hi ['hī(-ē)] -interj

  1. used esp. as a greeting

HI -abbr

  1. Hawaii
  2. high intensity
  3. humidity index

hi·a·tal [hī-'ā-tᵊl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or involving a hiatus

hiatal hernia -n

  1. protrusion of part of the stomach upward into the chest cavity through the passage in the diaphragm for the esophagus usu. with movement of the opening of the esophagus into the stomach to a position above the diaphragm called also hiatus hernia

hi·a·tus [hī-'ā-təs] -n

  1. a break in or as if in a material object : gap
    • the hiatus between the theory and the practice of the party -- J. G. Colton
  2. a gap or passage in an anatomical part or organ
  3. an interruption in time or continuity : break
  4. a period when something (as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted
    • after a 5-year hiatus from writing
  5. the occurrence of two vowel sounds without pause or intervening consonantal sound

Hi·a·wa·tha [,hī-ə-'wȯ-thə, ,hē-ə-, -'wä-] -n

  1. the Indian hero of Longfellow's poem The Song of Hiawatha

Hib ['hib] -n

  1. a bacterial serotype ( Haemophilus influenzaetype B) that causes bacterial meningitis and pneumonia esp. in children
    • Hib disease
    • Hib vaccine

hi·ba·chi [hi-'bä-chē] -n

  1. a charcoal brazier

hi·ber·nac·u·lum [,hī-bər-'na-kyə-ləm] -n

  1. a shelter occupied during the winter by a dormant animal (as an insect or reptile)

hi·ber·nal [hī-'bər-nᵊl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or occurring in winter

hi·ber·nate ['hī-bər-,nāt] -vi, n

  1. to pass the winter in a torpid or resting state
  2. to be or become inactive or dormant

Hi·ber·ni·an [hī-'bər-nē-ən] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Ireland or the Irish

Hibernian -n

  1. a native or inhabitant of Ireland

Hi·ber·no- -comb form

  1. Irish and
    • Hiberno- British
  2. Irish
    • Hiberno- English

HibernoEnglish -n

  1. the English language spoken in Ireland

hi·bis·cus [hī-'bis-kəs, hə-] -n

  1. any of a large genus ( Hibiscus) of herbs, shrubs, or small trees of the mallow family with large showy flowers and usu. dentate leaves

hic·cup ['hi-(,)kəp] -n

  1. a spasmodic inhalation with closure of the glottis accompanied by a peculiar sound
  2. an attack of hiccuping usu. used in pl. but sing. or pl. in constr.
  3. a slight irregularity, error, or malfunction
    • a few hiccup s in the computer system
  4. a usu. minor and short-lived interruption or disruption, or change
    • a hiccup in the stock market

hiccup -vi

  1. to make a hiccup
  2. to be affected with hiccups

hic ja·cet ['hik-'jā-sət, 'hēk-'yä-kət] -n

  1. epitaph

hick ['hik] -n, adj

  1. an unsophisticated provincial person
  2. unsophisticated, provincial
    • a hick town

hick·ey ['hi-kē] -n

  1. gadget

hickey -n

  1. pimple
  2. a temporary red mark or bruise on the skin (as one produced by biting and sucking)
  3. a small imperfection in printing

hick·o·ry ['hi-k(ə-)rē] -n, adj

  1. any of a genus ( Carya) of No. American hardwood trees of the walnut family that often have sweet edible nuts
  2. the usu. tough wood of a hickory
  3. a switch or cane (as of hickory wood) used esp. for punishing a child

hid -adj

  1. hidden

hi·dal·go [hi-'dal-(,)gō, ē-'thäl-] -n

  1. a member of the lower nobility of Spain

Hi·dat·sa [hi-'dät-sə] -n

  1. a member of an American Indian people of the Missouri River valley in No. Dakota
  2. the Siouan language of the Hidatsa

hidden [-nəs] -adj, n

  1. being out of sight or not readily apparent : concealed
  2. obscure, unexplained, undisclosed

hidden agenda -n

  1. an ulterior motive

hid·den·ite ['hi-də-,nīt] -n

  1. a transparent usu. green spodumene valued as a gem

hidden tax -n

  1. a tax that is ultimately paid by someone other than the person on whom it is levied
  2. an economic inequity that reduces one's real income or buying power

hide ['hīd] -n

  1. any of various old English units of land area
  2. a unit of 120 acres
  3. to put out of sight : secrete
  4. to conceal for shelter or protection : shield
  5. to keep secret
    • hide the truth
  6. to screen from or as if from view : obscure
  7. to turn (the eyes or face) away in shame or anger
  8. to remain out of sight often used with out
  9. to seek protection or evade responsibility
  10. blind
  11. the skin of an animal whether raw or dressed used esp. of large heavy skins
  12. the life or physical well-being of a person
    • betrayed his friend to save his own hide
  13. to give a beating to : flog

hideandseek [,hīd-ᵊn-'sēk] -n

  1. a children's game in which one player does not look while others hide and then goes to find them

hide·away ['hīd-ə-,wā] -n

  1. retreat, hideout

hide·bound ['hīd-,bau̇nd] -adj

  1. having a dry skin lacking in pliancy and adhering closely to the underlying flesh
  2. having an inflexible or ultraconservative character

hid·eous ['hi-dē-əs] -adj, n, adv

  1. offensive to the senses and esp. to sight : exceedingly ugly
  2. morally offensive : shocking

hide·out ['hīd-,au̇t] -n

  1. a place of refuge, retreat, or concealment

hid·eyhole ['hī-dē-,hōl] -n

  1. hideaway

hie ['hī] -vb

  1. to go quickly : hasten
  2. to cause (oneself) to go quickly

hi·er·arch ['hī-(ə-),rärk] -n, adj

  1. a religious leader in a position of authority
  2. a person high in a hierarchy

hi·er·ar·chi·cal [,hī-(ə-)'rär-ki-kəl also hir-'är-] -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy

hi·er·ar·chize ['hī-(ə-),rär-,kīz] -vt, n

  1. to arrange in a hierarchy

hi·er·ar·chy ['hī-(ə-),rär-kē also 'hi(-ə)r-,är-] -n

  1. a division of angels
  2. a ruling body of clergy organized into orders or ranks each subordinate to the one above it
  3. the bishops of a province or nation
  4. church government by a hierarchy
  5. a body of persons in authority
  6. the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing
  7. the group so classified
  8. a graded or ranked series
    • a hierarchy of values

