| H, h | (noun) the eighth letter of the alphabet.
|
| ha | (interjective) 1 a sound used to express surprise, wonder, triumph. 2 the sound of a laugh.
|
| habit | (noun) 1 a fixed way of doing something without having to think about it; someone’s ordinary way of doing things; something that a person does regularly (he has a bad habit of biting his nailsthe monk’s habit was made of black cloth).
|
| habitable | (adjective) that may be lived in (houses that are scarcely habitable).
|
| habitat | (noun) the place or surroundings in which a plant or animal is usually found (the usual habitat of the bear).
|
| habitation | (noun) 1 the act of living in a place (houses unfit for human habitation). 2 the place where a person lives.
|
| habitual | (adjective) 1 usual. 2 having formed a certain habit (habitual runner).
|
| habituate | (verb) (fml) to make used to (become habituated to a hot climate).
|
| hacienda | (noun) a large estate, ranch, or plantation, the main dwelling on any of these.
|
| hack1 | (verb) 1 to cut roughly or unevenly (hack meat into chunks/hack a path through the jungle). 2 to foul by striking an arm in basketball. n 1 a tool for cutting or hacking. 2 a dry, harsh cough.
|
| hack2 | (noun) 1 a hired horse. 2 a person hired to do uninteresting written work (employed as a hack in the company).
|
| hack3 | (noun) a rack for drying cheese or fish, or for holding food for cattle, etc.
|
| hacker | (noun) 1 a person who hacks. 2 a highly skilled computer user who tries to access unauthorized files.
|
| hacksaw | (noun) a saw for cutting metal.
|
| had | (verb) past tense of have.
|
| haddock | (noun) a sea fish of the cod family, used as food.
|
| Hadephobia | fear of hell (see list of phobias) |
| Haemataulics | study of movement of blood through blood vessels (see list of branches of science) |
| haft | (noun) (fml or lit) a handle (the haft of a sword).
|
| hag | (noun) 1 a female demon or evil spirit. 2 an ugly, often mean, old woman.
|
| haggard | (adjective) pale, thin-faced, and tired looking (looking haggard after being up all night).
|
| haggis | (noun) a Scottish dish in which the heart, liver and lungs of a sheep are minced, mixed with oatmeal and seasoning and boiled in a sheep’s stomach.
|
| haggle | (verb) to try to get a seller to lower his or her price (in some countries customers are expected to haggle with merchants).
|
| Hagiology | study of saints (see list of branches of science) |
| Hagiophobia | fear of saints or holy things (see list of phobias) |
| haiku | (noun) a Japanese poem of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, often about nature.
|
| hail1 | (noun) 1 frozen rain. 2 a shower of anything (a hail of arrows). vb 1 to rain hail (it was hailing when we left). 2 to pour down.
|
| hail2 | (verb) 1 to call to, to greet (she hailed her neighbor cheerfully). 2 to shout to a person to try to catch his or her attention (hail a taxi). interj a call of greeting. hail from to come from (he hails from the country).
|
| hailstone | (noun) a pellet of hail.
|
| hailstorm | (noun) a storm in which hail falls.
|
| hair | (noun) any or all of the thread-like growths covering the skin of humans and animals (she had pretty long, dark hair). adj hairless , hairy . to split hairs to point out differences so slight that they could be overlooked.
|
| hair spray | (noun) a liquid sprayed on the hair to hold it in place.
|
| hairbrush | (noun) a brush for grooming the hair.
|
| haircut | (noun) a cutting of the hair of the head or the style in which this is done.
|
| hairdo | (noun) the style in which hair is arranged.
|
| hairdresser | (noun) a person who cuts, styles, etc, hair as a job (an appointment with my hairdresser to get my hair washed, trimmed and blow-dried).
|
| hairnet | (noun) a net cap for keeping the hair in place (kitchen workers wear hairnets to stop their hair falling into the food they are preparing).
|
| hairpiece | (noun) a wig.
|
| hairpin | (noun) a thin, double-pronged piece of wire for keeping the hair in place, or a headdress on. adj shaped like a hairpin (a hairpin bend).
|
| hair-raising | (adjective) terrifying to such an extent that one’s hair stands on end (driving with him is hair-raising because he drives so fast).
|
| hairstyle | (noun) a style of hairdressing, often one that is fashionable (she wanted a new hairstyle).
|
| hairy | (adjective) covered with hair.
|
| hajj | (noun) the religious trip to Mecca that every Muslim is expected to make at least once in a lifetime.
|
| hajji or haji | (noun) the title given to a Muslim who has made a religious trip to Mecca.
|
| hake | (noun) a fish like the cod, used as food.
|
| halal | (noun) meat from an animal that has been killed according to Muslim law. Also adj.
|
| halcyon | (noun) the kingfisher. adj calm, peaceful. halcyon days a time of happiness and peace (recall the halcyon days of her youth).
|
| half | (noun) (pl halves ) one of two equal parts (she cut the apple and gave her sister half). Also adj.
|
| half brother | (noun) a brother by one parent only (the two boys shared the same father but had a different mothers making them half brothers).
|
| half pint | (noun) 1 in the imperial system, a unit of measure equaling 8 ounces. 2 (inf) a small person.
|
| half sister | (noun) a sister by one parent only.
|
| halfhearted | (adjective) lacking interest and energy, not eager (make a halfhearted attempt).
|
| half-hour | (noun) 30 minutes.
|
| half-moon | (noun) 1 the moon in its first or last quarter phase. 2 anything shaped like a half-moon or crescent.
|
| half-note | (noun) in music, a note having one-half the duration of a semibreve (a whole note and the longest in common use).
|
| halftime | (noun) the rest period between the halves of a football game, basketball game, etc.
|
| halfway | (adjective) equally distant between two places.
|
| halibut | (noun) a large flatfish, used as food.
|
| Halieutics | study of fishing (see list of branches of science) |
| Halitophobia | fear of bad breath (see list of phobias) |
| hall | (noun) 1 a large public room (a concert hall/the town hall). 2 the room or passage at the entrance to a house, or between rooms (he waited in the hall).
|
| hallelujah | (noun) an exclamation or song of praise to God. Also interj.
|
| hallmark | (noun) any mark or symbol that shows the quality of a person, thing, etc (politeness is the hallmark of a gentleman).
|
| hallow | (verb) 1 to make holy (the priest was asked to hallow the ground). 2 to treat as being holy.
|
| hallowed | (adjective) sacred or holy.
|
| Halloween | (noun) the eve of All Saints’ Day (i.e. October 31), now generally celebrated by dressing in costume for fun (ghosts are supposed to be seen on Halloween/trick-or-treating on Halloween).
|
| hallucinate | (verb) to see something that is not there.
|
| hallucination | (noun) 1 the seeing of something that is not there (hallucination can be the result of mental illness). 2 something imagined as though it is really there (he thought he saw a ghost but it was a hallucination). adj hallucinatory .
|
| hallway | (noun) a passageway between the entrance and interior of the house.
|
| halo | (noun) 1 a circle of light around the sun or the moon. 2 a colored ring or ring of light around the head of a holy person, e.g. in a painting (the saint painted with a halo).
|
| halt1 | (verb) to stop (the guard halted the trainthe car halted). n a stop (trains coming to a halt).
|
| halt2 | (verb) 1 (old) to limp (halting badly after the accident to his leg). 2 to hesitate (a reader halting over some difficult words). adj lame, limping.
|
| halter | (noun) 1 a rope or strap fitted on to the head of a horse for leading it. 2 a rope for hanging a person. 3 a dress or top held up by a strap that goes round the wearer’s neck leaving the shoulders bare.
|
| halve | (verb) to cut or break into halves (halve the apple/halving the cost).
|
| halves | see half.
|
| ham | (noun) 1 the back of the thigh (strain a ham muscle). 2 the thigh of a pig salted and dried and used as food (slices of baked ham). 3 (inf) an actor who exaggerates his or her actions and speech (Hamlet performed by a real ham).
|
| Hamartiology | study of sin (see list of branches of science) |
| Hamartophobia | fear of sinning (see list of phobias) |
| hambone | (noun) the bone of a ham.
|
| hamburger | a flat round patty made of ground beef, fried or grilled, and usually eaten in a bun, also known as a burger .
|
| hamlet | (noun) a very small village.
|
| hammer | (noun) 1 a tool for pounding nails, beating metal, etc. 2 part of a machine or device that strikes (the hammers in a piano). vb 1 to drive or beat with a hammer (hammer the nail into the wall). 2 to strike hard (police hammering at the door).
|
| hammered | (adjective) shaped or marked by hammer blows.
|
| hammerhead | (noun) 1 the part of the hammer that strikes its object. 2 any of a family of large sharks with large, mallet-shaped heads.
|
| hammertoe | (noun) a condition in which the first joint of a toe is bent downward permanently.
|
| hammock | (noun) a bed made of a strip of canvas or network hung up at the ends (she was lying in a hammock outside in the garden).
|
| hamper1 | (noun) a large basket (a picnic hamper).
|
| hamper2 | (verb) to prevent from moving freely (the broken tools hampered progress).
|
| hamster | (noun) a small rodent with large cheek pouches, often kept as a pet.
|
| hamstring | (noun) the tendon behind the knee (strain a hamstring playing football). vb (pt, pp hamstrung ) 1 to make lame by cutting the hamstring. 2 to prevent from acting freely (they were hamstrung by lack of money).
|
| hand | (verb) to give with the hand (hand him the book). n 1 the end of the arm below the wrist. 2 a worker (a factory hand). 3 a sailor on a ship (all hands on deck!). 4 the cards given to one player in a card game (deal someone a good hand). 5 a person’s style of writing (write in a neat hand). 6 the pointer of a clock or watch (the minute hand). 7 a measure of 0.1 meters, used in measuring a horse’s height at the shoulder. 8 a share, a part, an influence (suspect he had a hand in the robbery). hand in glove with in league with (suspect that the house owner was hand in glove with the burglar to get insurance money). hand-to-hand at close quarters (hand-to-hand combat). hand-to-mouth with only just enough money to live on with nothing for the future (earns so little that the family lives hand-to-mouth). out of hand out of control (the party got out of hand and the police came). upper hand control (he had the upper hand in the tennis match). to wash one’s hands of to refuse to have anything more to do with (if you won’t take any notice of my advice I am washing my hands of you).
|
| hand glass | (noun) 1 a magnifying glass. 2 a small mirror with a handle.
|
| hand grenade | (noun) a small, round, hand-held bomb that is thrown at its target after pulling out a fuse.
|
| hand puppet | (noun) a puppet that fits over the hand and is moved by the fingers.
|
| handbag | (noun) a small bag that contains the owner’s possessions, usually carried by women; a purse.
|
| handball | (noun) 1 a game in which a small ball is batted against a wall by hand by opposing players. 2 the ball used in this game.
|
| handbarrow | (noun) a large tray with handles at either end, for carrying loads.
|
| handbill | (noun) a small printed notice (handbills advertising the jumble sale).
|
| handbook | (noun) a small useful book giving information or instructions (a handbook explaining the parts of the car).
|
| handcart | (noun) a small cart, often with two wheels, pulled or pushed by hand.
|
| handcraft | (verb) to make by hand with craftsmanship.
|
| handcuff | (verb) to put handcuffs on (the police handcuffed the criminal). npl two metal rings joined by a chain, locked on the wrists of prisoners.
|
| hand-feed | (verb) to feed by hand.
|
| handful | (noun) 1 as much as can be held in one hand (children given a handful of nuts each). 2 a small number or amount (only a handful of people turned up).
|
| handgun | (noun) any firearm that is held and fired while being held in only one hand.
|
| hand-held | (adjective) small enough to be held in the hand while being used.
|
| handhold | (noun) a secure grip or hold with the hand.
|
| handicap | (verb) (handicapped , handicapping ) 1 in sports or races, to give a certain advantage to weaker competitors so that they have an equal chance of winning. 2 to obstruct, to put at a disadvantage (in the race she was handicapped by a knee injury/a firm handicapped by having too little capital). n 1 in sports or games, an arrangement that allows all competitors to start with an equal chance of winning. 2 an obstruction, a disadvantage (her lack of height is a handicap in basketball). 3 a physical or mental disability.
