Houndes

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. Dogs bred and trained for chasing game in the hunt ; pursues or harasses someone relentlessly with constant pressure
2. Swift dogs kept for tracking animals during a hunt ; persistently chases or badgers a person without letting up
3. Dogs used to run down prey in a chase ; relentlessly follows, nags or torments someone over a long period

Etymology: "Houndes" is the plural of "hounde," the Middle English form of "hound," so its own history is simply that of the singular noun. Its plural form, with the "-es" ending, reflects the Middle English pattern of marking plurals with "-es," a pattern that later faded into the modern "hounds." The word is an inflected form, and the root noun it comes from is an Old English word for a dog, which the same entry traces onward.