hi·er·at·ic [,hī-(ə-)'ra-tik] -adj, adv

  1. constituting or belonging to a cursive form of ancient Egyptian writing simpler than the hieroglyphic
  2. sacerdotal
  3. highly stylized or formal
    • hieratic poses

hi·ero·dule ['hī-(ə-)rō-,dül, hī-'er-ə-, -,dyül] -n

  1. a slave or prostitute in the service of a temple (as in ancient Greece)

hi·ero·glyph ['hī-(ə-)rə-,glif] -n

  1. a character used in a system of hieroglyphic writing
  2. something that resembles a hieroglyph

hi·ero·glyph·ic [,hī-(ə-)rə-'gli-fik] -adj, adv

  1. written in, constituting, or belonging to a system of writing mainly in pictorial characters
  2. inscribed with hieroglyphic
  3. resembling hieroglyphic in difficulty of decipherment

hieroglyphic -n

  1. hieroglyph
  2. a system of hieroglyphic writing
  3. the picture script of the ancient Egyptian priesthood often used in pl. but sing. or pl. in constr.
  4. something that resembles a hieroglyph esp. in difficulty of decipherment

hi·ero·phant ['hī-(ə-)rə-,fant, hī-'er-ə-fənt] -n, adj

  1. a priest in ancient Greece
  2. the chief priest of the Eleusinian mysteries
  3. expositor
  4. advocate

hifalutin [,hī-fə-'lü-tᵊn] -adj

(variant of highfalutin)

  1. pretentious, fancy
  2. expressed in or marked by the use of high-flown bombastic language : pompous

hifi ['hī-'fī] -n

  1. high fidelity
  2. equipment for reproduction of sound with high fidelity

hig·gle ['hi-gəl] -vi, n

  1. haggle

hig·gle·dypig·gle·dy [,hi-gəl-dē-'pi-gəl-dē] -adv, adj

  1. in a confused, disordered, or random manner
    • tiny hovels piled higgledypiggledy against each other -- Edward Behr

Higgs boson ['higz-] -n

  1. a hypothetical elementary particle that has zero spin and large mass and that is required by some gauge theories to account for the masses of other elementary particles

Higgs field -n

  1. a hypothetical physical field that endows elementary particles with mass and that is mediated by the Higgs boson

high ['hī] -adj

  1. having large extension upward : taller than average, usual, or expected
    • a high wall
  2. having a specified elevation : tall
    • six feet high
    often used in combinations
    • sky- high
    • waist- high
  3. situated or passing above the normal level, surface, base of measurement, or elevation
    • the high desert
  4. advanced toward the acme or culmination
    • high summer
  5. advanced toward the most active or culminating period
    • on the Riviera during high season
  6. constituting the late, most fully developed, or most creative stage or period
    • high Gothic
  7. advanced in complexity, development, or elaboration
    • the high er primates including humans
    • high er mathematics
  8. verging on lateness usu. used in the phrase high time
  9. long past : remote
    • high antiquity
  10. elevated in pitch
    • a high note
  11. relatively far from the equator
    • high latitude
  12. rich in quality : luxurious
    • high living
  13. slightly tainted
    • high game
  14. malodorous
    • smelled rather high
  15. exalted in character : noble
    • high purposes
  16. of greater degree, amount, cost, value, or content than average, usual, or expected
    • high prices
  17. : of relatively great importance: as
  18. foremost in rank, dignity, or standing
    • high officials
  19. serious, grave
    • high crimes
  20. observed with the utmost solemnity
    • high religious observances
  21. critical, climactic
    • the high point of the novel
  22. intellectually or artistically of the first order
    • high culture
  23. marked by sublime, heroic, or stirring events or subject matter
    • high tragedy
    • high adventure
  24. forcible, strong
    • high winds
  25. stressing matters of doctrine and ceremony
  26. high church
  27. filled with or expressing great joy or excitement
    • high spirits
  28. intoxicated
  29. excited or stupefied by or as if by a drug
  30. articulated with some part of the tongue close to the palate
    • a high vowel
  31. at or to a high place, altitude, level, or degree
    • climbed high er
    • passions ran high
  32. well, luxuriously often used in the phrases high off the hog and high on the hog
  33. : an elevated place or region: as
  34. hill, knoll
  35. the space overhead : sky usu. used with on
  36. heaven usu. used with on
  37. a region of high barometric pressure called also anticyclone
  38. a high point or level : height
    • sales reached a new high
  39. the transmission gear of a vehicle (as an automobile) giving the highest speed of travel
  40. an excited, euphoric, or stupefied state produced by or as if by a drug
  41. a state of elation or high spirits

high altar -n

  1. the principal altar in a church

high analysis -adj

  1. containing more than 20 percent of total plant nutrients

high and dry -adj

  1. being out of reach of the current or tide or out of the water
  2. being in a helpless or abandoned position

high and low -adv

  1. everywhere

highandmighty -adj

  1. arrogant, imperious

high·ball ['hī-,bȯl] -n

  1. an iced drink containing liquor (as whiskey) and water or a carbonated beverage (as ginger ale) and served in a tall glass
  2. a railroad signal for a train to proceed at full speed

highball -vi

  1. to go at full or high speed
    • a highball ing express train

high beam -n

  1. a vehicle headlight beam with a long-range focus

high·bind·er ['hī-,bīn-dər] -n

  1. a professional killer operating in the Chinese quarter of an American city
  2. a corrupt politician

high blood pressure -n

  1. abnormally elevated blood pressure esp. of the arteries
  2. hypertension

high·born ['hī-'bȯrn] -adj

  1. of noble birth

high·boy [-,bȯi] -n

  1. a tall chest of drawers with a legged base

high·bred [-'bred] -adj

  1. coming from superior stock

high·brow [-,brau̇] -n, adj

  1. a person who possesses or has pretensions to superior learning or culture

high·bush [-'bu̇sh] -adj

  1. forming a notably tall or erect bush
  2. borne on a highbush plant

highbush blueberry -n

  1. a variable moisture-loving No. American shrub ( Vaccinium corymbosum) that is the source of most cultivated blueberries
  2. its fruit

highbush cranberry -n

  1. a shrubby or arborescent viburnum ( Viburnum opulus) of No. America and Europe with prominently 3-lobed leaves and red fruit called also cranberry bush

high chair -n

  1. a child's chair with long legs, a footrest, and usu. a feeding tray

High Church -adj

  1. favoring esp. in Anglican worship the sacerdotal, liturgical, ceremonial, and traditional elements in worship

