harass

To harass is to bother or cause trouble for another person. This word carries a lot of weight because it’s often associated with illegal forms of behavior.

There are two ways to pronounce this word. In the United States, most people say "ha rass." People in other English-speaking countries put the accent on the first syllable and pronounce it "har ass."

Whatever way you pronounce the word, harassment is very bad behavior.

• A man who lives in our neighborhood got in trouble because he was harassing his new neighors. He threw garbage into their yard, and he yelled mean words at them. The police stopped at his house and put an end to the harassment.

The word "harass" is a verb. The word "harassment" is a noun.

• She harassed her employees.
• Her harassment caused many people to quit.

When one person forces himself or herself physically or mentally on another person, the word "harassment" is used. This is a serious charge, especially if the harassment is sexual in nature.

• Sandra accused her boss of sexual harassment.
• She said that he harassed her constantly.
• When the harassment became public, her boss lost his job.

If anyone ever harasses you, make sure you tell somebody.

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March 8, 2014