[head] n [ME hed, fr. OE heafod; akin to OHG houbit head, L caput] (bef. 12c) 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 ~s are better than one" b: a person with respect to mental qualities "let wiser ~s prevail" c: natural aptitude or talent "a good ~ for figures" d: mental or emotional control: poise "a level ~" e: headache
3: the obverse of a coin--usu. used in pl. "~s, I win"
4. a: person, individual "count ~s" b pl head : one of a number (as of domestic animals)
5. a: the end that is upper or higher or opposite the foot "the ~ of the table" "~ 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 ~ of the English department"
7. a: capitulum
2. b: the foliaged part of a plant esp. when consisting of a compact mass of leaves or close fructification
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--compare 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 13: the approximate length of the head of a horse "won by a ~" 14: the place of leadership, honor, or command "at the ~ 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 ~" 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) 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 b: devotee "chili ~s" 21: fellatio, cunnilingus--usu. used with give : drawing the greater depth of water forward -- off one's head : crazy, distracted -- out of one's head : delirious -- over one's head 1: beyond one's comprehension or competence "the most awful intellectual detail, all of it over my head --E. B. White"
2: so as to pass over one's superior standing or authority "went over my head to complain"
[2]head adj (bef. 12c) 1: of, relating to, or intended for the head
2: principal, chief "~ cook"
3: situated at the head
4: coming from in front "~ sea" [3]head vt (14c) 1: behead
2. a: to put a head on: fit a head to "~ an arrow" b: to form the head or top of "tower ~ed by a spire"
3: to act as leader or head to "~ 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 "~s the list of heroes"
6: to set the course of "~ a ship northward" 7: to drive (as a soccer ball) with the head ~ vi 1: to form a head "this cabbage ~s early"
2: to point or proceed in a certain direction "the fleet was ~ing out"
3: to have a source: originate