Har*poon" (här*p?n"), 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, fiat, triangular head, sharpened at both edges, and is thrown
by hand, or discharged from a gun.
Harpoon fork, a kind of hayfork, consisting
of 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.
Har*poon", v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Harpooned (-p?nd"); p. pr. & vb.
n. Harpooning.] To strike, catch, or kill with
a harpoon.