HEAD


Meaning of HEAD in English

I. ˈhed noun

Etymology: Middle English hed, from Old English hēafod; akin to Old High German houbit head, Latin caput

Date: before 12th century

1. : the upper or anterior division of the animal body that contains the brain, the chief sense organs, and the mouth

2.

a. : the seat of the intellect : mind

two head s are better than one

b. : a person with respect to mental qualities

let wiser head s prevail

c. : natural aptitude or talent

a good head for figures

d. : mental or emotional control : poise

a level head

e. : headache

3. : the obverse of a coin — usually used in plural

head s, I win

4.

a. : person , individual

count head s

b. plural head : one of a number (as of domestic animals)

5.

a. : the end that is upper or higher or opposite the foot

the head of the table

head of a sail

b. : the source of a stream

c. : either end of something (as a drum) whose two ends need not be distinguished

6. : director , leader : as

a. : headmaster

b. : one in charge of a division or department in an office or institution

the head of the English department

7.

a. : capitulum 2

b. : the foliaged part of a plant especially when consisting of a compact mass of leaves or close fructification

a head of lettuce

8.

a. : the leading element of a military column or a procession

b. : headway

9.

a. : the uppermost extremity or projecting part of an object : top

b. : the striking part of a weapon, tool, or implement

c. : the rounded proximal end of a long bone (as the humerus)

d. : the end of a muscle nearest the origin

e. : the oval part of a printed musical note

10.

a. : a body of water kept in reserve at a height ; also : the containing bank, dam, or wall

b. : a mass of water in motion

11.

a. : the difference in elevation between two points in a body of fluid

b. : the resulting pressure of the fluid at the lower point expressible as this height ; broadly : pressure of a fluid

12.

a. : the bow and adjacent parts of a ship

b. : a ship's toilet ; broadly : toilet 3

13. : the approximate length of the head of a horse

won by a head

14. : the place of leadership, honor, or command

at the head of her class

15.

a.

(1) : a word or series of words often in larger letters placed at the beginning of a passage or at the top of a page in order to introduce or categorize

(2) : a separate part or topic

b. : a portion of a page or sheet that is above the first line of printing

16. : the foam or scum that rises on a fermenting or effervescing liquid (as beer)

17.

a. : the part of a boil, pimple, or abscess at which it is likely to break

b. : culminating point of action : crisis

events came to a head

18.

a. : a part or attachment of a machine or machine tool containing a device (as a cutter or drill) ; also : the part of an apparatus that performs the chief function or a particular function

b. : an electromagnet used as a transducer in magnetic recording for recording on, reading, or erasing a magnetic medium (as tape or a disk)

19. : an immediate constituent of a construction that can have the same grammatical function as the whole (as man in “an old man”, “a very old man”, or “the man in the street”)

20.

a. : one who uses a drug — often used in combination

pot head

b. : a devoted enthusiast : aficionado — often used in combination

computer head

21. often vulgar : fellatio , cunnilingus — usually used with give

- by the head

- off one's head

- out of one's head

- over one's head

II. adjective

Date: before 12th century

1. : of, relating to, or intended for the head

2. : principal , chief

head cook

3. : situated at the head

4. : coming from in front

head sea

III. verb

Date: 14th century

transitive verb

1. : behead

2.

a. : to put a head on : fit a head to

head an arrow

b. : to form the head or top of

tower head ed by a spire

3. : to act as leader or head to

head a revolt

4.

a. : to get in front of so as to hinder, stop, or turn back

b. : to take a lead over (as a racehorse) : surpass

c. : to pass (a stream) by going round above the source

5.

a. : to put something at the head of (as a list)

b. : to stand as the first or leading member of

head s the list of heroes

6. : to set the course of

head a ship northward

7. : to drive (as a soccer ball) with the head

intransitive verb

1. : to form a head

this cabbage head s early

2. : to point or proceed in a certain direction

the fleet was head ing out

3. : to have a source : originate

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.