A type of hunting dog bred for chasing prey, or to persistently chase or harass someone.
From Old English 'hund,' from Proto-Germanic 'hundaz.' Used as a verb since Middle English to mean 'to hunt with hounds,' then metaphorically 'to pursue relentlessly.'
The word 'hound' shows how animals become verbs—when you 'hound someone,' you're literally acting like a hunting dog that won't let its prey go, which is why it means to persistently bother someone.
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