|
| handicraft | (noun) skilled work done by hand. n handicraftsperson .
|
| handily | (adverb) with no trouble, easily.
|
| handiwork | (noun) 1 work done with a person’s hands (examples of the students’ handiwork on show in the classroom). 2 something done or caused by someone (they think the fire in the school was the handiwork of a former student).
|
| handkerchief | (noun) a cloth for wiping the nose.
|
| handknit | (adjective) knit by hand instead of by machine.
|
| handle | (verb) 1 to feel, use, or hold with the hand (wash your hands before handling food). 2 to deal with (handle the situation well). n that part of a thing made to be held in the hand (the handle of the cup).
|
| handlebar | (noun) the bent rod with which a person steers a bicycle.
|
| handler | (noun) a person or thing that handles, trains, or manages (the handler led the dog in front of the judges).
|
| handmade | (adjective) made by hand, not by machine.
|
| hand-me-down | (noun) something that has been used and then passed along to someone else (she was tired of her sister’s hand-me-downs and wanted new clothes of her own).
|
| handoff | (noun) in football, when the quarterback hands the ball directly to another player.
|
| handout | (noun) 1 a gift of food, clothing, etc, as to a poor person. 2 a leaflet or printed notice handed out for information.
|
| handpick | (verb) to pick by hand, to choose with care for a special purpose.
|
| handprint | (noun) a mark made by a hand.
|
| handrail | (noun) a rail used as a guard or support, as along a staircase.
|
| handsaw | (noun) a hand-held saw.
|
| handsel | (noun) a present for good luck.
|
| handset | (noun) a telephone mouthpiece, receiver, and dial buttons in a single unit.
|
| handshake | (noun) a gripping and shaking of each other’s hand in greeting.
|
| handsome | (adjective) 1 good-looking (a handsome young man). 2 generous (a handsome gift).
|
| handspring | (noun) a tumble in which a person turns over in midair with one or both hands touching the ground.
|
| handstamp | (noun) a rubber stamp used by the post office.
|
| handstand | (noun) the act of standing upside down on the hands.
|
| handwriting | (noun) the way a person writes.
|
| handwritten | (adjective) written by hand, with pen, pencil, etc.
|
| handy | (adjective) 1 clever in using the hands, skillful (handy around the house). 2 useful and simple (a handy little gadget). 3 ready, available (keep a flashlight handy). 4 near (a house handy for the station). n handiness .
|
| hang | (verb) 1 (pt, pp hung ) to fix one part to something above and allow the rest to drop (hang the picture from a hookwith hair hanging down her back). 4 (pt, pp hanged) to kill a criminal by putting a rope round the neck and then letting him or her drop suddenly so that the neck is broken.
|
| hang gliding | (noun) the sport of gliding through the air while hanging from a large kite-like device.
|
| hang time | (noun) 1 the length of time a kicked football remains in the air. 2 the length of time a jumping person stays in the air, as in basketball.
|
| hangar | (noun) a large shelter in which airplanes are kept.
|
| hanger | (noun) a thing from which a garment is hung (clothes on metal hangers/coat-hangers).
|
| hanger-on | (noun) (pl hangers-on) a person who supports another in the hope of gaining some advantage (since she won the lottery she has been surrounded by hangers-on).
|
| hangman | (noun) a person whose job it is to hang criminals.
|
| hangnail | (noun) a bit of torn skin hanging at the side or base of a fingernail.
|
| hangout | (noun) a place where a group of people go frequently.
|
| hangover | (noun) the sick feeling a person gets from drinking too much alcohol.
|
| hang-up | (noun) a problem or difficulty.
|
| hank | (noun) a coil of thread or wool.
|
| hanker | (verb) to want greatly, to long for (hankering for a chocolate bar).
|
| hankie | (noun) a handkerchief.
|
| hansom | (noun) (old) a two-wheeled carriage pulled by one horse.
|
| Hanukkah | (noun) an 8-day Jewish festival taking place in November or December.
|
| haphazard | (adjective) chance, unplanned (the town had developed in a haphazard wayhap-ha-zard-lee/.
|
| Haphephobia | fear of being touched (see list of phobias) |
| hapless | (adjective) (fml) unfortunate, unlucky (the hapless victim).
|
| happen | (verb) 1 to take place (a terrible thing happened). 2 to come about by chance (it happened that they arrived at the same time).
|
| happening | (noun) an event (an unfortunate happening).
|
| happy | (adjective) 1 lucky (by a happy chance). 2 pleased, joyous (she was happy to see him). 3 pleasant, joyful (a happy occasion). 4 suitable (a happy turn of phrase). n happines .
|
| happy hour | (noun) a time when a bar sells its drinks at reduced prices.
|
| happy-go-lucky | (adjective) not easily worried, carefree (too happy-go-lucky to worry about the future).
|
| Haptephobia | fear of being touched (see list of phobias) |
| harangue | (noun) a loud speech. vb to speak loudly and forcefully (the manager was always haranguing the work force about the importance of being on time).
|
| harass | (verb) 1 to attack again and again (troops harassing the enemy army). 2 to worry or disturb constantly or frequently (children harassing their mother for more pocket money).
|
| harbor | (noun), also harbour (Br) 1 a place of safety for ships. 2 a place of shelter (they regarded his house as a harbor for criminals). vb 1 to give shelter (it is an offense to harbor criminals who are wanted by the police). 2 to keep in the mind (she harbors anger towards her family).
|
| hard | (adjective) 1 firm, solid (a hard shell). 2 unfeeling, unkind, cruel (a hard mastera hard life). adv 1 with force (hit him hard/raining hard). 2 with great effort (work very hard). 3 close (follow hard on his heels). 4 with great attention (stare hard). hard of hearing fairly deaf. hard up (inf) having little money.
|
| hard copy | (noun) a computer printout.
|
| hard disk | (noun) a computer disk on which data and programs are stored.
|
| hard drive | (noun) a computer drive for hard disks.
|
| hardball | (noun) 1 a kind of baseball in which the ball is pitched overhanded. 2 the ball used in baseball. 3 any forceful, competitive form of politics, business, etc.
|
| hardboard | (noun) a building material made by pressing and heating wood chips.
|
| hard-boiled | (adjective) cooked in boiling water until it is solid throughout, as in eggs.
|
| harden | (noun) to make hard or harder (leave the toffee to harden/harden a person’s heart).
|
| hardily | (adverb) in a hardy manner.
|
| hardiness | (noun) toughness, strength.
|
| hardly | (adverb) 1 almost not (we hardly ever see her). 2 only just, not really (I hardly know him). 3 with difficulty (she could hardly hear him).
|
| hardness | (noun) the state of being hard (the hardness of the plastic).
|
| hardship | (noun) poor or difficult conditions (poor people enduring hardship).
|
| hardtop | (noun) a car, truck, etc, with a permanent roof made of hard material.
|
| hardware | (noun) 1 household articles and tools made of metal (a shop selling hardware). 2 the mechanical and electronic parts of a computer system.
|
| hard-wired | (adjective) directly connected to a computer.
|
| hardwood | (noun) any tough, heavy timber with a compact grain.
|
| hardy | (adjective) 1 strong, tough (have to be hardy to work such long hours out in the winter cold). 2 (old) bold (hardy warriors).
|
| hare | (noun) a fast-running animal with rabbit-like ears and long hind legs. hare and hounds a game in which some people (the hounds) chase others (the hares) across country by following a trail of paper scattered by them.
|
| harebell | (noun) a bluebell-shaped flower.
|
| harebrained | (adjective) thoughtless, careless, hasty (a harebrained scheme/it was harebrained of her to leave her job).
|
| harelip | (noun) an upper lip divided in the center, like that of the hare.
|
| haricot | (noun) a type of French bean.
|
| harm | (noun) hurt, damage, wrong (do his reputation harmharm-foolharm-less/.
|
| harmonic | (adjective) having to do with harmony.
|
| harmonica | (noun) a mouth organ played to make music.
|
| Harmonics | study of musical acoustics (see list of branches of science) |
| harmonics | (noun) the study of harmony in music.
|
| harmonious | (adjective) 1 pleasant-sounding (harmonious sounds). 2 friendly (a harmonious atmosphere/relations between them are not harmonious). 3 pleasant to the eye (a harmonious group of colors).
|
| harmonium | (noun) a musical wind instrument, like a small organ.
|
| harmonize | (verb), also harmonise (Br) 1 to cause to be in harmony or agreement, to be in harmony or agreement (colors that do not really harmonize). 2 to play or sing notes that sound pleasantly with others.
|
| harmony | (noun) 1 agreement, friendship (they used to be enemies but they now live in harmony). 2 the pleasant effect made by parts combining into a whole (the harmony of colors in the flower garden). 3 the playing at one time of musical notes that are pleasant when sounded together. 4 pleasant sound.
|
| harness | (noun) the straps, etc, by which a horse is fastened to its load. vb to put a harness on. to die in harness to die while still doing a job (he did not retire—he died in harness).
|
| harp | (noun) a stringed musical instrument played by the fingers. n harpist. harp on to keep on talking about one subject (I wish he would stop harping on about his unhappy childhood).
|
| Harpaxophobia | fear of being robbed (see list of phobias) |
| harpoon | (noun) a long spear used in hunting whales. vb to strike with a harpoon.
|
| harpsichord | (noun) a string instrument played by striking keys (as a piano).
|
| harpy | (noun) 1 in Greek legend, a monster with the head and upper body of a woman and the lower body of a bird. 2 a cruel or nasty woman.
|
| harrowing | (adjective) very distressing (seeing her father die in the accident was a harrowing experience for her).
|
| harsh | (adjective) 1 rough and unpleasant to hear, see, etc (a harsh voicea harsh attitude).
|
| hart | (noun) a stag or male deer.
|
| harvest | (noun) 1 the time when the ripe crops are cut and gathered (take on extra staff for the harvest). 2 the crops so gathered. vb to cut and gather (harvesting grapes). n harvester.
|
| has | a form of the verb have used with “he”, “she”, “it”, “one” or any singular noun.
|
| has-been | (noun) a person or thing that was popular but is no longer so.
|
| hash | (noun) 1 a dish of finely chopped or shredded meat. 2 (inf) something done badly, a mess (make a hash of the job). vb to finely chop or shred.
|
| hash browns | (noun) potatoes that have been boiled, diced and shaped then fried in a pan.
|
| hassle | (inf) vb to annoy someone, especially by repeatedly asking them to do something. n a difficult or troublesome situation (finding enough volunteers is a real hassle).
|
| haste | (noun) speed, hurry (change the subject with haste/make haste).
|
| hasten | (verb) (fml) to hurry (worry hastened his death/hasten home).
|
| hasty | adj 1 done in a hurry (eat a hasty meal). 2 done too quickly, rash (a hasty decision). 3 quick to lose one’s temper.
|
| hat | (noun) a head covering.
|
| hat trick | (noun) 1 the scoring of three goals in a game, such as soccer, ice hockey, etc (the soccer player scored a hat trick). 2 the act of achieving something three times.
|
| hatch1 | (verb) 1 to produce (young) from eggs (hens hatching chicks). 2 to break out of the egg (chickens hatching). 3 to work out in secret (hatch a cunning plan). n the young hatched from eggs.
|
| hatch2 | (noun) 1 an open space in a wall or roof or the deck of a ship. 2 the lower half of a split door.
|
| hatch3 | (verb) to decorate (in drawing, stone-carving) with thin lines that cross each other.
|
| hatchback | (noun) a car with a rear door or section that swings up to provide access to a storage area.
|
| hatcheck | (adjective) of, for, or working in a room where a person can leave their hats, coats, etc.
|
| hatchet | (noun) a small ax. bury the hatchet to end a quarrel (they did not speak for years but they’ve now buried the hatchet).