High Churchman -n

  1. an Anglican who adheres to High Church elements in worship

highclass ['hī-'klas] -adj

  1. of superior quality or status

high comedy -n

  1. comedy employing subtle characterizations and witty dialogue

high command -n

  1. the supreme headquarters of a military force
  2. the highest leaders in an organization

high commissioner -n

  1. a principal or a high-ranking commissioner
  2. an ambassadorial representative of the government of one country stationed in another

highcon·cept ['hī-'kän-,sept] -adj

  1. having or exploiting elements (as fast action, glamour, or suspense) that appeal to a wide audience
    • highconcept movies

highcount ['hī-'kau̇nt] -adj

  1. having a large number of warp and weft yarns to the square inch
    • highcount percale sheeting

high court -n

  1. supreme court

highdefinition -adj

  1. being or relating to an often digital television system that has twice as many scan lines per frame as a conventional system, a proportionally sharper image, and a wide-screen format

highdensity lipoprotein -n

  1. hdl

highend ['hī-'end] -adj

  1. upscale
    • highend boutiques
  2. of superior quality or sophistication and usu. high in price
    • highend cameras

highenergy -adj

  1. having such speed and kinetic energy as to exhibit relativistic departure from classical laws of motion used esp. of elementary particles whose velocity has been imparted by an accelerator
  2. of or relating to high-energy particles
  3. yielding a relatively large amount of energy when undergoing hydrolysis

highenergy physics -n

  1. particle physics

higher criticism -n

  1. study of biblical writings to determine their literary history and the purpose and meaning of the authors

higher education -n

  1. education beyond the secondary level
  2. education provided by a college or university

higher law -n

  1. a principle of divine or moral law that is considered to be superior to constitutions and enacted legislation

higher learning -n

  1. education, learning, or scholarship on the collegiate or university level

high·erup [,hī-ər-'əp, 'hī-ər-,] -n

  1. a superior officer or official

high explosive -n

  1. an explosive (as TNT) that generates gas with extreme rapidity and has a shattering effect

high·fa·lu·tin [,hī-fə-'lü-tᵊn] -adj

  1. pretentious, fancy
  2. expressed in or marked by the use of high-flown bombastic language : pompous

high fashion -n

  1. high style
  2. haute couture

high fidelity -n, adj

  1. the reproduction of an effect (as sound or an image) that is very faithful to the original

high five -n, vb

  1. a slapping of upraised right hands by two people (as in celebration)

high·fli·er ['hī-'flī(-ə)r] -n

  1. a stock whose price rises much more rapidly than the market average
  2. a company whose stock is a highflier
  3. an ambitiously competitive person with high aspirations

highflown ['hī-'flōn] -adj

  1. exceedingly or excessively high or favorable
  2. having an excessively embellished or inflated character : pretentious
    • highflown language

highfly·ing [-'flī-iŋ] -adj

  1. marked by extravagance, pretension, or excessive ambition
  2. rising to considerable height

high frequency -n

  1. a radio frequency between very high frequency and medium frequency

high gear -n

  1. high
  2. a state of intense or maximum activity usu. used with into or in
    • a project in high gear

High German -n

  1. German as natively used in southern and central Germany
  2. german

highgrade ['hī-'grād] -adj

  1. of superior grade or quality
    • highgrade bonds
  2. being near the upper or most favorable extreme of a specified range
  3. medically serious or life-threatening
    • a highgrade tumor

highgrad·ing ['hī-'grā-diŋ] -n

  1. the practice of selecting only the most healthy or valuable individuals in harvesting a natural resource (as timber or fish)

high ground -n

  1. a position of advantage or superiority
  2. an ethically superior position
    • took the moral high ground during the debate

highhand·ed [-'han-dəd] -adj, adv, n

  1. having or showing no regard for the rights, concerns, or feelings of others : arbitrary, overbearing

highhat ['hī-'hat] -adj, vt

  1. snooty, snobbish

high hat -n

  1. beaver
  2. a pair of cymbals operated by a foot pedal

high heels -n pl

  1. shoes with high heels

High Holiday -n

  1. : either of two important Jewish holidays:
  2. rosh hashanah
  3. yom kippur

high horse -n

  1. an arrogant and unyielding mood or attitude

highjack ['hī-,jak] -vt, n

(variant of hijack)

  1. to steal by stopping a vehicle on the highway
  2. to commandeer (a flying airplane) esp. by coercing the pilot at gunpoint
  3. to stop and steal from (a vehicle in transit)
  4. kidnap
  5. to steal or rob as if by hijacking
  6. to subject to extortion or swindling

high jinks ['hī-,jiŋks] -n pl

  1. boisterous or rambunctious carryings-on : carefree antics or horseplay

high jump -n, vt

  1. a jump for height over a horizontal bar in a track-and-field contest

high·land ['hī-lənd] -n

  1. elevated or mountainous land

highland -adj

  1. of or relating to a highland
  2. of or relating to the Highlands of Scotland

high·land·er [-lən-dər] -n

  1. an inhabitant of a highland
  2. an inhabitant of the Highlands of Scotland

Highland fling -n

  1. a lively Scottish folk dance

highlev·el ['hī-'le-vəl] -adj

  1. occurring, done, or placed at a high level
  2. being of high importance or rank
    • highlevel diplomats
  3. of, relating to, or being a computer programming language (as BASIC or Pascal) which is similar to a natural language (as English) and in which each statement is translated by a compiler usu. into several machine language instructions
  4. relating to or being nuclear waste that contains highly concentrated radioactive components which are environmentally hazardous

high·life ['hī-,līf] -n

  1. dance music of west African origin that combines syncopated African rhythms with elements of jazz

high·light ['hī-,līt] -n

  1. the lightest spot or area (as in a painting) : any of several spots in a modeled drawing or painting that receives the greatest amount of illumination
  2. something (as an event or detail) that is of major significance or special interest

