harp on (one) (about something)
To nag one persistently and annoyingly about some issue. It was one mistake—why do you keep harping on me about it? Tom's been harping on us to get the alpha build ready for testing. The more you harp on me about cleaning my room, the less I want to do it.
harp on (something)
To continue to mention or complain about some issue in a persistent and irritating manner. It was one mistake—why do you keep harping on it? I don't want to harp on this issue any longer, but I really need it to be resolved today. You can harp on your kids' messy rooms all you want, but it's not like they're suddenly gonna clean up.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
harp on someone or something
Fig. to keep talking or complaining about someone or something; to refer to someone or something again and again. I wish you would quit harping on Jeff all the time. He couldn't be all that bad. Stop harping on my mistakes and work on your own.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
harp on
Dwell on; talk or write about to a tedious and excessive extent. For example, She kept harping on the fact that she had no household help at all. This expression is a shortening of harp on the same string, meaning "to play the same note over and over." It was first recorded in 1518.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
harp on
v. To talk about something to an excessive and tedious degree; dwell on something: Every day my teacher harps on the importance of getting to class on time.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.