|
| hatchling | (noun) a recently hatched bird, fish, turtle, etc.
|
| hatchway | (noun) 1 an opening in the ship’s deck through which cargo is loaded. 2 a similar opening in the floor or roof of a building.
|
| hate | (verb) to dislike greatly (hating his job/hate her sister). n great dislike (full of hate for his rival).
|
| hate crime | (noun) a crime against a person that has been committed because of race, religion, gender, etc.
|
| hateful | (adjective) deserving or causing hate (a hateful job/a hateful person).
|
| hatred | (noun) great dislike (look at his rival with hatred).
|
| hatter | (noun) one who makes, sells, or cleans hats.
|
| haughty | (adjective) proud, behaving as if better than others (a haughty young womanhaw-tee-ness/.
|
| haul | (verb) to pull by force, to drag (haul the fishing nets up/hauling the felled trees from the forest). n 1 a pull (give the rope a haul). 2 an amount taken or caught (e.g. of fish).
|
| haunch | (noun) the thick part of the body around the hips (squat on his haunches).
|
| haunt | (verb) 1 to visit again and again, to go often to (haunt the local movie theater). 2 to visit as a ghost (supposedly haunted by a gray lady). 3 to be always in the thoughts of someone (she was haunted by thoughts of his wretched appearance). n a place often visited. n and adj haunting .
|
| haunted | (adjective) visited by ghosts (a haunted house).
|
| haunting | (adjective) often recurring in the mind, not easily forgotten (a haunting song).
|
| have | (verb) (pt, pp had ; indicative I have, he has; we, they have) 1 to possess, to own, to hold (he has a fast car/I have a book). 2 to be forced (to do) (he has to leave tomorrow). to have to do with to be concerned in (he has nothing to do with the school).
|
| haven | (noun) 1 (old) a harbor. 2 (fml) a place of safety, a shelter (the shelter is a haven for the homeless).
|
| haversack | (noun) a bag carried on the back, used for carrying food, etc, on a journey.
|
| havoc | (noun) destruction, ruin (the storm created havoc in town/create havoc with our plans).
|
| haw | (noun) the berry of the hawthorn.
|
| hawk1 | (noun) a bird of prey. vb to hunt with a hawk.
|
| hawk2 | (verb) to sell (peddlers hawking things to townspeople). n hawker .
|
| hawthorn | (noun) a thorny tree with white, pink, or red flowers and small berries.
|
| hay | (noun) grass that has been cut and dried (give hay to the horses).
|
| hay fever | (noun) an illness caused by an allergy to dust or pollen (sufferers from hay fever sneezing uncontrollably).
|
| hayfield | (noun) a field of grass to be made into hay.
|
| hayloft | (noun) a loft or upper story of a barn for storing hay.
|
| hayride | (noun) a ride in a wagon partly filled with hay taken by a group for fun.
|
| haystack | (noun) a large pile of hay.
|
| haywire | (adjective) (inf) tangled up, mixed up, in a state of disorder (the computer system went haywire).
|
| hazard | (noun) 1 risk (allow for driving hazards such as icy roads). 2 (fml) chance (a game of hazard). 3 a piece of rough ground or a sand trap on a golf course. vb 1 to risk (hazard his earnings on a bet). 2 to put in danger (hazarding their lives to save others). 3 to put forward (hazard a guess).
|
| hazardous | (adjective) risky, dangerous (a hazardous journey).
|
| haze | (noun) 1 a thin mist (an early morning haze over the fields). 2 vagueness of mind (in a haze about the future).
|
| hazel | (noun) 1 a tree with edible nuts. 2 a greenish brown color (eyes of hazel).
|
| hazelnut | (noun) the nut of a hazel tree.
|
| hazy | (adjective) 1 misty (hazy weather). 2 not clear (only a hazy idea of what is involved). 3 doubtful (a bit hazy about what happened). n haziness .
|
| H-bomb | (noun) hydrogen bomb, a very powerful weapon of mass destruction.
|
| he | pron the man, boy, or male animal previously mentioned.
|
| head | (noun) 1 the top part of the body. 2 a person’s mind (have a good head). 3 a chief person (the head of the department/the head teacher). 4 the top or front part (the head of the line). 5 a marker of a division in an essay or speech (a chapter divided into various heads). 6 the line of print at the top of a page of a book (the running heads at the top of each page. 7 the beginning of a stream. 8 a piece of high land jutting out into the sea. vb 1 to lead. 2 to be first (heading the field). 3 to direct (headed the firm). 4 to strike (a ball) with the head. adj 1 belonging to the head. 2 chief, principal (the head teacher). 3 at or coming from the front (head winds).
|
| head cold | (noun) a common cold resulting in a clogged or blocked nose and head.
|
| head count | (noun) the act of counting people in a certain group.
|
| head linesman | (noun) in football, the person who judges each play and measures the yardage afterward.
|
| head wind | (noun) a wind blowing directly opposite to the direction a person is trying to go.
|
| headache | (noun) pain in the head (suffer from headaches).
|
| headband | (noun) a band worn around the head for decoration.
|
| headdress | (noun) a covering for the head (the Native American’s headdress).
|
| header | (noun) (inf) 1 a fall or dive forward (slip and take a header into the water). 2 the act of hitting a ball with the head.
|
| headfirst | (adverb) with the head in front, headlong.
|
| headhunter | (noun) 1 a member of certain cultures that remove the heads of enemies and keep them as trophies. 2 an agent whose job it is to find highly skilled people for employment.
|
| heading | (noun) the words written at the top of a page or above a piece of writing (a chapter divided under various headings).
|
| headland | (noun) a piece of high land jutting out into the sea.
|
| headlight | (noun) a light at the front, especially of a car, truck, etc (see the headlights of an approaching car).
|
| headline | (noun) the line in large print above a piece of news in a newspaper (have a look at the headlines). v 1 to give something a headline. 2 to be the leading performer (Tom Cruise headlined).
|
| headliner | (noun) the leading performer (Tom Cruise was the headliner).
|
| headlock | (noun) in wrestling, a hold in which one person’s head is held between the arm and the body of another.
|
| headlong | (adverb) 1 hastily and rashly (rush headlong into one impossible job after another). 2 with the head first (fall headlong into the mud). adj 1 rash. 2 head-first (a headlong fall).
|
| headmaster | (noun) the man who is head of a school. f headmistress .
|
| headmost | (adjective) in the lead.
|
| head-on | (adjective) and adv with the head or front being first (head-on collision).
|
| headphone | (noun) a listening device made of small speakers held to the ears by a band.
|
| headpiece | (noun) a covering for the head.
|
| headquarters | (noun) the office of those who are in control or command (the firm’s headquarters are in New York).
|
| headrest | (noun) a support for the head, as on a chair.
|
| headroom | (noun) the space available above a person’s head.
|
| headsail | (noun) any said forward of the mast.
|
| headset | (noun) a headphone with a small microphone for two-way communication.
|
| headship | (noun) the position of a leader or person of authority.
|
| headshrinker | (noun) a headhunter who shrinks the heads of his victims.
|
| headsman | (noun) (old) a person who cuts off the head of a guilty criminal.
|
| headspring | (noun) a fountain, or source.
|
| headstand | (noun) the act of standing upside down on the head, usually helped by the hands.
|
| headstone | (noun) the stone placed over a dead person’s grave in his or her memory.
|
| headstream | (noun) a stream forming the source of another, larger stream or river.
|
| headstrong | (adjective) determined to have one’s own way (so headstrong that he refused to listen to anyone’s advice).
|
| heads-up | (noun) a tip-off.
|
| head-to-head | (adjective) and adv in direct confrontation.
|
| headwaters | (noun) the beginnings of a large stream or river.
|
| headway | (noun) advance, improvement (boats making little headway against the storm/he is not making much headway with his plans).
|
| heady | (adjective) 1 excited (the heady feeling of success/heady with triumph). 2 strong, having a quick effect on the senses (a heady wine).
|
| heal | (verb) to make or become well or healthy, to cure (a wound that would not heal/given ointment to heal the wound).
|
| healer | (noun) one who heals or cures (a faith healer).
|
| health | (noun) 1 the state of being well. 2 the state of being free from illness (in sickness and in health).
|
| health club | (noun) a private club for exercise.
|
| health spa | (noun) a place people go to exercise.
|
| healthcare | (noun) the treatment of illness.
|
| healthful | (adjective) (fml) causing good health.
|
| healthy | (adjective) 1 having good health (a healthy young womana healthy diet).
|
| heap | (noun) a number of things lying one on top of another (a heap of leavesheap the old newspapers together).
|
| hear | (verb) (pt, pp heard ) 1 to perceive sounds by the ear. 2 to listen (wait and hear what they say).
|
| hearer | (noun) a person or animal who listens.
|
| hearing | (noun) 1 the power to hear sounds (have sharp hearing). 2 the distance at which a person can hear (they talked about him within his daughter’s hearing). 3 the examining of evidence by a judge.
|
| hearing aid | (noun) a small, battery-powered device that helps a person to hear better.
|
| hearing-impaired | (adjective) not able to hear properly.
|
| hearsay | (noun) what people say though not perhaps the truth; gossip (no one knows why she left—it’s all hearsay).
|
| hearse | (noun) a car or carriage for a coffin at a funeral.
|
| heart | (noun) 1 the organ that keeps the blood flowing through the body (suffer from heart disease). 2 the central or most important part of anything (the heart of the forest/the heart of the town). 3 the center of a person’s thoughts and emotions (he knew in his heart that he was dying). 4 the cause of life in anything. 5 enthusiasm, determination (the heart went out of them when their leader died). 6 kindly feelings, especially love (he had given her his heart). 7 npl a suit of playing cards. 8 a thing shaped like a heart (a valentine with hearts in it). learn by heart to memorize. take to heart to feel deeply about (take her criticism to heart).
|
| heart attack | (noun) a sudden, painful, sometimes fatal medical condition in which the heart stops working normally (he died of a heart attack).
|
| heart failure | (noun) the failure of the heart to beat or to pump blood through the body.
|
| heartache | (noun) sorrow (the heartache of losing a child).
|
| heartbeat | (noun) the pulse of the heart pumping blood through the body.
|
| heartbreak | (noun) sorrow, grief. adj heartbreaking .
|
| heartbreaker | (noun) someone or something that causes heartbreak.
|
| heartbroken | (adjective) overcome by sorrow or grief (heartbroken by his wife’s death).
|
| heartburn | (noun) a burning feeling in the stomach, caused by indigestion.
|
| hearten | (verb) to encourage, to cheer up (heartened by winning the first game).
|
| heartfelt | (adjective) sincere (their heartfelt thanks).
|
| hearth | (noun) 1 the floor of a fireplace. 2 the fireside (sit by the hearth). 3 the center of family life.
|
| heartily | (adverb) sincerely, friendly, with zest (thank him heartily for his help).
|
| heartland | (noun) a geographically central area having importance in politics, strategy, etc.
|
| heartless | (adjective) having no kind feelings (heartless people/heartless remarks).
|
| heart-rending | (adjective) causing great sorrow or grief (the heart-rending sobs of the child).
|
| heartsease | (noun) 1 peace of mind. 2 the pansy.
|
| heartsick | (adjective) (old) very sad or sorrowful.
|
| heartstrings | (noun) deepest feelings.
|
| heart-to-heart | (adjective) intimate.
|
| heartwarming | (adjective) such as to cause a warm glow of good feelings.
|
| heartwood | (noun) the hard, non-living, older wood at the center of a tree trunk.
|
| hearty | (adjective) 1 cheerful, sometimes too cheerful (he annoys people by being so hearty first thing in the morning). 2 sincere (hearty thanks). 3 healthy. 4 large (a hearty breakfast).
|
| heat | (noun) 1 hotness, warmth (the heat of the sunheat the soup).
|
| heat exhaustion | (noun) a sickness consisting of dizziness, nausea, clammy skin, and low body temperature caused by loss of salt and water in the body, usually resulting from working too hard in a hot environment.