highlight -vt

  1. to throw a strong light on
  2. to center attention on
  3. to constitute a highlight of
  4. to mark (text) with a highlighter
  5. to cause (as text or an icon) to be displayed in a way that stands out on a computer screen

high·light·er ['hī-,lī-tər] -n

  1. a pen with a broad felt tip and brightly colored transparent ink for marking selected passages in a text

highlowjack [,hī-,lō-'jak] -n

  1. an all-fours game in which scores are made by winning the highest trump, the lowest trump, the jack of trumps, and either the ten of trumps or the most points

high·ly ['hī-lē] -adv

  1. in or to a high place, level, or rank
  2. in or to a high degree or amount
  3. with approval : favorably

high mass -n

  1. a mass marked by the singing of prescribed parts by the celebrant and the choir or congregation

highmind·ed ['hī-'mīn-dəd] -adj, adv, n

  1. marked by elevated principles and feelings
  2. pretentious
    • too highminded to read any fiction -- Alfred Kazin

highmuckamuck [,hī-'mə-ki-,mək] -n

  1. muckety-muck

high·ness ['hī-nəs] -n

  1. the quality or state of being high
  2. used as a title for a person of exalted rank (as a king or prince)

high noon -n

  1. precisely noon
  2. the most advanced, flourishing, or creative stage or period
    • the high noon of her career
  3. the time of a decisive confrontation or contest

highoctane -adj

  1. having a high octane number and hence good antiknock properties
    • highoctane gasoline
  2. very powerful, strong, or effective
    • highoctane football
    • highoctane coffee

highpitched ['hī-'picht] -adj

  1. having a high pitch
    • a highpitched voice
  2. marked by or exhibiting strong feeling : agitated
    • a highpitched, almost frantic campaign -- Geoffrey Rice

high place -n

  1. a temple or altar used by the ancient Semites and built usu. on a hill or elevation

high polymer -n

  1. a substance (as polystyrene) consisting of molecules that are large multiples of units of low molecular weight

highpow·ered ['hī-'pau̇(-ə)rd] -adj

  1. having great drive, energy, or capacity : dynamic
    • a highpowered executive
  2. having or conferring great influence
    • a highpowered job

highpressure -adj

  1. having or involving a high or comparatively high pressure esp. greatly exceeding that of the atmosphere
  2. having a high barometric pressure
  3. using or involving aggressive and insistent sales techniques
  4. imposing or involving severe strain or tension
    • highpressure occupations
  5. to sell or influence by high-pressure tactics

high priest -n

  1. a chief priest esp. of the ancient Jewish Levitical priesthood traditionally traced from Aaron
  2. a priest of the Melchizedek priesthood in the Mormon Church
  3. the head of a movement or chief exponent of a doctrine or an art

high priestess -n

  1. a chief priestess

high relief -n

  1. sculptural relief in which at least half of the circumference of the modeled form projects

highrise ['hī-'rīz] -adj, n

  1. being multistory and equipped with elevators
    • highrise apartments
  2. of, relating to, or characterized by high-rise buildings

high road -n

  1. highway
  2. the easiest course
  3. an ethical course

high roller -n, adj

  1. a person who spends freely in luxurious living
  2. a person who gambles recklessly or for high stakes

high school [-'skü-lər] -n

  1. a school esp. in the U.S. usu. including grades 912 or 1012
  2. a system of advanced exercises in horsemanship

high sea -n

  1. the open part of a sea or ocean esp. outside territorial waters usu. used in pl.

high sign -n

  1. a gesture used as a signal (as of approval or warning) usu. used in the phrase give the high sign

highsound·ing ['hī-'sau̇n-diŋ] -adj

  1. pompous, imposing

highspeed ['hī-'spēd] -adj

  1. operated or adapted for operation at high speed
  2. relating to the production of short-exposure photographs of rapidly moving objects or events of short duration

highspir·it·ed [-'spir-ə-təd] -adj, adv, n

  1. characterized by a bold or energetic spirit

high·spot ['hī-,spät] -n

  1. highlight

highstick·ing [-,sti-kiŋ] -n

  1. the act of carrying the blade of the stick at an illegal height in ice hockey

high street -n

  1. a main or principal street

highstrung ['hī-'strəŋ] -adj

  1. having an extremely nervous or sensitive temperament

high style -n

  1. the newest style in fashion or design usu. adopted by a limited number of people

hight ['hīt] -adj

  1. being called : named

high table -n

  1. an elevated table in the dining room of a British college for use by the master and fellows and distinguished guests

high·tail ['hī-,tāl] -vi

  1. to move at full speed or rapidly often in making a retreat usu. used with it
    • hightail ed it out of there

high tea -n

  1. a fairly substantial late afternoon or early evening meal at which tea is served

high tech [-'tek] -n, adj

  1. high technology
  2. a style of interior design featuring industrial products, materials, or designs

high technology -n

  1. scientific technology involving the production or use of advanced or sophisticated devices esp. in the fields of electronics and computers

hightension -adj

  1. having or using a high voltage

hightest -adj

  1. meeting a high standard
  2. high-octane

hightick·et ['hī-'ti-kət] -adj

  1. expensive

high tide -n

  1. the tide when the water is at its greatest elevation
  2. culminating point : climax
    • the hide tide of the war effort

hightoned ['hī-'tōnd] -adj

  1. high in social, moral, or intellectual quality
  2. pretentious, pompous

hightop ['hī-,täp] -adj, n pl

  1. extending up over the ankle
    • hightop sneakers

high treason -n

  1. treason

highvolt·age ['hī-'vōl-tij] -adj

  1. marked by great energy : electric, dynamic
    • a highvoltage performance

highwater -adj

  1. unusually short
    • highwater pants

high water -n

  1. a high stage of the water in a river or lake
  2. high tide

highwater mark -n

  1. highest point : peak

high·way ['hī-,wā] -n

  1. a public way
  2. a main direct road

high·way·man [-mən] -n

  1. a thief who robs travelers on a road

highway robbery -n

  1. robbery committed on or near a public highway usu. against travelers
  2. excessive profit or advantage derived from a business transaction

highwire ['hī-,wī(-ə)r] -adj

  1. involving great risk
    • a financial highwire act
  2. daring
    • highwire prose

highwrought ['hī-'rȯt] -adj

  1. extremely agitated

high yellow [-'ya-lər] -n

  1. a black person of light complexion called also high yal*ler -ya-lr

hihat -n

(variant of high hat)

