Harassments

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Actions or comments that annoy, intimidate, or distress another person
2. persistent bullying or intimidation that creates an uncomfortable environment
3. unwanted negative behavior directed at an individual, often causing emotional distress

Etymology: "Harassments" is simply the plural of "harassment," so it is the form of that noun used when referring to several separate instances of harassing behaviour. The noun itself was borrowed from Middle French "harassement," a word built on the verb "harasser," meaning to exhaust or wear out, and it passed into English as a noun formed from the verb "harass" plus the suffix "-ment," which turns a verb into a noun of action or result. The verb underneath has an older, more physical sense. Its French ancestor was used of tiring out a horse or an army through repeated exhausting pressure, and the sense of wearing someone down gradually is still visible in the modern meaning. Over time, the idea shifted from physical fatigue to the mental strain of persistent annoyance, intimidation or distress.

Synonyms: intimidations, persecutions, annoyances, maltreatments, troubles

Antonyms: protection, safeguarding, defense, support, assistance