|
| heat shield | (noun) any device protecting against heat, especially those fastened to a spacecraft.
|
| heat wave | (noun) a long spell of hot weather (forbidden to use garden hoses during the heat wave).
|
| heated | (adjective) 1 hot. 2 angry (a heated argument).
|
| heater | (noun) a device for heating a room, car, water, etc.
|
| heath | (noun) 1 a stretch of wasteland, especially in Britain, that is covered in low shrubs. 2 a low-growing evergreen shrub.
|
| heathen | (noun) 1 a person who is not a Jew, Christian, or Muslim; someone who believes in more than one God. 2 a person who is not religious. Also adj.
|
| heather | (noun) a low-growing shrub with purple or white flowers.
|
| heatstroke | (noun) a serious failure of the body’s ability to regulate its heat, resulting in high fever, dry skin, collapse, and sometimes coma.
|
| heave | (verb) 1 to lift, to raise with effort (heave the luggage into the car). 2 to move up and down regularly (shoulders heaving with laughter). 3 to pull hard (sailors heaving ropes). 4 to utter with effort (heave a sigh of relief). n 1 an upward throw. 2 a pull. heave to (of a ship) to stop moving.
|
| heaven | (noun) 1 the sky. 2 the everlasting presence of God. 3 the dwelling place of the gods. 4 in some religions, the happiness enjoyed by good people after death (Christians believe that people go to heaven after death).
|
| heavenly | (adjective) 1 having to do with heaven or the sky. 2 (inf) delightful (a heavenly dress/a heavenly performance).
|
| heavy | (adjective) 1 having weight, of great weight (lead is a heavy metalheavy losses in the battle). 3 dull, dark, and cloudy (a heavy sky). 4 sleepy (children with heavy eyesa heavy book). 7 busy, full of activity (a heavy dayhe-vee-nesshe-vi-lee/.
|
| heavy metal | (noun) 1 any metal that has a gravity greater than 5. 2 a form of rock music that features loud rhythms, guitar, and sometimes shouted lyrics.
|
| heavy-duty | (adjective) strong and not easily damaged or worn out (heavy-duty boots).
|
| heavy-handed | (adjective) 1 without a light touch. 2 cruel.
|
| heavyweight | (noun) 1 a person or animal weighing much more than average. 2 an athlete, e.g. a boxer, who is in the heaviest weight division.
|
| Hebrew | (noun) the language of the Jewish people. Also adj.
|
| heckle | (verb) to put difficult questions to a public speaker (a politician heckled by his opponent’s supporters). n heckler .
|
| hectare | (noun) a unit of measurement equal to 10,000 square meters or 2.471 acres.
|
| hectic | (adjective) 1 feverish. 2 very active, busy.
|
| hedge | (noun) 1 a fence of bushes, shrubs, etc (plant a hedge along the front of a garden). 2 means of defense or protection (as a hedge against inflation). vb 1 to surround with a hedge (hedge the yard). 2 to avoid giving a clear, direct answer (politicians hedging when asked questions).
|
| hedgehog | (noun) a small animal covered with prickles, that can roll itself into a ball.
|
| hedgerow | (noun) a line of bushes, shrubs, etc, forming a hedge.
|
| Hedonics | study of pleasure (see list of branches of science) |
| Hedonophobia | fear of feeling pleasure (see list of phobias) |
| heed | (verb) to pay attention to, to notice (you should heed your parents’ advice). n care, attention (pay little heed to his work). adj heedful , heedless .
|
| heel1 | (noun) 1 the back part of the foot (she had blisters on her heel). 2 the part of a shoe, etc, under the heel of the foot (shoes with high heels). vb 1 to strike with the heel (heeling the ball away). 2 to put a heel on (have the boots heeled). bring to heel to get control over (bring the rebels to heel). down at heel poorly or untidily dressed. take to one’s heels to run away (he took to his heels when he saw the police).
|
| heel2 | (verb) to lean over to one side (boats heeling over in the storm).
|
| hefty | (adjective) 1 rather heavy, big and strong (a hefty young woman). 2 large and heavy (a hefty load). 3 powerful (a hefty blow). 4 (inf) large, substantial (a hefty salary). n heft weight, heaviness, bulk.
|
| heifer | (noun) a young cow.
|
| height | (noun) 1 the distance from top to bottom (the height of the fence). 2 the state of being high (his height is an advantage in some games). 3 a high place (be afraid of heights). 4 a hill (scale the heights above the town). 5 the highest degree of something (the height of summer/the height of her acting career).
|
| heighten | (verb) 1 to make higher (heighten the fence). 2 to increase.
|
| Heimlich maneuver | (noun) a way of stopping a person from choking by which the user puts sudden, sharp pressure to the stomach area to force wind up through the windpipe so as to clear the blockage.
|
| heinous | (adjective) very bad, wicked (a heinous crime).
|
| heir | (noun) a person who receives property or a title after the death of the previous owner (the duke’s heir is his son). f heiress .
|
| heirloom | (noun) a valuable object that has been the property of a family for many generations (her diamond pin is a family heirloom).
|
| heist | (noun) a robbery.
|
| Helcology | study of ulcers (see list of branches of science) |
| held | pt, pp of hold.
|
| helicopter | (noun) a type of aircraft with propellers that enable it to go straight up or down (survivors rescued from the sea by helicopter).
|
| Heliology | study of the sun (see list of branches of science) |
| Heliophobia | fear of the sun (see list of phobias) |
| Helioseismology | study of sun's interior by observing its surface oscillations (see list of branches of science) |
| helium | (noun) a very light gas.
|
| hell | (noun) 1 in some religions, the place where the wicked are punished after death. 2 everlasting banishment from God. 3 a place of great evil or suffering.
|
| Hellenologophobia | fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology (see list of phobias) |
| hellish | (adjective) 1 having to do with or like hell. 2 (inf) very bad, extremely unpleasant (a hellish crime).
|
| hello | (interjective) used as a greeting or to attract attention.
|
| helm | (noun) a steering wheel or handle on a ship. at the helm in control or command (the firm’s owner has retired and there is a new man at the helm).
|
| helmet | (noun) 1 (old) head armor. 2 a protective covering for the head (motorcyclists wearing helmets).
|
| Helminthology | study of worms (see list of branches of science) |
| Helminthophobia | fear of being infested with worms (see list of phobias) |
| help | (verb) 1 to aid, to assist (help the old lady across the roadhel-per/.
|
| helpful | (adjective) 1 willing to help (helpful neighbors). 2 useful (a helpful suggestion).
|
| helping | (noun) a person’s share of a dish of food (a second helping of dessert).
|
| helpless | (adjective) unable to help oneself (helpless children).
|
| helter-skelter | (adverb) in a hurry and confusion (the children ran helter-skelter from the bus to the beach).
|
| hem | (noun) the border of a garment folded back and sewn (put a hem on the skirt to shorten it). vb (hemmed , hemming ) to sew a hem. hem in to surround closely (a house hemmed in by blocks of flats).
|
| he-man | (noun) a strong man.
|
| Hemaphobia | fear of blood (see list of phobias) |
| Hematology | study of blood (see list of branches of science) |
| hematology | (noun), also haematology (Br) the study of the blood.
|
| Hematophobia | fear of blood (see list of phobias) |
| hemisphere | (noun) 1 half of the world. 2 a map showing half of the world. 3 half of a sphere.
|
| hemline | (noun) the bottom edge of a skirt, coat, etc, which is usually hemmed.
|
| hemlock | (noun) a poisonous plant.
|
| Hemodynamics | study of the dynamics behind blood circulation (see list of branches of science) |
| hemoglobin | (noun), also haemoglobin (Br) the red matter that gives blood its color.
|
| hemophilia | (noun), also haemophilia (Br) a condition where the blood does not clot properly when a person bleeds.
|
| Hemophobia | fear of blood (see list of phobias) |
| hemorrhage | (noun), also haemorrhage (Br) heavy bleeding.
|
| hemorrhoid | (noun), also haemorrhoid (Br) a painful swelling of a vein near the anus, usually with bleeding.
|
| hemp | (noun) 1 a grass-like plant from whose fibers ropes are made. 2 a drug made from the plant.
|
| hen | (noun) a female bird, especially a farmyard fowl (keep hens for their eggs).
|
| henchman | (noun) (pl henchmen ) a follower, a trusty supporter (a people controlled by the dictator and his henchmen).
|
| henna | (noun) 1 a plant with white or red flowers. 2 a dye taken from the leaves of this plant. 3 a reddish-brown color.
|
| hepatitis | (noun) irritation and swelling of the liver.
|
| Hepatology | study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, and pancreas (see list of branches of science) |
| Heptadecaphobia | fear of the number 17 (see list of phobias) |
| Heptadekaphobia | fear of the number 17 (see list of phobias) |
| heptagon | (noun) a seven-sided figure.
|
| heptathlon | (noun) a contest, usually for women, in which there are seven events: 100-meter hurdles, shot put, high jump, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run.
|
| her | pron 1 (objective) refers to a female person or animal (I want her to be happy). 2 (possessive) of or belonging to her (she wore her lovely dress).
|
| herald | (noun) 1 (old) a person who makes important announcements to the public. 2 a sign of something to come (flowers that are a herald of spring). vb 1 to announce the approach of someone or something (heavy footsteps heralded his approach). 2 to be a sign of (flowers heralding the arrival of spring).
|
| herb | (noun) 1 any plant whose stem dies away during the winter. 2 a plant used for medicine or for flavoring food (add herbs to the spaghetti sauce).
|
| herbaceous | (adjective) having to do with or full of herbs. herbaceous border a flowerbed with plants that flower year after year.
|
| herbal | (adjective) of herbs (herbal remedies).
|
| herbalist | (noun) a person who studies or sells herbs (he went to a herbalist for a cure for his allergy).
|
| herbivore | (noun) an animal that eats plants and grasses (sheep are herbivores). adj herbivorous eating grass or herbs.
|
| herd | (noun) 1 a flock of animals (a herd of cows/a herd of deer). 2 a large crowd of people (herds of people doing Christmas shopping). vb 1 (inf) to crowd or collect together (people herded into the hall to hear the speaker). 2 to look after a herd (herd the cows in the field). 3 to drive (herd the cows to market).
|
| herdsman | (noun) a person who looks after a herd.
|
| here | (adverb) at or in this place.
|
| hereafter | (adverb) after this time. n the life after death.
|
| hereby | (adverb) by or through this, by this means.
|
| hereditary | (adjective) passed on from parents to children (a hereditary disease).
|
| Heredity | study of passing of traits from parents to offspring (see list of branches of science) |
| heredity | (noun) the passing on of qualities from parents to children (health factors associated with heredity).
|
| Hereiophobia | fear of challenges to official doctrine or of radical deviation (see list of phobias) |
| Heresiology | study of heresies (see list of branches of science) |
| heresy | n an opinion at variance with established religious beliefs.
|
| Heresyphobia | fear of challenges to official doctrine or of radical deviation (see list of phobias) |
| heretic | (noun) a person who teaches a heresy. adj heretical .
|
| heritable | (adjective) able to be passed on from parents to children (heritable property).
|
| heritage | (noun) 1 that which is passed on to a person by his or her parents (the farm was part of his heritage). 2 things that have been passed on from earlier generations (the art collection is part of our national heritage).
|
| Hermeology | study of Mercury (see list of branches of science) |
| hermit | (noun) a person who lives alone or away from other people, originally often for religious reasons.
|
| hernia | (noun) a break in the wall of muscle in the front of the stomach (have an operation to repair a hernia).
|
| hero | (noun) (pl heroes ) 1 a brave person, someone admired for his brave deeds (treated as a hero for saving the cat from the fire). 2 the chief character in a play or novel (the hero of the novel is a young boy). f heroine .
|
| heroic | (adjective) 1 brave (heroic deeds). 2 having to do with heroes (heroic legends). adv heroically. n heroics.
|
| heroin | (noun) a habit-forming drug obtained from opium.
|
| heroism | (noun) bravery (receive a medal for his heroism in battle).
