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Meanings of harridan in English

A vicious and scolding woman, especially an older one.

Usage of harridan in English
1
All semblance of harshness, and harridan-like spike-tonguedness vanished when she said adieu.
The Case of General Ople and Lady Camper
2
Somehow he must get this harridan out of the way at once!
The History of David Grieve
3
She had never seen anything really useful around that white-haired harridan.
Wheel of Time [08]: The Path of Daggers
4
He cursed her for a noisy harridan; then he said fretfully:
The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel
5
It was like a goad to the painted, shiny-eyed harridan on the sofa.
Under Western Eyes
6
She's the hatchet-faced harridan in a TV ad for a mobile phone service.
The Irish Times
7
Clancy was a fine soldier before he married that harridan of a woman.
The Deserter
8
She is a grasping harridan, who demands all and offers nothing.
The Great Amulet
9
On the surface she's a harridan, but slivers of decency gradually show themselves.
The Irish Times
10
She is not a harridan, whatever that elegant word may mean.
London Pride, Or, When the World Was Younger
11
I'll sell myself, borrow, pay back the money, rather than marry that harridan.'
Selected Polish Tales
12
You come harping on me like a harridan and you expect roses and wine?
The black prism
13
There was nothing whatever the matter with the old harridan.
Melody : The Story of a Child
14
The old harridan stared, and her speech suddenly became clear-cut:
Birthright: A Novel
15
Adrian stared at the old harridan's departing back, then shrugged.
Secrets of a Perfect Night
16
Better to drop it low, Barry White style, than risk sounding like a harridan.
Radio NZ
About this term
More collocations
Harridan through the time
Harridan across language varieties
United Kingdom
Common