  1. beaver
  2. a pair of cymbals operated by a foot pedal

hi·jab [hē-'jäb, -'jab] -n

  1. the traditional covering for the hair and neck that is worn by Muslim women

hi·jack ['hī-,jak] -vt, n

  1. to steal by stopping a vehicle on the highway
  2. to commandeer (a flying airplane) esp. by coercing the pilot at gunpoint
  3. to stop and steal from (a vehicle in transit)
  4. kidnap
  5. to steal or rob as if by hijacking
  6. to subject to extortion or swindling

hijinks ['hī-,jiŋks] -n pl

(variant of high jinks)

  1. boisterous or rambunctious carryings-on : carefree antics or horseplay

hike ['hīk] -vb, n

  1. to go on a hike
  2. to travel by any means
  3. to rise up
  4. to work upward out of place
    • skirt had hiked up in back
  5. to move, pull, or raise with a sudden motion
    • hiked himself onto the top bunk
  6. snap
  7. to raise in amount sharply or suddenly
    • hike rents
  8. to take on a hike
  9. to traverse on a hike
    • hike a trail
  10. a long walk esp. for pleasure or exercise
  11. an increase esp. in quantity or amount
    • a new wage hike
  12. snap

hi·lar ['hī-lər] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or located near a hilum

hi·lar·i·ous [hi-'ler-ē-əs, hī-] -adj, adv, n

  1. marked by or causing hilarity : extremely funny

hi·lar·i·ty [-ə-tē] -n

  1. boisterous merriment or laughter

Hil·bert space ['hil-bərt-] -n

  1. a vector space for which a scalar product is defined and in which every Cauchy sequence composed of elements in the space converges to a limit in the space

hil·ding ['hil-diŋ] -n

  1. a base contemptible person

hill ['hil] -n

  1. a usu. rounded natural elevation of land lower than a mountain
  2. an artificial heap or mound (as of earth)
  3. several seeds or plants planted in a group rather than a row
  4. slope, incline
  5. to form into a heap
  6. to draw earth around the roots or base of

hill·bil·ly ['hil-,bi-lē] -n

  1. a person from a backwoods area

hillbilly music -n

  1. country music

hill climb -n

  1. a road race for automobiles or motorcycles in which competitors are individually timed up a hill

hill·crest ['hil-,krest] -n

  1. the top line of a hill

hill mynah -n

  1. a largely black Asian mynah ( Gracula religiosa) often tamed and taught to pronounce words

hill·ock ['hi-lək] -n, adj

  1. a small hill

Hill reaction ['hil-] -n

  1. the light-dependent transfer of electrons by chloroplasts in photosynthesis that results in the cleavage of water molecules and liberation of oxygen

hill·side [-,sīd] -n

  1. a part of a hill between the top and the foot

hill·slope [-,slōp] -n

  1. hillside

hill·top ['hil-,täp] -n

  1. the highest part of a hill

hilly ['hi-lē] -adj

  1. abounding in hills

hilt ['hilt] -n

  1. a handle esp. of a sword or dagger

hi·lum ['hī-ləm] -n

  1. a scar on a seed (as a bean) marking the point of attachment of the ovule
  2. a notch in or opening from a bodily part suggesting the hilum of a bean

him ['hē, ē] -pron

(variant of he)

  1. that male one who is neither speaker nor hearer
    • he is my father
  2. used in a generic sense or when the sex of the person is unspecified
    • he that hath ears to hear, let him hear -- Mt 11:15(AV)
    • one should do the best he can
  3. a male person or animal
  4. one that is strongly masculine or has strong masculine appeal usu. used in combination
    • that's what I call he -literature -- Sinclair Lewis
  5. the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet

Hi·ma·la·yan [,hi-mə-'lā-ən, hi-'mäl-yən, -'mä-lē-ən] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or resembling the Himalayas
  2. enormously large : mountainous
    • a task of Himalayan proportions

Himalayan -n

  1. any of a breed of domestic cats developed by crossing the Persian and the Siamese and having the stocky build and long thick coat of the former and the blue eyes and coat patterns of the latter

hi·mat·i·on [hi-'ma-tē-,än, -ən] -n

  1. a rectangular cloth draped over the left shoulder and about the body and worn as a garment in ancient Greece

him·bo ['him-(,)bō] -n

  1. an attractive but vacuous man

him/her ['hē-'shē; 'hē-ər-; 'hē-'slash-] -pron

(variant of he/she)

  1. he or she used as a pronoun of common gender

him·self [(h)im-'self, Southern also -'sef] -pron

  1. that identical male one used reflexively, for emphasis, in absolute constructions, and in place of him esp. when joined to another object
    • he considers himself lucky
    • he himself did it
    • himself unhappy, he understood the situation
    • a gift to his wife and himself
  2. used reflexively when the sex of the antecedent is unspecified
    • everyone must fend for himself
  3. his normal, healthy, or sane condition or self
    • hasn't been himself lately
  4. a man of consequence
  5. the master of the house

hin ['hin] -n

  1. an ancient Hebrew unit of liquid measure equal to about 1.5 U.S. gallons (5.7 liters)

Hi·na·ya·na [,hi-nə-'yä-nə, ,hē-] -n, adj

  1. theravada

hind ['hīnd] -n

  1. the female of the red deer
  2. any of various spotted groupers (esp. genus Epinephelus)
  3. a British farm assistant
  4. rustic
  5. of or forming the part that follows or is behind : rear
    • the dog's hind legs

hind·brain ['hīn(d)-,brān] -n

  1. the posterior of the three primary divisions of the developing vertebrate brain or the corresponding part of the adult brain that includes the cerebellum, the medulla oblongata, and in mammals the pons and that controls autonomic functions and equilibrium called also rhombencephalon
  2. the posterior segment of the brain of an invertebrate

hin·der ['hin-dər] -vb, n

  1. to make slow or difficult the progress of : hamper
  2. to hold back : check
  3. to delay, impede, or prevent action

hind·er ['hīn-dər] -adj

  1. situated behind or in the rear : posterior

hind·gut ['hīn(d)-,gət] -n

  1. the posterior part of the alimentary canal
  2. intestine

Hin·di ['hin-(,)dē] -n, adj

  1. a literary and official language of northern India
  2. a complex of Indo-Aryan languages and dialects of northern India for which Hindi is the usual literary language

