| Harpoon | 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. "a`rph 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, flat, triangular head, sharpened at both edges, and is thrown by hand, or discharged from a gun. [1913 Webster]
Harpoon fork, a kind of hayfork, consisting of a bar with hinged barbs at one end and 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. [1913 Webster]
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