Definition of harpoon Harpoon
/hɑɹpuˈn/ - [harpun] - har•poon
We found 12 definitions of harpoon from 8 different sources.
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What does harpoon mean?
WordNet
NounPlural: harpoons |
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| harpoon - a spear with a shaft and barbed point for throwing; used for catching large fish or whales; a strong line is attached to it | ||
| fishgig, fizgig, spear, lance, gig a firework that fizzes as it moves | ||
| fishing gear, fishing rig, fishing tackle, tackle, rig gear used in fishing | ||
| fluke parasitic flatworms having external suckers for attaching to a host | ||
Verb |
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| harpoon - spear with a harpoon; "harpoon whales" | ||
| take hold of, grab, catch capture the attention or imagination of; "This story will grab you"; "The movie seized my imagination" | ||
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Wiktionary 
Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘
- harpoon (n.)
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 (v. t.)
To strike, catch, or kill with a harpoon.
OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω
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harpoon
A spearlike weapon with a barbed head used in hunting whales and large fish.
Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕
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harpoon
här-pōōn′, n. a dart for striking and killing whales.—v.t. to strike with the harpoon.—ns. Harpoon′er, Harpooneer′, one who uses a harpoon; Harpoon′-gun, a gun from which a harpoon or toggle-iron may be discharged. [Fr. harpon—harpe, a clamp—L. harpa, Gr. harpē, sickle.]
Marine DictionaryUniversal Dictionary of the Marine ⚓️
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harpoon
(harpon, Fr.) a spear or javelin used to strike the whales in the Greenland fishery.The harpoon, which is sometimes called the harping-iron, is furnished with a long staff, having at one end a broad and flat triangular head, sharpened at both edges, so as to penetrate the whale with facility: to the head of this weapon is fastened a long cord, called the whale-line, which lies carefully coiled in the boat, in such a manner, as to run out without being interrupted or intangled. As soon as the boat has rowed within a competent distance of the whale, the harponeer launches his instrument; and the fish, being wounded, immediately descends under the ice with amazing rapidity, carrying the harpoon along with him, and a considerable length of the line. Being soon exhausted with the fatigue and loss of blood, he re-ascends in order to breathe, where he presently expires, and floats upon the surface of the water, when they approach the carcase by drawing in the whale-line.
Sailor's Word-BookThe Sailor's Word-Book ⛵
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harpoon
A spear or javelin with a barbed point, used to strike whales and other fish. The harpoon is furnished with a long shank, and has at one end a broad and flat triangular head, sharpened at both edges so as to penetrate the whale with facility, but blunt behind to prevent its cutting out. To the other end a fore-ganger is bent, to which is fastened a long cord called the whale-line, which lies carefully coiled in the boat in such a manner as to run out without being interrupted or entangled. Several coils, each 130 fathoms of whale-line (soft laid and of clean silky fibre) are in readiness; the instant the whale is struck the men cant the oars, so that the roll may not immerse them in the water. The line, which has a turn round the bollard, flies like lightning, and is intensely watched. One man pours water on the smoking bollard, another is ready with a sharp axe to cut, and the others see that the lines run free. Seven or eight coils have been run out before the whale "sounds," or strikes bottom, when he rises again to breathe, and probably gets a similar dose.--Gun harpoon. A weapon used for the same purpose as the preceding, but it is fired out of a gun, instead of being thrown by hand; it is made entirely of steel, and has a chain or long shackle attached to it, to which the whale-line is fastened. Greener's harpoon-gun is a kind of wall-piece fixed in a crutch, which steps into the bow-bollard of the whale-boat. The harpoon projects about four inches beyond the muzzle. It consists of its barbed point attached to a long link, with a solid button at its opposite end to fit the gun; on one rod of this link is a ring which runs to the muzzle, and is there attached to the whale-line by a thong of seal or walrus hide, wet. The gun being fired, the harpoon is projected, the ring sliding up to the button, when the line follows. Some of these harpoons or other engines have grenades--glass globules with prussic acid or other chemicals--which sicken the whale instantly, and little trouble ensues.
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