I. (|)hau̇ adverb
Etymology: Middle English hou, how, adv & conjunction, from Old English hū; akin to Old Frisian hū, hō how, Old Saxon hū, hwō, Old High German hwuo how, Old English hwā who — more at who
1.
a. : in what manner or way
how explain behavior so contrary to the principles of good authorship — G.M.Fess
the continuing problems of … how to say what we mean — Stuart Chase
learn how to enter a room properly
tell him how to do it
— often used as an intensive
how they laughed
b. : by what means or process
at his wit's end regarding how to support himself — C.S.Forester
question of how to increase the benefits under the … Retirement System — W.J.Kennedy
c. obsolete : somehow , anyhow
by ransom or how else — John Milton
2.
a. : to what extent, degree, number, or amount
how little we know of human motives
how far can he be trusted
b. : by what measure or quantity
concerned with how much to eat
decided how deep to cut
how hard do you plan to make it
3.
a. : in what state, condition, or plight
how are things at home
how are you
how are you off for money
b. : at what price
how is the market today
4.
a. : for what reason or excuse
in the face of his own knowledge, how can he make such a statement — Weston LaBarre
: for what possible or plausible reason
how could he have said that
— often used with ever
how can I ever leave you
b. : from what cause : why
how did you come to sell your house
5.
a. archaic : by what name or designation
how art thou called — Shakespeare
b. : with what meaning : to what effect
how are we to interpret such behavior
6.
a. : what in that case : what then
how if, when I am laid into the tomb, I awake before the time — Shakespeare
how if I had denounced you when you forced your way in there — Max Peacock
b. : what — used to introduce or imply a question
how about the other one, do you want it too
how say you, maiden, will you wed — W.S.Gilbert
or in requests to repeat what has not been understood
how is that again
c. dialect : what did you say
7. — used to express surprise or admiration
how do you like that
•
- and how
- how about
- how come
- how do you do
- how so
II. conjunction
Etymology: Middle English hou, how
1.
a.
(1) : the way or manner in which
it was odd how writers never seemed to have anything to do except write — Martha Gellhorn
also : the state or condition in which
(2) : to what degree or extent
knows how small the town is
(3) : of the way or manner in which
be careful how you talk
b. : that
told them how he had a situation — Charles Dickens
2. : in whatever way or manner : as
a reader can shift his attention how he likes — William Empson
III. ˈhau̇ noun
( -s )
Etymology: how (I)
1. : the manner or method in which something is done or comes about
most of the film is devoted to the grim hows and not the difficult whys of battle — John McCarten
2. : a question concerning manner or method
the eternal whys and hows of small children — Jeanne Massey
IV. ˈhü noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English houwe, how, from Old English hūfe — more at cyphella
1. Scotland : coif , hood ; especially : nightcap
2. Scotland : an infant's caul
V. ˈhau̇ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse haugr hill; akin to Old High German houg hill, Old Norse hār high — more at high
now dialect England : a low hill : mound , hillock — used chiefly in place names
VI. interjection
Etymology: Middle English
1. now chiefly dialect — used to attract attention or express greeting
how now, my masters!
or to urge on (as a sheep dog)
how sheep!
2. chiefly Scotland — used to express pain or grief
VII. ˈhəu̇
variant of howe
VIII. ˈhau̇ interjection
Etymology: of Siouan origin; akin to Dakota háo, Omaha hau
— used as a greeting especially in imitation of American Indian speech
IX.
Usage: usually capitalized
— a communications code word for the letter h
X. abbreviation
howitzer