/ hɔːn; NAmE hɔːrn/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a hard pointed part that grows, usually in pairs, on the heads of some animals, such as sheep and cows. Horns are often curved.
—picture at goat
2.
[ U ] the hard substance of which animal horns are made
3.
[ C ] a simple musical instrument that consists of a curved metal tube that you blow into :
a hunting horn
4.
[ C ] ( especially BrE ) = French horn :
a horn concerto
5.
[ C ] a device in a vehicle for making a loud sound as a warning or signal :
to honk your car horn
( BrE )
to sound / toot your horn
—see also foghorn —picture at car
•
IDIOMS
- blow / toot your own horn
- draw / pull your horns in
- on the horns of a dilemma
—more at bull , lock verb
■ verb
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- horn in (on sb/sth)
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoorn and German Horn , from an Indo-European root shared by Latin cornu and Greek keras .