■ noun
1》 the upper part of the human body, or the front or upper part of the body of an animal, typically separated from the rest of the body by a neck, and containing the brain, mouth, and sense organs.
↘( ~s ) the side of a coin bearing the image of a ~ (used when tossing a coin to determine a winner).
2》 the front, forward, or upper part or end of something.
↘the source of a river or stream.
↘the end of a lake or inlet at which a river enters.
↘[usu. in place names ] a promontory: Beachy Head.
↘the top of a ship's mast.
↘the bows of a ship.
↘the foam on top of a glass of beer.
3》 the cutting or operational end of a tool or mechanism.
↘the flattened or knobbed end of a nail, pin, screw, or match.
4》 a person in charge; a director or leader.
5》 a compact mass of leaves or flowers at the top of a stem, especially a capitulum.
↘the edible leafy part at the top of the stem of vegetables such as cabbage and lettuce.
↘one saleable unit of certain vegetables such as cabbage or celery.
6》 a person considered as a numerical unit: they paid fifty pounds a ~.
↘[treated as plural ] a number of cattle or game as specified: seventy ~ of dairy cattle.
7》 a component in an audio, video, or information system by which information is transferred from an electrical signal to the recording medium, or vice versa.
↘the part of a record player that holds the playing cartridge and stylus.
8》 a body of water kept at a particular height in order to provide a supply at sufficient pressure: an 8 m ~ of water in the shafts.
↘the pressure exerted by such water.
9》 Grammar the word that governs all the other words in a phrase in which it is used.
10》 nautical slang a toilet on a boat.
11》 the antlers of a deer.
12》 Geology a superficial deposit of rock fragments, formed at the edge of an ice sheet by repeated freezing and thawing and then moved downhill.
■ adjective chief; principal.
■ verb
1》 be or act as the ~ of.
2》 give a title or ~ing to.
3》 (also be ~ed ) move in a specified direction: he was ~ing for the exit.
4》 ( ~ someone/thing off ) intercept and turn aside someone or something; forestall.
5》 Soccer shoot or pass (the ball) with the ~.
6》 lop off the upper part or branches of (a plant or tree).
7》 (of a lettuce or cabbage) form a ~.
8》 ( ~ up ) Sailing steer towards the wind.
Phrases
be banging one's ~ against a brick wall be doggedly attempting the impossible.
bang (or knock ) people's ~s together reprimand people in an attempt to stop them arguing.
be hanging over someone's ~ threaten to affect someone at any moment.
be on someone's ( own ) ~ be someone's sole responsibility.
by the ~ Nautical (of a boat or ship) deeper in the water forward than astern.
come to a ~ reach a crisis.
do someone's ~ in Brit. informal cause someone to feel annoyed, confused, or frustrated.
get one's ~ down Brit. informal
1》 sleep.
2》 concentrate on the task in hand.
get one's ~ round (or around ) informal understand or come to terms with.
give someone his (or her ) ~ allow someone complete freedom of action.
give someone ~ vulgar slang perform oral sex on someone.
go to someone's ~
1》 (of alcohol) make someone slightly drunk.
2》 (of success) make someone conceited.
~ first
1》 with the ~ in front of the rest of the body.
2》 without sufficient forethought.
a ~ for an aptitude for or tolerance of: he's never had a ~ for heights.
—— one's ~ off informal talk, laugh, shout, etc. unrestrainedly: he was yelling his ~ off.
~ over heels
1》 turning over completely in forward motion, as in a somersault.
2》 madly in love.
a ~ start an advantage granted or gained at the beginning.
~s will roll people will be dismissed or forced to resign.
in one's ~ by mental process without use of physical aids.
keep one's ~ remain calm.
keep one's ~ above water avoid succumbing to difficulties.
lose one's ~ lose self-control.
make ~ or tail of [usu. with negative ] understand at all.
off (or out of ) one's ~ Brit. informal mad.
off the top of one's ~ without careful thought or investigation.
over someone's ~
1》 (also above someone's ~ ) beyond someone's ability to understand.
2》 without consultation or involvement.
put their (or our or your ) ~s together consult and work together.
stand (or turn ) something on its ~ completely reverse an idea or argument.
turn someone's ~ make someone conceited.
turn ~s attract a great deal of attention.
Derivatives
-~ed adjective
~less adjective
~ward adjective & adverb
~wards adverb
Origin
OE hēafod , of Gmc origin.