hind·most ['hīn(d)-,mōst] -adj

  1. farthest to the rear : last

hind·quar·ter [-,kwȯ(r)-tər, -,kȯ(r)-] -n

  1. one side of the back half of the carcass of a quadruped including a leg and usu. one or more ribs
  2. the hind pair of legs of a quadruped
  3. all the structures of a quadruped that lie posterior to the attachment of the hind legs to the trunk

hin·drance ['hin-drən(t)s] -n

  1. the state of being hindered
  2. impediment
  3. the action of hindering

hind·sight ['hīn(d)-,sīt] -n

  1. perception of the nature of an event after it has happened

Hin·du ['hin-(,)dü] -n

  1. an adherent of Hinduism
  2. a native or inhabitant of India

Hindu -adj

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Hindus or Hinduism

HinduArabic -adj

  1. relating to, being, or composed of Arabic numerals
    • HinduArabic numeration system

Hindu calendar -n

  1. a lunar calendar usu. dating from 3101 b.c.and used esp. in India

Hin·du·ism ['hin-(,)dü-,i-zəm] -n

  1. the dominant religion of India that emphasizes dharma with its resulting ritual and social observances and often mystical contemplation and ascetic practices

Hin·du·stani [,hin-dü-'sta-nē, -'stä-nē] -n

  1. a group of Indo-Aryan dialects of northern India of which literary Hindi and Urdu are considered diverse written forms

Hindustani -adj

  1. of or relating to Hindustan or its people or Hindustani

hind wing -n

  1. either of the posterior wings of a 4-winged insect

hinge ['hinj] -n

  1. a jointed or flexible device on which a door, lid, or other swinging part turns
  2. a flexible ligamentous joint
  3. a small piece of thin gummed paper used in fastening a postage stamp in an album
  4. a determining factor : turning point
  5. to be contingent on a single consideration or point used with on or upon
    • the prosecution's case hinge s on the DNA evidence
  6. to attach by or furnish with hinges

hinge joint -n

  1. a joint between bones (as at the elbow) that permits motion in only one plane

hin·ky ['hiŋ-kē] -adj

  1. nervous, jittery
  2. suspicious

hin·ny ['hi-nē] -n

  1. a hybrid between a stallion and a female donkey

hint ['hint] -n

  1. opportunity, turn
  2. a statement conveying by implication what it is preferred not to say explicitly
  3. an indirect or summary suggestion
    • helpful hint s
  4. a slight indication of the existence, approach, or nature of something : clue
  5. a very small amount : suggestion
    • with just a hint of spice
  6. to convey indirectly and by allusion rather than explicitly
    • a suspicion that she scarcely dared to hint
  7. to give a hint usu. used with at
    • hint at the answer

hin·ter·land ['hin-tər-,land, -lənd] -n

  1. a region lying inland from a coast
  2. a region remote from urban areas
  3. a region lying beyond major metropolitan or cultural centers

hip ['hip] -n

  1. rose hip
  2. the laterally projecting region of each side of the lower or posterior part of the mammalian trunk formed by the lateral parts of the pelvis and upper part of the femur together with the fleshy parts covering them
  3. hip joint
  4. the external angle formed by the meeting of two sloping sides of a roof that have their wall plates running in different directions
  5. used in a cheer
    • hip hip hooray
  6. having or showing awareness of or involvement in the newest developments or styles
  7. very fashionable : trendy
  8. aware or appreciative of something used with to
    • got hip to their plan
  9. to make aware : tell, inform
  10. hipness

HIPAA

  1. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

hip and thigh -adv

  1. in a fierce or ruthless manner

hip bone -n

  1. the large flaring bone that constitutes a lateral half of the pelvis in mammals and is composed of the ilium, ischium, and pubis which are fused into one bone in the adult

hip boot -n

  1. a waterproof boot reaching to the hips

hiphop ['hip-,häp] -n, adj

  1. a subculture esp. of inner-city youths who are typically devotees of rap music
  2. the stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rap
  3. rap together with this music

hiphop·per ['hip-,hä-pər] -n

  1. a devotee of hip-hop music and culture
  2. a performer of hip-hop

hiphug·gers ['hip-,hə-gərz] -n pl

  1. low-slung usu. close-fitting trousers that rest on the hips

hip joint -n

  1. the articulation between the femur and the innominate bone

hip·line ['hip-,līn] -n

  1. an arbitrary line encircling the fullest part of the hips
  2. body circumference at the hips

hip·ness ['hip-nəs] -n

  1. the quality or state of being hip

hipped ['hipt] -adj

  1. having hips esp. of a specified kind often used in combination
    • a broad- hipped person
  2. constructed with hips
    • a hipped roof
  3. depressed
  4. extremely absorbed or interested
    • hipped on astrology

hip·pie ['hi-pē] -n, adj

  1. a usu. young person who rejects the mores of established society (as by dressing unconventionally or favoring communal living) and advocates a nonviolent ethic
  2. a long-haired unconventionally dressed young person

hip·po ['hi-(,)pō] -n

  1. hippopotamus

hip·po·cam·pus [,hi-pə-'kam-pəs] -n, adj

  1. a curved elongated ridge that extends over the floor of the descending horn of each lateral ventricle of the brain, that consists of gray matter covered on the ventricular surface with white matter, and that is involved in forming, storing, and processing memory

hip·po·cras ['hi-pə-,kras] -n

  1. a mulled wine popular in medieval Europe

Hip·po·crat·ic [,hi-pə-'kra-tik] -adj

  1. of or relating to Hippocrates or to the school of medicine that took his name

Hippocratic oath -n

  1. an oath embodying a code of medical ethics usu. taken by those about to begin medical practice

Hip·po·crene ['hi-pə-,krēn, ,hi-pə-'krē-nē] -n

  1. a fountain on Mount Helicon sacred to the Muses and believed to be a source of poetic inspiration

hip·po·drome ['hi-pə-,drōm] -n

  1. an oval stadium for horse and chariot races in ancient Greece
  2. an arena for equestrian performances

hip·po·griff [-,grif] -n

  1. a legendary animal having the foreparts of a griffin and the body of a horse

hip pointer -n

  1. a deep bruise to the iliac crest or to the attachments of the muscles attached to it that occurs esp. in contact sports (as football)

