To persistently annoy, bother, or trouble someone repeatedly.
From Arabic 'harassa' meaning 'to tire' or 'to exhaust,' entering English through French 'harasser' in the 17th century, originally describing the act of wearing down through repeated attacks.
This word originally described military tactics—literally 'wearing down' an enemy through relentless small attacks—but we narrowed it to emotional exhaustion, which is why it feels so modern when applied to cyberbullying and workplace drama.
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