harley
IPA/ˈhɑː.li ˌstriːt/
KK[hˈɑrli]IPA/ˈhɑːr.li ˌstriːt/
harley — noun
1. The surname of Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford (1661–1724), an English politic
1.noun
Definition
The surname of Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford (1661–1724), an English politician who served as a leading government minister under Queen Anne and helped end the War of the Spanish Succession through the Treaty of Utrecht.
Example
Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford, was a powerful figure in Queen Anne's government.
proper noun referring to a historical figure
Harley helped negotiate the Treaty of Utrecht, which ended twelve years of war in Europe.
surname alone for a known figure
The library that Harley built later became an important part of the British Museum collection.
possessive form for a historical figure's legacy
Historians often describe Harley as a skilled negotiator who kept the peace between rival political groups.
Common collocations
- Earl of Oxford
- Queen Anne
- Treaty of Utrecht
- British statesman