haunt

Meanings

Verb

• To inhabit, or visit frequently (most often used in reference to ghosts).
• To make uneasy, restless.
• To stalk, to follow
• To live habitually; to stay, to remain.
• To accustom; habituate; make accustomed to.
• To practise; to devote oneself to.
• To persist in staying or visiting.

Noun

• A place at which one is regularly found; a habitation or hangout.
• A ghost.
• A feeding place for animals.

Related

Similar words

• nag

Origin

• From Middle English haunten ("to reside, inhabit, use, employ"), from Old French hanter ("to inhabit, frequent, resort to"), from Old Northern French hanter, from Old Norse heimta ("to bring home, fetch") or/and from Old English hāmettan ("to bring home; house; cohabit with"); both from Proto-Germanic *haimatjaną ("to house, bring home"), from Proto-Germanic *haimaz ("village, home"), from Proto-Indo-European *kōym- ("village").
• Cognate with Old English hāmettan ("to provide housing to, bring home"); related to Old English hām ("home, village"), Old French hantin ("a stay, a place frequented by") from the same Germanic source. Another descendant from the French is Dutch hanteren, whence German hantieren, Swedish hantera, Danish håndtere. More at home.