Hip·pol·y·ta [hi-'pä-lə-tə] -n

  1. a queen of the Amazons given in marriage to Theseus by Hercules

Hip·pol·y·tus [-təs] -n

  1. a son of Theseus falsely accused of amorous advances by his stepmother and killed by his father through the agency of Poseidon

Hip·pom·e·nes [hi-'pä-mə-nēz] -n

  1. the successful suitor of Atalanta in Greek mythology

hip·po·pot·a·mus [,hi-pə-'pä-tə-məs] -n

  1. a very large herbivorous 4-toed chiefly aquatic artiodactyl mammal ( Hippopotamus amphibius) of sub-Saharan Africa with an extremely large head and mouth, bare and very thick grayish skin, and short legs
  2. a smaller closely related mammal ( Choeropsis liberiensis) of western Africa

hip·py ['hi-pē] -adj

  1. having large hips

hip roof -n

  1. a roof having sloping ends and sloping sides

hipshoot·ing ['hip-,shü-tiŋ] -n

  1. action or reaction that is quick and often reckless

hip·ster ['hip-stər] -n

  1. a person who is unusually aware of and interested in new and unconventional patterns (as in jazz or fashion)

hip·ster·ism [-stə-,ri-zəm] -n

  1. hipness
  2. the way of life characteristic of hipsters

hi·ra·ga·na [,hir-ə-'gä-nə] -n

  1. the cursive script that is one of two sets of symbols of Japanese syllabic writing

hire ['hī(-ə)r] -n

  1. payment for the temporary use of something
  2. payment for labor or personal services : wages
  3. the act or an instance of hiring
  4. the state of being hired : employment
  5. rental often used attributively
  6. one who is hired
    • starting wage for the new hire s
  7. to engage the personal services of for a set sum
    • hire a crew
  8. to engage the temporary use of for a fixed sum
    • hire a hall
  9. to grant the personal services of or temporary use of for a fixed sum
    • hire themselves out
  10. to get done for pay
    • hire the mowing done
  11. to take employment
    • hire out as a guide during the tourist season

hired gun -n

  1. an expert hired to do a specific and often ethically dubious job

hire·ling ['hī(-ə)r-liŋ] -n

  1. a person who serves for hire esp. for purely mercenary motives

hire purchase -n

  1. purchase on the installment plan

hiring hall -n

  1. a union-operated placement office where registered applicants are referred in rotation to jobs

hir·sute ['hər-,süt, 'hir-, ,hər-', hir-'] -adj, n

  1. hairy
  2. covered with coarse stiff hairs
    • a hirsute leaf

hir·sut·ism ['hər-sə-,ti-zəm, 'hir-] -n

  1. excessive growth of hair of normal or abnormal distribution

hi·ru·din [hi-'rü-dᵊn, 'hir-(y)ə-] -n

  1. an anticoagulant extracted from the buccal glands of the medicinal leech

his [(h)iz, ,hiz] -adj

  1. of or relating to him or himself esp. as possessor, agent, or object of an action
    • his house
    • his writings
    • his confirmation
  2. that which belongs to him used without a following noun as a pronoun equivalent in meaning to the adjective his

his/her ['hiz-'hər, 'hi-zər-'hər, 'hiz-'slash-] -adj

  1. his or her used as an adjective of common gender

His·pan·ic [hi-'spa-nik] -adj, n, vt

  1. of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain or of Spain and Portugal
  2. of, relating to, or being a person of Latin American descent living in the U.S.
  3. one of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin

his·pa·ni·dad [,is-,pa-ni-'thä(th)] -n

  1. hispanism

his·pa·nism ['his-pə-,ni-zəm] -n

  1. a movement to reassert the cultural unity of Spain and Latin America
  2. a characteristic feature of Spanish occurring in another language

His·pa·nist [-nist] -n

  1. a scholar specially informed in Spanish or Portuguese language, literature, linguistics, or civilization

His·pa·no [hi-'spa-(,)nō, 'his-pə-,nō] -n

  1. a native or resident of the southwestern U.S. descended from Spaniards settled there before annexation
  2. mexican

his·pid ['his-pəd] -adj

  1. rough or covered with bristles, stiff hairs, or minute spines
    • hispid leaves

hiss ['his] -vb, n

  1. to make a sharp sibilant sound
    • the crowd hiss ed in disapproval
    • hiss ing steam
  2. to express disapproval of by hissing
    • hiss ed the performers off the stage
  3. to utter or whisper angrily or threateningly and with a hiss

his·self [(h)i-'self, -'sef] -pron

  1. himself

hissy ['hi-sē] -n

  1. tantrum

hissy fit -n

  1. tantrum

hist [s often prolonged and usu with p preceding and t following; often read as 'hist] -interj

  1. used to attract attention

hist ['hȯist, chiefly dial 'hīst] -vb, n

(variant of hoist)

  1. lift, raise
  2. to raise into position by or as if by means of tackle
  3. drink
    • hoist a few beers
  4. to become hoisted : rise
  5. an act of hoisting : lift
  6. an apparatus for hoisting
  7. the height of a flag when viewed flying

hist- -comb form

  1. tissue
    • histo physiology

his·ta·mi·nase [hi-'sta-mə-,nās, 'his-tə-mə-, -,nāz] -n

  1. a widely occurring flavoprotein enzyme that oxidizes histamine and various diamines

his·ta·mine ['his-tə-,mēn, -mən] -n

  1. a compound C 5H 9N 3esp. of mammalian tissues that causes dilation of capillaries, contraction of smooth muscle, and stimulation of gastric acid secretion, that is released during allergic reactions, and that is formed by decarboxylation of histidine

his·ta·min·er·gic [,his-tə-mə-'nər-jik] -adj

  1. liberating or activated by histamine
    • histaminergic receptors

his·ti·dine ['his-tə-,dēn] -n

  1. a crystalline essential amino acid C 6H 9N 3O 2formed by the hydrolysis of most proteins

his·tio·cyte ['his-tē-ə-,sīt] -n, adj

  1. macrophage
  2. a nonmotile macrophage of extravascular tissues and esp. connective tissue

his·to·chem·is·try [,his-tō-'ke-mə-strē] -n, adj, adv

  1. a science that combines the techniques of biochemistry and histology in the study of the chemical constitution of cells and tissues

