one of any of several breeds of dogs trained to pursue game either by sight or by scent, especially one with a long face and large drooping ears.
Informal. any dog.
Slang.
an unpleasant, mean, or despicable person.
a man who chases women; a promiscuous man.
Informal. an ardent fan or devotee: an autograph hound.
one of the pursuers in the game of hare and hounds.
verb (used with object)
to hunt or track with hounds, or as a hound does; pursue.
to pursue or harass without respite: Her little brother wouldn't stop hounding her.
to incite (a hound) to pursuit or attack; urge on.
Informal. to incite or urge (a person) to do something (often followed by on): The committee has been hounded on by those who want these repairs done immediately.
Idioms for hound
follow the hounds, Fox Hunting. to participate in a hunt, especially as a member of the field.
ride to hounds, Fox Hunting. to participate in a hunt, whether as a member of the field or of the hunt staff.
Origin of hound
1
First recorded before 900; Middle English h(o)und, Old English hund; cognate with Dutch hond, Old Norse hundr, Danish, Swedish hund, German Hund, Gothic hunds; akin to Latin canis, Greek kýōn (genitive kynós ), Sanskrit śván (genitive śunas ), Old Irish cú (genitive con ), Welsh ci (plural cwn ), Tocharian A kū, Lithuanian šuõ
Nautical. either of a pair of fore-and-aft members at the lower end of the head of a mast, for supporting the trestletrees, that support an upper mast at its heel.Compare cheek (def. 12).
a horizontal bar or brace, usually one of a pair, for strengthening the running gear of a horse-drawn wagon or the like.
Origin of hound
2
1175–1225; Middle English hūn <Old Norse hūnn knob at the masthead