|
| heron | (noun) a water bird with long legs and neck (a heron catching fish).
|
| herpes | (noun) a disease that causes small blisters on the skin.
|
| Herpetology | study of reptiles and amphibians (see list of branches of science) |
| herpetology | (noun) the study of reptiles.
|
| Herpetophobia | fear of reptiles or creepy, crawly things. (see list of phobias) |
| herring | (noun) a small sea fish used as food.
|
| herring gull | (noun) the common sea gull of the Northern Hemisphere with gray and white feathers and black wing tips.
|
| herringbone | (adjective) with a pattern like the backbone of a herring (a herringbone tweed).
|
| hers | pron something or someone belonging to her.
|
| herself | pron the reflexive form of she or her.
|
| hertz | (noun) a unit of measurement for the number of waves, vibrations, etc, per unit of time.
|
| hesitance , hesitancy , hesitation | (noun) doubt, act of hesitating, indecision.
|
| hesitant | (adjective) doubtful, undecided (a hesitant persona hesitant remark).
|
| hesitate | (verb) 1 to stop for a moment before doing something or speaking (she hesitated before answering the question). 2 to be undecided (they are hesitating about whether to go).
|
| hessian | a coarse cloth used for sacks.
|
| Heterophobia | fear of the opposite gender (see list of phobias) |
| heterosexual | (adjective) of different sexes; being attracted to the opposite sex.
|
| hew | (noun) (fml) to cut by a number of strong blows, to chop as with an ax (hew down a tree). adj hewn .
|
| hex | (noun) a spell believed to bring bad luck, a jinx.
|
| hexagon | (noun) a six-sided figure. adj hexagonal .
|
| hexagram | (noun) a six-sided star.
|
| Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia | fear of the number 666 (see list of phobias) |
| hey | (interjective) used to attract attention or express surprise or delight; sometimes used as a greeting.
|
| heyday | (noun) full strength, the time of life when a person’s abilities, etc, reach their full power (when silent films were in their heyday).
|
| hi | (interjective) hello.
|
| hiatus | (noun) 1 a break in a piece of writing or a speech (notice a hiatus in the play). 2 a gap (the talks resumed after a week’s hiatus).
|
| hibernate | (verb) to pass the winter in sleep, as certain animals do (many animals hibernate including bears and squirrels). n hibernation .
|
| hibiscus | (noun) a kind of plant or shrub with large, colorful flowers.
|
| hiccup | (noun) 1 a sudden, short stoppage of the breath. 2 the sound caused by this. 3 a small delay or interruption (a hiccup in our timetable because of the absence of one of the speakers). vb (hiccupped , hiccupping ) to have hiccups.
|
| hickory | (noun) a North American tree with very hard wood.
|
| hide1 | (verb) (hid , pp hidden ) 1 to put or keep out of sight (parents try to hide the presents from the children until Christmas). 2 to keep secret (hide her disappointment). n a camouflaged place used by bird-watchers, hunters, etc (they had a lovely view over the wetland from the hide).
|
| hide2 | (noun) the skin of an animal (an elephant’s hide).
|
| hide-and-seek | (noun) a game in which one player tries to find the other players, who have all hidden.
|
| hideaway | (noun) a place where a person can hide.
|
| hideous | (adjective) 1 frightful (a hideous scream). 2 very ugly (a hideous dress).
|
| hide-out | (noun) a place to hide (a hideout in the forest where they were safe from enemies).
|
| hiding1 | (noun) the condition of being hidden (he went into hiding after he gave evidence at the trial).
|
| hiding2 | (noun) a thrashing, a beating (their father threatened them with a hiding if they got into trouble again).
|
| hierarchy | (noun) 1 an arrangement in order, putting the most important first (his place in the firm’s hierarchy). 2 the group of people in an organization who have power or control. adj hierarchical .
|
| hieroglyph , hieroglyphic | (noun) a picture or sign standing for a word or sound, as in ancient Egyptian writing.
|
| hieroglyphics | (noun) 1 a system of writing that uses hieroglyphs. 2 (inf) writing that is difficult to read.
|
| Hierology | study of sacred matters (see list of branches of science) |
| Hierophobia | fear of priests or sacred things (see list of phobias) |
| high | (adjective) 1 being a certain distance up (a wall six feet high). 2 being above normal level (high blood pressure/a high temperature). 3 raised above (a high window). 4 of important rank (high officials). 5 morally good (of high ideals). 6 expensive (high costs). Also adv. on a high horse wanting to be treated with great respect; haughty (when anyone criticizes her she gets on her high horse and won’t speak to anyone).
|
| high jump | (noun) a contest to see who can jump the highest over a bar set up between two posts.
|
| high school | (noun) a secondary school that includes grades 10, 11, and 12, and sometimes 9.
|
| high seas | (noun, plural) the open seas (pirates sailing the high seas).
|
| high tide | (noun) 1 the tide at its highest level. 2 the time of day when the tide reaches this level.
|
| high water | (noun) high tide.
|
| high wire | (noun) a wire stretched between two supports high above the ground across which people walk and perform tricks, as in a circus, fair, etc.
|
| higher education | (noun) college or university education.
|
| high-five | (noun) the slapping of another persons upraised, open hand in congratulation or celebration.
|
| highland | (noun) land well above sea level, land containing many hills or mountains.
|
| Highlander | (noun) a person who lives in the Highlands of Scotland.
|
| highlight | (noun) a part on which light is brightest (she has blond highlights in her hair). v to mark with something to make lighter or brighter (highlighted the sections to study).
|
| highlighter | (noun) a pen that is used to highlight parts of text.
|
| highly | (adverb) greatly, very (highly amusedhighly unlikely).
|
| highness | (noun) 1 the quality or state of being high. 2 a title of honor given to royalty.
|
| high-rise | (adjective) of a tall apartment house, office building, etc. Also n.
|
| high-strung | (adjective) very nervous, easily excited (she’s very high-strung and gets easily upset).
|
| high-tech | (adjective), also hi-tech using very advanced modern machinery and methods, especially electronic ones.
|
| high-top | (noun) a sneaker or athletic shoe that extends over the ankle.
|
| highway | (noun) a public road, a main road.
|
| hijack | (verb) to steel or take control of a car, truck, train, etc illegally during a journey (terrorists hijacking a plane). n hijacker .
|
| hike | (verb) to go on a long walk in the country, especially over rough ground (weather permitting, we plan to go hiking over the mountain on Saturday morning). n hiker .
|
| hilarious | (adjective) 1 extremely amusing or funny (the children thought the jokes were hilarious). 2 noisily merry (it was a hilarious party). n hilarity .
|
| hill | (noun) a low mountain, a raised part of the earth’s surface.
|
| hillside | (noun) the side of a hill.
|
| hilltop | (noun) the top of a hill.
|
| hilly | (adjective) having many hills (hilly ground).
|
| hilt | (noun) the handle of a sword, dagger, or knife.
|
| him | pron (objective) refers to a male person or animal (they want him to come to the party).
|
| himself | pron the reflexive form of he or him.
|
| hind1 | (noun) a female red deer.
|
| hind2 | (adjective) at the back (the dog’s hind legs).
|
| hinder1 | (adjective) at the back.
|
| hinder2 | (verb) to stop or delay the advance or development of, to put difficulties in the way of (hinder progress/hinder them in their escape plan).
|
| Hindi | (noun) the main language in India.
|
| hindrance | (noun) something or someone that makes action or progress difficult (the new assistant was more of a hindrance than a help/her injured arm was a hindrance in her work).
|
| hindsight | (noun) the ability to see, after the event, what should have been done (with hindsight, we should have travelled by train).
|
| Hindu | (noun) a believer in Hinduism.
|
| Hinduism | (noun) a religion practiced by many in India focused on three things: Dharma, the universal law; Karma, the effects of personal actions; and Samsara, the cycle of rebirth.
|
| hinge | (noun) a folding joint to which a door or lid is fixed so that it can turn on it (the gate hinges are in need of being oiled). vb 1 to fix hinges to (the cupboard door is hinged on the right). 2 to depend (his promotion hinges on passing the exam).
|
| hint | (verb) to suggest indirectly (she hinted that he was not completely honest). n 1 an indirect suggestion (he received a hint that the firm would be sold). 2 a helpful suggestion. 3 a small amount (a hint of parsley).
|
| hip boots | (noun) high, usually waterproof boots that reach the top of the legs (he always wears hip boots when he goes fishing at the side of the river).
|
| hip1 | (noun) the upper part of the thigh (stand with her hands on her hips).
|
| hip2 | (noun) the fruit of the wild rose (rose hips are full of vitamin C).
|
| hip-hop | (noun) a form of music that combines rap, funk, street sounds, and melody.
|
| Hippiatrics | study of diseases of horses (see list of branches of science) |
| hippies | (noun, plural) young people of the 1960s and 1970s who believed in peace, lived together in separate communities, and experimented with certain kinds of drugs.
|
| hippo | (noun) short for hippopotamus.
|
| Hippology | study of horses (see list of branches of science) |
| Hippophobia | fear of horses (see list of phobias) |
| hippopotamus | (noun) (pl hippopotamuses or hippopotami ) a large, plant-eating river animal found in Africa, with thick skin, an almost hairless body, and short legs.
|
| Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia | fear of long words (see list of phobias) |
| hire | (noun) 1 the renting of something (a boat for hire). 2 the money paid for the use of a thing or for the work of another (pay the hire of the hall in advance). vb 1 to get the use of a thing by paying for it (hire a boat for a week). 2 to lend to another for payment (hiring out his boat to tourists).
|
| his | pron (possessive) of or belonging to him.
|
| Hispanic | (adjective) of or relating to Hispanics. n a usually Spanish-speaking person of Latin American birth or descent.
|
| hiss | (verb) to make a sound like that of the letter s, often as a sign of disapproval (the audience hissed at the comedian’s bad jokes). n the act or sound of hissing (the hiss of a snake).
|
| Histology | study of the tissues of organisms (see list of branches of science) |
| Histopathology | study of changes in tissue due to disease (see list of branches of science) |
| historian | (noun) a person who writes about and studies history (a historian specializing in the nineteenth century).
|
| historic | (adjective) of lasting importance (a historic battle).
|
| historical | (adjective) having to do with history (historical studies).
|
| Historiography | study of writing history (see list of branches of science) |
| Historiology | study of history (see list of branches of science) |
| history | (noun) 1 the study of past events (study American history in school). 2 an account of past events, conditions, ideas, etc (the history of the English language/told him her life history).
|
| hit | (verb) (hit, hitting ) 1 to strike (hit the ball with the racket/hit his attacker in the face). 2 to reach, to arrive at (hit a bad patch). n 1 a blow. 2 a success (the show was a hit).
|
| hit man | (noun) a man paid to kill someone.
|
| hit-and-miss | (adjective) resulting in both successes and failures.
|
| hit-and-run | (adjective) of an accident in which the driver involved flees from the scene.
|
| hitch | (verb) 1 to hook or fasten (on to) (hitch the carriage on to the train). 2 to try to get a ride in someone else’s car (try to hitch to Philadelphia). n 1 a jerk, a pull (give his trousers a hitch). 2 a type of knot. 3 a difficulty, a snag (a slight hitch in the proceedings).
|
| hitchhike | (verb) to travel by asking for rides from others along the way.
|
| hi-tech | see high-tech.
|
| hither | (adverb) (fml or old) to this place (come hither).
|
| hitherto | (adverb) (fml) until now (hitherto he has been on time but he was late today).
|
| hit-or-miss | (adjective) random.
|
| HIV | (abbreviation) for Human Immunodeficiency Virus a virus that affects the body’s immune system and can lead to AIDS.
|
| hive | (noun) 1 a home made for bees. 2 a place of great activity (the small office was a real hive of industry).
|
| hives | (noun) or npl an allergic reaction that causes itching, burning, stinging, and red patches on the skin.
|
| ho | (interjective) used to attract attention.
