Hound

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Hound

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun and verb

Pronunciation

hownd  /haʊnd/

Definition

As a noun: a dog bred for hunting, especially one that tracks by scent or sight; any dog (informal or literary). As a verb: to pursue relentlessly; to harass or pester someone persistently.

Plain meaning

A hound is a dog bred for hunting — a greyhound, a bloodhound, a foxhound. As a verb, to hound means to pursue or harass someone relentlessly. If journalists hound a celebrity, they follow them constantly and persistently. The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of the most famous hounds in literature.

Register

As a noun: neutral in hunting and canine contexts; literary or slightly archaic as a general term for dog. As a verb: neutral to negative — to be hounded is an unpleasant experience, typically used of journalists, creditors, or persecutors.