Harrow
/ˈhæroʊ/noun
A farming tool used for breaking up and smoothing the soil.
Did you know?The word 'harrow' comes from an Old English word meaning 'to cause distress or torment,' linking it to the idea of suffering and pain in ancient rituals.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*harwō
“a tool for breaking and turning soil, possibly with connotations of torment.”
Old English
OE
herge
“a frame with spikes used for breaking up earth, also implying distress.”
Middle English
ME
harwe
“a implement for tilling land, reflecting agricultural practices.”
15th Century
Early Modern English
harrow
“to break up land, but also metaphorically to cause suffering.”
Modern English
English
harrow
“a farming tool, retaining echoes of its earlier meanings of distress.”