harp
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a large, triangular musical instrument with many strings that you play with your fingers.
n.a musical instrument consisting of a frame and a series of strings of varying lengths, played by plucking with the fingers.
Simple“The orchestra has a talented musician who plays the harp beautifully.”
In context“The delicate glissando of the harp provided a shimmering texture to the opening movement of the symphony.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to talk or complain about the same thing over and over again in an annoying way.
v.to dwell on a subject tiresomely or with monotonous repetition; almost always used with the preposition 'on'.
Simple“I know I made a mistake, so please don't keep harping on it.”
In context“The manager continued to harp on the minor clerical error long after the project had been successfully completed and delivered.”
UsageThe verb is almost always followed by the preposition 'on'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a small musical instrument you play with your mouth, often used in blues or folk music.
n.a common informal term for the harmonica, particularly within the context of blues and folk music genres.
Simple“He pulled a blues harp out of his pocket and started to play a sad tune.”
In context“The lead singer occasionally swapped his guitar for a blues harp to add a gritty, authentic texture to their acoustic sets.”
Synonymsharmonicamouth organ