Hypertext Webster Gateway: "harpoon"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Harpoon \Har*poon"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Harpooned}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Harpooning}.]
To strike, catch, or kill with a harpoon.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Harpoon \Har*poon"\, n. [F. harpon, LL. harpo, perh. of Ger.
origin, fr. the harp; cf. F. harper to take and grasp
strongly, harpe a dog's claw, harpin boathook (the sense of
hook coming from the shape of the harp); but cf. also Gr. ?
the kite, sickle, and E. harpy. Cf. {Harp}.]
A spear or javelin used to strike and kill large fish, as
whales; a harping iron. It consists of a long shank, with a
broad, fiat, triangular head, sharpened at both edges, and is
thrown by hand, or discharged from a gun.
{Harpoon fork}, a kind of hayfork, consisting of bar with
hinged barbs at one end a loop for a rope at the other
end, used for lifting hay from the load by horse power.
{Harpoon gun}, a gun used in the whale fishery for shooting
the harpoon into a whale.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
harpoon
n : a spear with a shaft and barbed point for throwing; used for
catching large fish or whales; a strong line is attached
to it
v : spear with a harpoon; "harpoon whales
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