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noun

Harman

Harman (noun) means Old-fashioned British slang for a police officer. Example: “The old thieves' cant used "harman" for any constable on the beat.”

noun
1
Old-fashioned British slang for a police officer.
"The old thieves' cant used "harman" for any constable on the beat."
2
A naturally occurring alkaloid found in various plants and foods, used in research as an inhibitor of a key brain enzyme.
"Trace amounts of harman occur in coffee and grilled meats."

How to use Harman

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTwo unrelated meanings: an old slang word for a cop, and the name of a naturally occurring chemical compound.

When to use it

The "policeman" sense is archaic slang, not used in everyday modern English.

Word forms

harmans plural

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The old thieves' cant used "_____" for any constable on the beat.

Etymology

As slang for a policeman, from older English underworld cant; as a surname, from a Germanic root meaning roughly "army man," closely related to Herman/Hermann.

Origin: Germanic

harman-beck nuthook PC Plod

Related words

Rhymes for Harman

See all rhymes for Harman →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Harman” mean?

The word “Harman” means old-fashioned British slang for a police officer. In plain terms, two unrelated meanings: an old slang word for a cop, and the name of a naturally occurring chemical compound.

How do you use “Harman” in a sentence?

Here is “Harman” used in a sentence: “The old thieves' cant used "harman" for any constable on the beat.”

What is another word for “Harman”?

Words with a similar meaning to “Harman” include harman-beck, nuthook and PC Plod.

What part of speech is “Harman”?

“Harman” is a noun.

Where does the word “Harman” come from?

The word “Harman” comes from Germanic. As slang for a policeman, from older English underworld cant; as a surname, from a Germanic root meaning roughly "army man," closely related to Herman/Hermann.

How many meanings does “Harman” have?

“Harman” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: old-fashioned British slang for a police officer.

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