|
| hoard | (noun) a hidden supply (the miser’s hoard of gold was hidden somewhere in his house). vb 1 to store secretly (a miser hoarding gold coins). 2 to collect (hoard food in case there is a shortage).
|
| hoarse | (adjective) having a rough or husky voice (children hoarse from shouting).
|
| hoarsen | (verb) to make or become hoarse.
|
| hoax | (noun) a trick or joke intended to deceive (the phone call about the fire was a hoax). vb to deceive, to trick.
|
| hob | (noun) a shelf at the side or rear of a fireplace for pots, etc.
|
| hobble | (verb) 1 to limp (hobbling in shoes that were too tight). 2 to tie the legs of an animal to one another to stop it running away.
|
| hobby | (noun) a favorite subject or interest for a person’s spare time, an interesting pastime (work so hard that they had no time for hobbies/play golf as a hobby).
|
| hobo | (noun) a person who travels from place to place doing various jobs, a homeless person.
|
| Hobophobia | fear of bums or beggars (see list of phobias) |
| hock | (noun) the joint in the middle of an animal’s back leg.
|
| hockey | (noun) 1 a game in which the players skate on ice and score by hitting a puck into a goal with a long stick (there are eleven players in a hockey team). 2 (Br) a team game played with a ball or puck and sticks curved at the end, played indoors, in a field, or on pavement.
|
| hod | (noun) a V-shaped wooden container on a pole used for carrying bricks, etc.
|
| hodgepodge | (noun) a kind of stew, any jumbled mixture or mess.
|
| Hodophobia | fear of road travel (see list of phobias) |
| hoe | (noun) a garden tool with a thin, flat blade at the end of a long handle for loosening the earth around plants. vb to dig with a hoe (hoeing the weeds).
|
| hoedown | (noun) a lively dance, often a square dance.
|
| hog | (noun) 1 a pig. 2 a greedy person (he’s such a hog that he ate all the food before the others arrived).
|
| hogwash | (noun) 1 garbage fed to hogs. 2 useless talk, writing, etc.
|
| ho-hum | (interjective) used to suggest boredom.
|
| hoist | (verb) to lift, to raise, especially by some device (hoist the load with a crane). n a lift for goods.
|
| hold | (verb) (pt, pp held ) 1 to have or take in the hand(s) or arms (hold a newborn baby/holding a knife in one hand). 2 to bear the weight of, to support (the bridge wouldn’t hold them). 3 to contain or be able to contain (a jug holding two liters). 4 to have (an opinion) (he holds the view that all people are equal). 5 to cause to take place (hold a meeting). n 1 grasp (have a firm hold of the wheel). 2 the lowest part of a ship, where the cargo is stored. hold forth (fml) to speak in public or at length (held forth about his political opinions). hold up 1 to attack and rob. 2 to delay, to hinder. 3 to last. 4 to raise. 5 to support. hold with to agree with (he does not hold with new educational ideas). hold your own to keep advantages without gaining any more (held his own in a fight).
|
| holder | (noun) one who holds or possesses (the holder of the lease).
|
| hole | (noun) 1 a hollow or empty space in something solid (a hole in the road). 2 an opening (a hole in the fence). 3 an animal’s den (the fox’s hole). 4 (inf) a difficulty (in a bit of a hole financially). vb to make a hole in (a ship holed by a rock).
|
| holiday | (noun) 1 a day of freedom from work, a day set aside for rest or amusement (the Christmas holiday). 2 (Br) a period of rest from work often spent away from home. n holiday-maker .
|
| holiness | (noun) the state of being holy. Holiness a title given to the pope.
|
| holler | (verb) to shout or yell.
|
| hollow | (adjective) 1 not solid. 2 empty inside (hollow trees). 3 worthless (a hollow victory). 4 not sincere (hollow promises). 5 sounding as if coming from a hollow place, echoing (hollow sounds). n 1 a sunken place, something hollow (hollows in the cheeks). 2 a low place between folds, ridges, etc. 3 a valley. vb 1 to make hollow. 2 to take out the inside leaving the outside untouched (hollow out the melon).
|
| holly | (noun) an evergreen bush with dark green spiky leaves and red berries.
|
| holocaust | (noun) 1 (old) the burning of an animal as a sacrifice. 2 killing or destruction on a huge scale, often by fire (fear a nuclear holocaust).
|
| hologram | (noun) a 3-dimensional photographic image created by using a laser beam.
|
| holograph | (noun) a document in the person’s own handwriting whom it is about (a will in the form of a holograph).
|
| holster | (noun) a pistol case that can be fixed to a belt (remove his gun from his holster).
|
| holy | (adjective) 1 good and trying to be perfect in the service of God (holy men). 2 set aside for the service of God (holy places).
|
| Holy Communion | (noun) in the Christian faith, the receiving of bread and wine to remember Jesus’s last meal with his followers before his death.
|
| Holy Day | (noun) any day set aside for a religious purpose.
|
| homage | (noun) 1 (old) the promise to do certain duties for an overlord. 2 respect, things said or done to show great respect (come to do homage at the great man’s funeral/pay homage to the famous writer).
|
| home | (noun) 1 a person’s house, the place where a person lives (the doctor visited her in her home). 2 where a person was born, the place where a person or thing originally comes from (the home of jazz). 3 a place where children without parents, old people, people who are ill, etc, are looked after (an old people’s home). adj 1 having to do with a person’s home (home comforts). 2 made or done at home (home cooking). adv to or at home (go home).
|
| home page | (noun) the first web page found on an Internet site.
|
| home run | (noun) in baseball, a hit that allows the batter to run around all the bases to score.
|
| home schooling | (noun) the process of teaching his or her own children in the home rather than sending them to a school.
|
| homeboy | (noun) a boy or man from the same town, neighborhood, etc.
|
| homegirl | (noun) a girl or woman from the same town, neighborhood, etc.
|
| homeless | (adjective) having no home.
|
| homely | (adjective) 1 plain, simple (homely tastes). 2 like home, comfortable (a homely place).
|
| homemade | (adjective) made at home or at the place where it is being offered, sold, etc.
|
| homemaker | (noun) a person, especially a housewife, who manages a home.
|
| homeopathy | (noun), also homoeopathy (Br) a system of medical treatment based on the belief that certain illnesses can be cured by giving the patient small doses of a drug that would cause a mild form of the illness in a healthy person. adj homeopathic .
|
| homeowner | (noun) a person who owns the house that he or she lives in.
|
| homeplate | (noun) in baseball, the base from where the batter hits and to where the runners run to score.
|
| homeroom | (noun) the room where a class in school meets every day to make sure the students are all there and to give any announcements.
|
| homesick | (adjective) having a longing for home (homesick at boarding school). n homesickness .
|
| homespun | (noun) cloth made in the home. adj 1 made of cloth spun at home. 2 plain and simple (homespun remedies).
|
| homestead | (noun) 1 a house with grounds and outbuildings around it, especially a farm. 2 a piece of public land granted to a person by the US government to be developed as a farm (per the Homestead Act of 1862).
|
| hometown | (noun) the town where a person lives or grew up.
|
| homeward | (adverb) (fml) toward home (travel homeward).
|
| homework | (noun) work to be done or lessons to be studied at home.
|
| Homichlophobia | fear of fog (see list of phobias) |
| homicide | (noun) 1 the act of killing another human being (guilty of homicide). 2 a person who kills another human being (homicides in jail). adj homicidal .
|
| Homilophobia | fear of sermons (see list of phobias) |
| Hominophobia | fear of men (see list of phobias) |
| Homo sapiens | (noun) the scientific name for human beings.
|
| homogenize | (verb), also homogenise (Br) to make the same in texture, mixture, or quality by breaking down and blending the different parts (we drink homogenized milk so the cream doesn’t separate). adj homogenous.
|
| homonym | (noun) a word sounding the same as another but having a different meaning (e.g. here, hear).
|
| Homophobia | fear of sameness, monotony or of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual (see list of phobias) |
| homophobia | (noun) irrational fear or hatred of homosexuals or homosexuality.
|
| homosexual | (adjective) of or having to do with sexual desire for those of the same sex. n homosexuality .
|
| honest | (adjective) 1 free from deceit, upright, truthful; not cheating, stealing, etc (honest workers). 2 open and frank (to be honest with you). 3 typical of an honest person, open (an honest face). 4 true (an honest report). n honesty .
|
| honey | (noun) a sweet fluid made by bees from flowers.
|
| honeybee | (noun) a bee that makes honey.
|
| honeycomb | (noun) the waxy cells in which bees store their honey.
|
| honeymoon | (noun) the vacation taken by a newly married couple immediately after marriage.
|
| honeysuckle | (noun) a sweet-smelling climbing plant (honeysuckle surrounding the door).
|
| honk | (noun) the call of a wild goose or any similar sound, as that of a car horn.
|
| honor | (noun), also honour (Br) 1 good name, reputation (fight for his country’s honor). 2 high principles and standards of behavior (a man of honor). 3 glory (bring honor to the school). 4 a person or thing that brings pride or glory (he is an honor to the school). 5 a title of respect used when talking to or about certain important people such as judges, mayors, etc. 6 respect (in honor of the dead). vb 1 to respect. 2 to raise in rank or dignity. 3 to pay (a bill) when due.
|
| honor society | (noun), also honour society (Br) a college or high school organization for students who get high marks.
|
| honor system | (noun), also honour system (Br) a system whereby people are trusted to obey rules, do their work, etc without direct supervision.
|
| honorable | (adjective), also honourable (Br) 1 worthy of respect or honor (honorable deeds). 2 honest, of high principles (an honorable man). 3 just.
|
| honorary | (adjective) 1 unpaid (honorary secretary of the organization). 2 given to a person as a mark of respect for his or her ability (an honorary degree).
|
| hood | (noun) 1 a covering for the head and neck (the monk’s hood). 2 anything that looks like a hood or can be used as such (the hood of a baby carriage/the hood of a car).
|
| hoodlum | (noun) a wild, lawless person, often a member of a gang of criminals.
|
| hoodwink | (verb) to deceive (hoodwink her into lending him money).
|
| hoof | (noun) (pl hooves or hoofs ) the horny part of the foot in certain animals (a horse’s hoof). adj hoofed having hooves.
|
| hook | (noun) 1 a piece of metal or plastic bent for catching hold or for hanging things on (a hook on the bathroom door for robes). 2 a short, curved cutting instrument. vb to catch, hold, or fasten with a hook (hook a large salmon). adj hooked, hook-shaped. by hook or by crook by any means, fair or unfair (he will get the money by hook or by crook).
|
| hook shot | (noun) in basketball, a one-handed shot in which the arm is brought up sideways over the head to toss the ball into the hoop.
|
| hooligan | (noun) a wild, lawless person, often a member of a gang of criminals (young hooligans fighting in the street and damaging property). n hooliganism .
|
| hoop | (noun) 1 a band of metal around a cask. 2 a large ring of wood, metal, etc (dogs jumping through hoops).
|
| hoot | (verb) 1 to cry as an owl. 2 to make a loud noise of laughter or disapproval (hooting with laughter). n 1 the cry of an owl. 2 a shout of laughter or disapproval.
|
| hooves | see hoof.
|
| hop1 | (verb) (hopped , hopping ) 1 to jump on one leg (he hurt his foot and had to hop to the car). 2 to jump (he hopped over the wall). n a jump, especially on one leg.
|
| hop2 | (noun) a plant with bitter-tasting cones used in making beer, ale, etc.
|
| hope | (verb) to wish for and expect good things in the future (he hopes for better thingslive in hope).
|
| hope chest | (noun) a chest in which a young woman collects linen, clothing, etc in hopes of getting married one day.
|
| hopeful | (adjective) 1 full of hope (in a hopeful mood). 2 giving cause for hope (there are hopeful signs that he will make a full recovery).
|
| hopeless | (adjective) 1 without hope. 2 giving no cause for hope (a hopeless cause). 3 (inf) poor, not good (despite attending cookery classes for over a year she is still a hopeless cook).
