  JACK TAKES THE TALKING HARP
• WordNet 3.6
  • v harp come back to "Don't dwell on the past","She is always harping on the same old things"
  • v harp play the harp "She harped the Saint-Saens beautifully"
  • n harp a small rectangular free-reed instrument having a row of free reeds set back in air holes and played by blowing into the desired hole
  • n harp a chordophone that has a triangular frame consisting of a sounding board and a pillar and a curved neck; the strings stretched between the neck and the soundbox are plucked with the fingers
  • n harp a pair of curved vertical supports for a lampshade
  • ***

Additional illustrations & photos:

DAVID PLAYING ON THE HARP BEFORE SAUL

Jack took the harp

An old man plays a harp

FROM FIFE TO HARP

• • Harp (Astron) A constellation; Lyra, or the Lyre.
  • Harp A grain sieve.
  • Harp A musical instrument consisting of a triangular frame furnished with strings and sometimes with pedals, held upright, and played with the fingers.
  • Harp 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.""Harping on what I am,
    Not what he knew I was."
  • Harp To play on the harp. "I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps."
  • v. t Harp 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. "Thou 'st harped my fear aright."
  • ***

• • n harp A musical instrument with strings which are played by being plucked with the fingers. The modern orchestral harp consists of a wooden frame somewhat triangular in shape, on which are strung nearly fifty strings of varying length. The frame comprises the pedestal, supporting the whole and containing the pedals; the large hollow back, with the soundboard, in which are inserted the lower ends of the strings; the neck, with the wrestpins to which the upper ends of the strings are attached, and bearing the mechanism operated by the pedals; and the pillar, supporting the outer end of the neck, and containing the pedal-rods. The strings are of catgut, colored so as to be readily distinguished from each other; the lowest eight are wound with light wire. They are tuned diatonically in the scale of C♭, beginning two octaves below middle C, and extending upward about six and a half octaves. The pedal-action is so contrived that a slight movement raises the pitch of all the strings of the same letter-name a semitone; while a greater movement shortens them two semitones. Seven pedals are used, one for each tone of the scale, all of which may be held by notches in either position, so that the entire instrument may be tuned in C♭, C♮, or C♮, or in any desired combination of sharps and flats. Thus music in any key is possible, with somewhat extreme modulations. The modern harp has been evolved from types found among the Egyptians, Assyrians, Hebrews, and various Celtic nations. All antique varieties are deficient in compass, in precision of pitch, and in sonority. Most of the Oriental forms lack that important part of the frame, the pillar. The medieval harps could be played only in one key, with such slight chromatic alterations as could be effected by stopping a string with the finger. Chromatic tuning has been unsuccessfully attempted. Pedals for making chromatic changes were introduced early in the eighteenth century. Single-action harps are those in which each pedal produces only one such change; double-action, those in which each pedal may be used to produce two such changes. The modern double-action harp was perfected in 1810 by Sebastian Erard. A double harp is one with two sets or rows of strings, differently tuned; a triple harp, one with three such sets or rows. The technique of the harp is notable, because the fingering remains the same in all keys; while its mechanism is exactly modeled on the principles of the staff-notation. The harp is capable of very beautiful and varied music within certain limits of power and quality. Although solid chords are feasible, more characteristic effects are produced by playing the tones of the harmony in rapid succession (see arpeggio). Such effects are much employed in modern orchestration. Harmonic tones (which see, under harmonic) are also much used.
  • n harp [capitalized] A constellation, otherwise called Lyra or the Lyre.
  • n harp Same as harper, 2.
  • n harp An oblong implement, consisting of a frame filled up with parallel wires resembling the strings of a harp, used as a screen; a grain-sieve.
  • n harp A sparred shovel for filling coal.
  • n harp In a seutching-machine, a grating through which the refuse falls as the revolving beater drives the fibers forward.
  • n harp A figure, likened to a harp or saddle, on the back of the adult harp-seal.
  • n harp Hence The harp-seal, or harper.
  • harp To play on the harp; play as on a harp.
  • harp To speak often of something, especially so often as to be tiresome or vexing; speak with reiteration; especially, to speak or write with monotonous repetition: usually with on or upon.
  • harp To give forth as a harp gives forth sound; give expression to, or utter.
  • harp To produce some specified effect upon by playing on the harp.
  • harp To sift or separate by means of a harp or screen: as, to harp grain; to harp sand. See harp, n., 4 and 5.
  • ***

• • n Harp härp a musical stringed instrument much esteemed by the ancients
  • v.i Harp to play on the harp: to dwell tediously upon anything
  • v.t Harp to give voice to
  • ***

• Francis Bacon

  

  “The poets did well to conjoin music and medicine, because the office of medicine is but to tune the curious harp of man's body.”

In literature:

In poetry:

In news:

In science: