Columbia Encyclopedia World Factbook American Heritage Coll. To irritate or torment persistently. These verbs mean to trouble persistently or incessantly.
Educated usage appears to be evenly divided on the pronunciation of harass.
In a recent survey 50 percent of the Usage Panel preferred stressing the first syllable, while 50 percent preferred stressing the second. Curiously, the Panelists' comments appear to indicate that each side regards itself as an embattled minority. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.