|
| Hoplology | study of human combative behavior and performance (see list of branches of science) |
| Hoplophobia | fear of firearms (see list of phobias) |
| hopping | (adjective) very busy or active (the nightclub was hopping).
|
| hopscotch | (noun) a game in which a player tosses a stone or other object into a section of a figure drawn on the ground and hops from section to section to pick to the stone up after the toss.
|
| horde | (noun) 1 a wandering camp or tribe. 2 a huge crowd (hordes of people at the January sales). v to collect into a large group.
|
| horizon | (noun) 1 the line along which the earth and sky seem to meet. 2 the breadth of a person’s understanding and experience (extend his horizons by studying).
|
| horizontal | (adjective) parallel to the horizon, flat, level (in a horizontal line).
|
| Hormephobia | fear of shock (see list of phobias) |
| hormone | (noun) a substance made in the body that has a specific job or effect.
|
| horn | (noun) 1 a hard, pointed growth on the heads of some animals (a bull’s horns). 2 anything shaped like a horn (e.g. snail’s feelers). 3 a musical brass instrument (play the French horn). 4 on a car, truck, etc, an instrument that makes a warning noise (beep his horn as a warning for the other car). adj made of horn.
|
| horned | (adjective) having horns (there are not so many horned cattle around these days).
|
| hornet | (noun) a large, stinging insect of the wasp family colored yellow and black.
|
| hornist | (noun) a person who plays the French horn.
|
| hornpipe | (noun) 1 a lively dance, a sailor’s dance. 2 music for such a dance. 3 a musical instrument no longer widely used with a bell and mouthpiece made of horn.
|
| Horology | study of time measurement (see list of branches of science) |
| horoscope | (noun) 1 a plan showing the positions of the stars in the sky at a particular time, especially at the hour of a person’s birth, made in the belief that from it features and future events can be foretold (cast a horoscope). 2 a forecast of a person’s future based on such a plan (horoscopes printed in the newspapers).
|
| horrendous | (adjective) horrible, frightful.
|
| horrent | (adjective) bristly, horrified.
|
| horrible | (adjective) 1 causing horror, dreadful, terrible (a horrible accident). 2 (inf) unpleasant, nasty (a horrible personhaw-ri-blee/.
|
| horrid | (adjective) 1 (fml) horrible, dreadful (horrid crimes). 2 (inf) horrible, unpleasant, nasty (a horrid girl).
|
| horrify | (verb) to shock unpleasantly (the news of his terrible accident horrified us). adj horrific .
|
| horror | (noun) 1 terror, great fear or dislike (have a horror of snakes). 2 (inf) a horrible or disagreeable person or thing (the child is a real horror). adj (he loves to watch horror movies but they always give him nightmares).
|
| horrorstruck | (adjective) horrified.
|
| hors d’oeuvre | (noun) (pl hors d’oeuvres ) an appetizer, a small portion of food served before a meal or at a cocktail party (she always provides delicious hors d’oeuvres at her dinner parties).
|
| horse | (noun) 1 an animal that can be used for riding on or pulling loads. 2 a device or frame with legs to support something. 3 a padded block on four legs used by gymnasts in vaulting (his complicated vault on the horse won him a medal).
|
| horseback | (adverb) on the back of a horse.
|
| horsefly | (noun) a large fly that typically feeds on the blood of horses and cattle.
|
| horseplay | (noun) rough play (children breaking things while indulging in horseplay).
|
| horsepower | (noun) the pulling power of a horse, taken as an imperial unit of power equal to the power needed to raise 33,000 pounds 1 foot in 1 minute (the horsepower of a car).
|
| horseradish | (noun) a plant with a sharp-tasting edible root used for sauce or relish (roast beef with horseradish).
|
| horseshoe | (noun) 1 a curved iron shoe for horses. 2 anything of this shape.
|
| Horticulture | study of gardening (see list of branches of science) |
| horticulture | (noun) the art or science of gardening or growing flowers, vegetables, etc. adj horticultural .
|
| horticulturist | (noun) a person skilled in gardening.
|
| hosanna | (noun) a cry of praise to God.
|
| hose | (noun) a movable pipe of rubber, plastic, etc, used for carrying water (we use our hose for watering plants and cleaning the car). vb to spray with a hose.
|
| hospice | (noun) 1 (old) a place of rest or shelter for travelers. 2 a hospital for sufferers of incurable diseases (the care experienced by many cancer patients in hospices is outstanding).
|
| hospitable | (adjective) kind to guests and visitors.
|
| hospital | (noun) a building for the care of the sick.
|
| hospitality | (noun) kindness to guests and visitors.
|
| hospitalization | (noun), also hospitalisation (Br) the condition of being put into a hospital for a time.
|
| host1 | (noun) 1 one who receives guests (their host at the dinner party). 2 (old) an innkeeper or hotelkeeper. f hostess . vb to act as a host (to a party, television show, etc).
|
| host2 | (noun) 1 (old) an army. 2 a very large number (a whole host of people came to the meeting).
|
| host3 | (noun) in some Christian services, the bread taken during Holy Communion.
|
| hostage | (noun) a person held prisoner until the conditions for his or her release, as laid down by his or her kidnappers, have been met (the hijackers of the plane took the passengers as hostages).
|
| hostel | (noun) a building in which persons away from home (students, travelers, etc) can pay to stay if they agree to keep its rules.
|
| hostelry | (noun) (old) an inn.
|
| hostess | see host.
|
| hostile | (adjective) 1 unfriendly (hostile toward anyone who disagrees with her). 2 having to do with an enemy (hostile troops).
|
| hostility | (noun) 1 unfriendliness. 2 pl warfare.
|
| hot | (adjective) 1 very warm (a hot day). 2 easily excited (a hot temper). 3 having a sharp, burning taste (hot food).
|
| hot air | (noun) writing or speech that claims to be important but really is not.
|
| hot dog | (noun) a frankfurter, usually served on a long, soft roll.
|
| hot plate | (noun) a small, portable device for cooking food or for keeping it warm.
|
| hot seat | (noun) any stressful, difficult position to be in.
|
| hot spring | (noun) a spring with water that is hotter than the temperature of the human body.
|
| hot tub | (noun) a large tub in which several people soak in hot water together.
|
| hot water bottle | (noun) a rubber container holding hot water which is used to warm a person in bed.
|
| hotbed | (noun) 1 in a garden, a glass-covered piece of earth kept warm so that plants will grow in it more quickly. 2 a place where things develop quickly. (a hotbed of rebellion).
|
| hotch-potch | see hodgepodge.
|
| hotel | (noun) a building where people sleep and eat when away from home; an inn (stay at a hotel when away on business).
|
| hotheaded | (adjective) easily excited, rash (he’s so hotheaded that he rushes into things without thinking). n hothead .
|
| hotshot | (noun) a person who is regarded as an expert at an activity or very important, aggressive, or skillful at something.
|
| hot-tempered | (adjective) easily angered (so hot-tempered that children are afraid of him).
|
| hound | (noun) 1 a hunting dog (foxhounds). 2 (inf) a rascal (that thieving hound). vb to hunt. hound out to drive out (they were hounded out of the town).
|
| hour | (noun) 1 60 minutes. 2 the time fixed for doing something, the time at which something is usually done (business hours).
|
| hourglass | (noun) a sand-filled glass for measuring time.
|
| houri | (noun) in the Muslim faith, any of the beautiful young women in paradise.
|
| hourly | (adjective) happening every hour (hourly reports).
|
| house | (noun) 1 a building in which people, often a family, live. 2 a place or building used for a particular purpose (a house of worship). 3 a theater audience (a full house at the evening performance). vb 1 to provide a house for. 2 to shelter.
|
| house music | (noun) a kind of dance music developed in Chicago with a low bass and rap sound.
|
| House of Commons | (noun) the part of the UK parliament whose members are elected by the people.
|
| House of Representatives | (noun) the part of the US government responsible for creating laws.
|
| house party | (noun) a party of guests that stay overnight or for a few days.
|
| house physician | (noun) a resident doctor at a hospital, hotel, etc.
|
| houseboat | (noun) a large, flat-bottomed boat used as a home (a houseboat on the Mississippi).
|
| housebroken | (adjective) of dogs and cats, trained to go outside to urinate, etc.
|
| housefly | (noun) a kind of fly that feeds on garbage, food, etc, and found around houses.
|
| houseguest | (noun) a person who stays at least one night in a person’s home.
|
| household | (noun) all who live in a house. adj having to do with a house or those who live in it (household pets/household insurance).
|
| househusband | (noun) a married man whose primary job it is to manage the home and family.
|
| housekeeper | (noun) a person in charge of managing a house (the man employed a housekeeper).
|
| housekeeping | (noun) the work of a housekeeper.
|
| houseplant | (noun) a plant that is grown indoors for decoration.
|
| house-raising | (noun) a gathering of the members of a community to help build a neighbor’s house or its framework.
|
| housesit | (verb) to stay in and care for a house while its owners are absent.
|
| housewife | (noun) a married woman whose primary job it is to manage the home and family.
|
| housework | (noun) the work involved in housekeeping such as cleaning, cooking, etc.
|
| housing | (noun) shelter or lodging, the act of providing shelter.
|
| hovel | (noun) a small, dirty house.
|
| hover | (verb) 1 to stay in the air without moving (hawks hovering). 2 to stay near (hover around to try and talk to the celebrity).
|
| hovercraft | (noun) a type of car or boat that can skim over the surface of smooth land or water on a cushion of air.
|
| how | (adverb) 1 in what manner or way (how will you do this?). 2 in what state or condition (how do you feel?). 3 for what reason or purpose (how do you know that?). 4 at what price (how could you?).
|
| however | (adverb) 1 in whatever way (get there however we can). 2 no matter how (however bad the conditions). 3 yet (he is very old—however he is healthy).
|
| howl | (verb) to give a long, loud cry, as a dog or wolf (the wind howling/people howling with laughter). 2 to wail, to cry (children howling with pain). Also n.
|
| hub | (noun) 1 the central part of a wheel. 2 a center of interest or activity (the area is the hub of the business community).
|
| hubcap | (noun) a cap over the center of a wheel on a car, truck, etc.
|
| huckleberry | (noun) a plant with dark blue berries; the berries from this plant.
|
| huckster | (noun) a person who sells things from door to door or in the street (hucksters selling fruit and vegetables off their carts).
|
| huddle | (verb) to crowd together (people huddling together for warmth). n a close crowd (in a huddle to discuss the plan).
|
| hue | (noun) (fml or lit) 1 color (materials of every hue). 2 shade of a color (the sky had a purple hue).
|
| hue and cry | n 1 (old) pursuit after a criminal. 2 a noisy expression of anger, a noisy protest (there was a great hue and cry after the new road was cancelled).
|
| huevos rancheros | (noun) fried eggs with a creole sauce.
|
| huff | (noun) a fit of temper (he goes into a huff when he does not get his own way).
|
| huffy | (adjective) easily angered.
|
| hug | (verb) (hugged , hugging ) 1 to hold tightly in the arms, to take lovingly in the arms. 2 to keep close to (cars hugging the side of the road in the fog). n a close grip, an embrace (an affectionate hug).
|
| huge | (adjective) very big, enormous (a huge monsterhyoodge-ness/.
|
| huh | (interjective) used to express surprise or ask a question.
|
| huipil | (noun) a loose-fitting, often colorful garment worn by women from Mexico and Guatemala.
|
| hula | (noun) a native Hawaiian dance marked by flowing movements.
|
| Hula-Hoop™ | (noun) a light hoop made of plastic that is twirled around the body.
|
| hulk | (noun) 1 the body of an old ship. 2 anything difficult to move (a hulk of an old wardrobe). 3 a big, clumsy person or thing. adj hulking .
|
| hull | (noun) 1 the outer covering of a grain or seed. 2 the frame or body of a ship (the hull of the ship was badly damaged by the collision). vb to strip off the husk (hull raspberries).
|
| hullabaloo | (noun) noise and confusion (there was a great hullabaloo among his patients when they discovered the doctor had lied about his qualifications).
