hound Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears
    hound dog.
  2. noun someone who is morally reprehensible
    bounder; dog; blackguard; heel; cad.
    • you dirty dog
  3. verb pursue or chase relentlessly
    hunt; trace.
    • The hunters traced the deer into the woods
    • the detectives hounded the suspect until they found him

WordNet

Hound noun
Etymology
OE. hound, hund, dog, AS. hund; akin to OS. & OFries. hund, D. hond, G. hund, OHG. hunt, Icel. hundr, Dan. & Sw. hund, Goth. hunds, and prob. to Lith. sz, Ir. & Gael. cu, L. canis, Gr. , , Skr. çvan. Cf. Canine, Cynic, Kennel.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A variety of the domestic dog, usually having large, drooping ears, esp. one which hunts game by scent, as the foxhound, bloodhound, deerhound, but also used for various breeds of fleet hunting dogs, as the greyhound, boarhound, etc.
    Hounds and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs. Shak.
  2. A despicable person. "Boy! false hound!" Shak.
  3. (Zoöl.) A houndfish.
  4. pl. (Naut.) Projections at the masthead, serving as a support for the trestletrees and top to rest on.
  5. A side bar used to strengthen portions of the running gear of a vehicle.
Hound transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Hounded; present participle & verbal noun Hounding
Definitions
  1. To set on the chase; to incite to pursuit; as, to hounda dog at a hare; to hound on pursuers. Abp. Bramhall.
  2. To hunt or chase with hounds, or as with hounds. L'Estrange.

Webster 1913