Large stringed musical instruments with many strings played by plucking, or to talk repeatedly about something in a tiresome way.
From Old English 'hearpe,' likely from Germanic roots. The verb sense 'to harp on' emerged in the 14th century, metaphorically comparing repetitive talk to the repetitive plucking of harp strings.
Medieval harps were so associated with angel imagery that 'playing the harp' became the default expectation for the afterlife—yet ironically, modern orchestras rarely feature them solo, making the harp one of music's most heavenly yet forgotten instruments.
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