|
| hum | (verb) (hummed , humming ) 1 to make a buzzing sound (bees humming/machines humming). 2 to sing without words or with the mouth closed (hums a tune as she works). n 1 a buzzing noise (the hum of machinery). 2 the noise made by a bee when flying.
|
| human | (adjective) having to do with people (human diseases/human remains). n person.
|
| humane | (adjective) kindly, merciful (it is humane to put very ill animals to sleep).
|
| humanism | (noun) 1 love of literature and learning. 2 the belief that humans are the most important subject of study (she believes in humanism, not Christianity). n humanist .
|
| humanitarian | (noun) a person who works to lessen human suffering (humanitarians who go to the poor areas of the world to help the local people). Also adj.
|
| humanity | (noun) 1 all humankind. 2 kindness, feeling for others (he is cruel and totally lacking in humanity).
|
| humanize | (verb), also humanise (Br) 1 to civilize. 2 to make gentler, to make kind.
|
| humankind | (noun) all people as a race.
|
| humble | (adjective) thinking oneself unimportant, not proud, seeking no praise (too humble to see that she was being taken advantage ofhum-blee/.
|
| humdrum | (adjective) dull, ordinary, boring (lead a humdrum existence).
|
| humerus | (noun) the bone that extends from the shoulder to the elbow.
|
| humid | (adjective) moist, damp (a humid heat/humid weather).
|
| humidify | (verb) to make damp, to moisten.
|
| humidity | (noun) dampness, the amount of moisture in the air.
|
| humiliate | (verb) to embarrass, to lessen the importance or power of, to lower the dignity or pride of (humiliating her in front of the rest of the class by making her stand in the corner). n humiliation .
|
| humility | (noun) the state of being humble (people in lower positions in the firm were expected to behave with humility).
|
| hummingbird | (noun) a small, brightly colored bird whose wings make a humming sound when it is flying.
|
| hummus | (noun) a Middle Eastern dish made of mashed chickpeas and eaten as an appetizer.
|
| humor | (noun), also humour (Br) 1 any fluid or juice of an animal or plant. 2 a comical or amusing quality (a sense of humor/see the humor in the situation). 3 a state of mind, mood (in a good humor).
|
| humorist | (noun) a person who writes or talks amusingly (a humorist who has had several books published).
|
| humorous | (adjective) 1 funny, amusing (tell a humorous story). 2 having or displaying a sense of humor (a humorous person).
|
| hump | (noun) a rounded lump, especially on the back (camels have humps). adj humped , humpy .
|
| humpback | (noun) a person with a lump on his or her back.
|
| humph | (interjective) used to express doubt or disgust.
|
| humus | (noun) rotted leaves, etc, mixed into the earth (humus fertilizing the soil).
|
| hunch | (noun) 1 a rounded hump, especially on the back. 2 (inf) an intuitive feeling, a hint (I have a hunch that she is hiding something).
|
| hunchback | (noun) a person with a hunch on his or her back. adj hunchbacked .
|
| hundred | (noun) ten times ten; the number after 99. adj hundredth .
|
| hung | pt, pp of hang.
|
| hunger | (noun) 1 a strong desire for food (try to suppress his hunger until lunchtime). 2 lack of food (die of hunger). 3 any strong desire (a hunger for fame). vb 1 (old) to feel hunger. 2 to desire greatly (hunger for love).
|
| hungry | (adjective) 1 needing food, feeling or showing hunger (hungry children asking for food). 2 having a strong need or desire for (the orphaned children were very hungry for love).
|
| hunk | (noun) (inf) a large piece, a chunk (a hunk of cheese).
|
| hunker | (verb) to creep or settle down.
|
| hunt | (verb) 1 to chase wild animals to kill or capture them (hunting stags). 2 to look for (hunting for his other sock). 3 to follow so as to catch (police hunting the escaped prisoner). n 1 the act of hunting. 2 a group of people who meet to hunt wild animals.
|
| hunter | (noun) a person who hunts (f huntress ).
|
| huntsman | (noun) a man who hunts.
|
| hurdle | (noun) 1 a gate-like movable frame of wood or metal. 2 a wooden frame over which people or horses must jump in certain races (the horse refused to jump the last hurdle). 3 an obstruction or obstacle (their major hurdle is lack of money).
|
| hurl | (verb) to throw with force (hurling a brick through the window/hurl abuse).
|
| hurrah , hurray | (interjective) a cry of joy (the children shouted “Hurrah” when they were told they were going to visit to Disneyland).
|
| hurricane | (noun) a violent storm, a very strong wind (parts of America have again been flattened by a hurricane).
|
| hurried | (adjective) 1 done quickly, often too quickly; hasty (a hurried exit/a hurried reply).
|
| hurry | (verb) 1 to do or go quickly (she hurried as fast as she could to fetch her sick child from school). 2 to make to go quickly (the teacher hurried the children along). n haste, speed (everything had to be done in a hurry).
|
| hurt | (verb) (pt, pp hurt ) 1 to cause pain to, to wound, to injure (hurt his hand on broken glass). 2 to upset (hurt by his remarks). n (fml) 1 a wound, an injury. 2 harm.
|
| hurtful | (adjective) harmful (she was upset by her friend’s hurtful remarks).
|
| husband | (noun) a married man (husband and wife). vb to use or spend carefully (husband their resources).
|
| husbandry | (noun) 1 (old) farming. 2 (fml) careful spending.
|
| hush | (noun) silence, stillness (in the hush of the evening/a hush descended on the room). vb 1 to make silent (try to hush the children). 2 to become silent (ask the children to hush). hush up to prevent something becoming generally known (try to hush up the family scandal). interj quiet! silence!
|
| husk | (noun) the dry outer covering of a grain or seed, or of certain fruits.
|
| husky1 | (adjective) 1 hoarse, dry, and rough (a husky voice). 2 hefty, strong.
|
| husky2 | (noun) an Arctic sled dog.
|
| hut | (noun) a small, roughly built house; a wooden shed (a garden hut).
|
| hutch | (noun) a box-like cage, e.g. for rabbits.
|
| hyacinth | (noun) a bulb plant with bell-like flowers and a strong scent.
|
| Hyalophobia | fear of glass (see list of phobias) |
| hybrid | (noun) a plant or animal resulting from the mixing of two different kinds or species (a mule is a hybrid). adj bred from two different kinds. vb hybridize , also hybridise (Br).
|
| hydrant | (noun) a pipe from the main water pipe of a street from which water may be drawn directly (firemen attaching their hose to a hydrant).
|
| Hydrargyophobia | fear of mercurial medicines (see list of phobias) |
| hydraulic | (adjective) worked by the pressure of water or other liquid (hydraulic brakes).
|
| hydro- | prefix having to do with water.
|
| Hydrobiology | study of aquatic organisms (see list of branches of science) |
| Hydrodynamics | study of movement in liquids (see list of branches of science) |
| hydroelectric | (adjective) having to do with electricity obtained by water power.
|
| hydrogen | (noun) an invisible gas with no color or smell that with oxygen forms water.
|
| hydrogen bomb | (noun) an extremely destructive nuclear bomb.
|
| Hydrogeology | study of ground water (see list of branches of science) |
| Hydrography | study of investigating bodies of water (see list of branches of science) |
| Hydrokinetics | study of motion of fluids (see list of branches of science) |
| Hydrology | study of water resources (see list of branches of science) |
| Hydrometeorology | study of atmospheric moisture (see list of branches of science) |
| Hydropathy | study of treating diseases with water (see list of branches of science) |
| Hydrophobia | fear of water (see list of phobias) |
| Hydrophobophobia | fear of rabies (see list of phobias) |
| hydroplane | (noun) 1 an attachment of an airplane that enables it to glide along the water. 2 a speedboat that skims the surface of the water. Also vb.
|
| Hydrostatics | study of fluids behaviour at rest (see list of branches of science) |
| Hyelophobia | fear of glass (see list of phobias) |
| hyena | (noun) a dog-like animal that eats dead flesh (hyenas make a sound like a human laughing).
|
| Hyetology | study of rainfall (see list of branches of science) |
| Hygiastics | study of health and hygiene (see list of branches of science) |
| hygiene | (noun) 1 the study of clean and healthy living. 2 clean and healthy living.
|
| hygienic | (adjective) having to do with hygiene; clean (a kitchen that was not hygienic).
|
| Hygienics | study of sanitation; health (see list of branches of science) |
| Hygiology | study of cleanliness (see list of branches of science) |
| Hygrometry | study of humidity (see list of branches of science) |
| Hygrophobia | fear of liquids, dampness, or moisture (see list of phobias) |
| Hygroscopy | study of humidity (see list of branches of science) |
| Hylephobia | fear of materialism or the fear of epilepsy (see list of phobias) |
| Hylophobia | fear of forests (see list of phobias) |
| hymn | (noun) a song of praise, especially to God.
|
| hymnal, hymnary , | (noun) a book of hymns.
|
| Hymnography | study of writing hymns (see list of branches of science) |
| Hymnology | study of hymns (see list of branches of science) |
| hype | (verb) to promote in an extravagant way. n such promotion.
|
| Hypegiaphobia | fear of responsibility (see list of phobias) |
| Hypengyophobia | fear of responsibility (see list of phobias) |
| hyperactive | (adjective) too active and unable to sit still for very long (a hyperactive child).
|
| hyperbole | (noun) a figure of speech by which a statement is exaggerated in a striking way (“he is as strong as an ox” is a hyperbole). adj hyperbolic .
|
| hypertension | (noun) very high blood pressure.
|
| hyphen | (noun) a short dash (-) between syllables or between words joined to express a single idea.
|
| Hypnology | study of sleep; study of hypnosis (see list of branches of science) |
| Hypnophobia | fear of sleep or of being hypnotized (see list of phobias) |
| hypnosis | (noun) a sleep-like state in which the person who induced the hypnosis has a certain amount of control over the sleeper’s actions (she wondered if hypnosis could cure her addiction to smoking).
|
| hypnotic | (adjective) producing a hypnotic state (the ticking of the clock was very hypnotic).
|
| hypnotism | (noun) the art of producing hypnosis.
|
| hypnotist | (noun) a person who has the power to hypnotize others.
|
| hypnotize | (verb), also hypnotise (Br) to will a person into a sleep-like state and to then control the sleeper’s actions.
|
| hypochondria | (noun) a condition in which someone is overanxious about their health, constantly believing that he or she is ill when he or she is not (she is physically healthy but she’s a hypochondriac). n hypochondriac a person who suffers from hypochondria.
|
| hypocrisy | (noun) the pretence of being good or of having beliefs or feelings that one does not have (it was hypocrisy for him to tell me to clean my room because his is messier than mine).
|
| hypocrite | (noun) a person who pretends to be good but is not so; a person who says one thing and does another.
|
| hypocritical | (adjective) not sincere, false.
|
| hypotenuse | (noun) the side opposite the right angle of a triangle, the longest side of a right triangle.
|
| hypothermia | (noun) a serious medical condition in which the body temperature is much lower than normal because of prolonged exposure to cold.
|
| hypothesis | (noun) an idea accepted as true for the basis of an argument, something supposed true but not proved so. adj hypothetical .
|
| Hypsiphobia | fear of height (see list of phobias) |
| Hypsography | study of measuring heights (see list of branches of science) |
| hysterectomy | (noun) the surgical removal of all or part of the uterus.
|
| hysteria | (noun) 1 a disorder of the nerves, causing a person to laugh or cry violently, have imaginary illnesses, etc (she suffers from bouts of hysteria). 2 lack of control, uncontrolled excitement (the mass hysteria of the crowd when the president was killed).
|
| hysterical | (adjective) 1 suffering from hysteria. 2 caused by hysteria (a hysterical illness). 3 (inf) very funny (a hysterical sight).
|
| hysterics | (noun) 1 a fit of hysteria (she went into hysterics when she heard of his death). 2 (inf) an uncontrollable fit of laughter (the audience were in hysterics at the comic’s jokes)
|
| |
|
|
|
