Harrowing
/ˈhær.oʊ.ɪŋ/noun
Causing intense distress, pain, or anguish.
Did you know?Its medieval associations include the “Harrowing of Hell,” the Christian story of Christ invading the underworld and liberating the dead.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*koryos
“A war band or armed host; a reconstructed ancestor connected with Germanic military vocabulary.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*harjaz
“An army or raiding force.”
Old English
OE
hergian
“To raid, ravage, or lay waste in warfare.”
Middle English
ME
harwen / harwen
“To ravage, torment, or afflict; the spelling and sense developed toward “harrow.””
Middle English
ME
harrowing
“The act of distressing or tormenting; also used in the religious phrase “the Harrowing of Hell.””
Modern English
English
harrowing
“Extremely distressing, painful, or anguishing.”