his·to·com·pat·i·bil·i·ty ['his-(,)tō-kəm-,pa-tə-'bi-lə-tē] -n

  1. a state of mutual tolerance that allows some tissues to be grafted effectively to others

his·to·gen·e·sis [,his-tə-'je-nə-səs] -n, adj

  1. the formation and differentiation of tissues

his·to·gram ['his-tə-,gram] -n

  1. a representation of a frequency distribution by means of rectangles whose widths represent class intervals and whose areas are proportional to the corresponding frequencies

his·tol·o·gy [his-'tä-lə-jē] -n, adj, adv

  1. a branch of anatomy that deals with the minute structure of animal and plant tissues as discernible with the microscope
  2. tissue structure or organization

his·tol·y·sis [his-'tä-lə-səs] -n

  1. the breakdown of bodily tissues

his·tone ['his-,tōn] -n

  1. any of various simple water-soluble proteins that are rich in the basic amino acids lysine and arginine and are complexed with DNA in the nucleosomes of eukaryotic chromatin

his·to·pa·thol·o·gy [,his-tō-pə-'thä-lə-jē, -pa-] -n, adj, adv

  1. a branch of pathology concerned with the tissue changes characteristic of disease
  2. the tissue changes that affect a part or accompany a disease

his·to·phys·i·ol·o·gy [-,fi-zē-'ä-lə-jē] -n, adj

  1. a branch of physiology concerned with the function and activities of tissues
  2. structural and functional tissue organization

his·to·plas·mo·sis [,his-tə-plaz-'mō-səs] -n

  1. a respiratory disease with symptoms like those of influenza that is caused by a fungus ( Histoplasma capsulatum) and is marked by benign involvement of lymph nodes of the trachea and bronchi or by severe progressive generalized involvement of the lymph nodes and tissues (as of the liver or spleen) rich in macrophages

his·to·ri·an [hi-'stȯr-ē-ən, -'stär-] -n

  1. a student or writer of history
  2. one who produces a scholarly synthesis
  3. a writer or compiler of a chronicle

his·tor·ic [hi-'stȯr-ik, -'stär-] -adj

  1. : historical: as
  2. famous or important in history
    • historic battlefields
  3. having great and lasting importance
    • a historic occasion
  4. known or established in the past
    • historic interest rates
  5. dating from or preserved from a past time or culture
    • historic buildings
    • historic artifacts

his·tor·i·cal [-i-kəl] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or having the character of history
    • historical data
  2. based on history
    • historical novels
  3. used in the past and reproduced in historical presentations
  4. famous in history : historic
  5. secondary
  6. diachronic
    • historical grammar

his·tor·i·cal·ly [-i-k(ə-)lē] -adv

  1. in accordance with or with respect to history
    • an historically accurate account
  2. in the past
    • historically, stagnant cities seldom have recovered -- Jane Jacobs

historical materialism -n

  1. the Marxist theory of history and society that holds that ideas and social institutions develop only as the superstructure of a material economic base

historical present -n

  1. the present tense used in relating past events

his·tor·i·cism [hi-'stȯr-ə-,si-zəm, -'stär-] -n, adj or n

  1. : a theory, doctrine, or style that emphasizes the importance of history: as
  2. a theory in which history is seen as a standard of value or as a determinant of events
  3. a style (as in architecture) characterized by the use of traditional forms and elements

his·to·ric·i·ty [,his-tə-'ri-sə-tē] -n

  1. historical actuality

his·tor·i·cize [hi-'stȯr-ə-,sīz, -'stär-] -vb

  1. to make historical
  2. to use historical material

his·to·ri·og·ra·pher [hi-,stȯr-ē-'ä-grə-fər] -n

  1. historian

his·to·ri·og·ra·phy [-fē] -n, adj, adv

  1. the writing of history
  2. the writing of history based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of particulars from the authentic materials, and the synthesis of particulars into a narrative that will stand the test of critical methods
  3. the principles, theory, and history of historical writing
    • a course in historiography
  4. the product of historical writing : a body of historical literature

his·to·ry ['his-t(ə-)rē] -n

  1. tale, story
  2. a chronological record of significant events (as affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes
  3. a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena
  4. an account of a patient's medical background
  5. an established record
    • a prisoner with a history of violence
  6. a branch of knowledge that records and explains past events
    • medieval history
  7. events that form the subject matter of a history
  8. events of the past
  9. one that is finished or done for
    • the winning streak was history
    • you're history
  10. previous treatment, handling, or experience (as of a metal)

his·tri·on·ic [,his-trē-'ä-nik] -adj, adv

  1. deliberately affected : theatrical
  2. of or relating to actors, acting, or the theater

his·tri·on·ics [-niks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. theatrical performances
  2. deliberate display of emotion for effect

hit ['hit] -vb, n

  1. to reach with or as if with a blow
  2. to come in contact with
    • the ball hit the window
  3. to strike (as a ball) with an object (as a bat, club, or racket) so as to impart or redirect motion
  4. to cause to come into contact
  5. to deliver (as a blow) by action
  6. to apply forcefully or suddenly
    • hit the brakes
  7. to affect esp. detrimentally
    • farmers hit by drought
  8. to make a request of
    • hit his friend for 10 dollars
    often used with up
  9. to discover or meet esp. by chance
  10. to accord with : suit
  11. reach, attain
    • prices hit a new high
  12. to arrive or appear at, in, or on
    • hit town
    • the best time to hit the stores
  13. to bite at or on
  14. to reflect accurately
    • hit the right note
  15. to reach or strike (as a target) esp. for a score in a game or contest
    • couldn't seem to hit the basket
  16. bat
  17. to indulge in excessively
    • hit the bottle
  18. to deal another card to (as in blackjack)
  19. to strike a blow
  20. to arrive with a forceful effect like that of a blow
    • the storm hit
  21. to come into contact with something
  22. attack
  23. strike
  24. bat
  25. to succeed in attaining or coming up with something often used with on or upon
    • hit on a solution
  26. to be in agreement : suit
  27. to fire the charge in the cylinders
  28. an act or instance of hitting or being hit
    • more hit s than misses
  29. a stroke of luck
  30. a great success
  31. a telling or critical remark
  32. base hit
  33. a quantity of a drug ingested at one time
  34. a premeditated murder committed esp. by a member of a crime syndicate
  35. an instance of connecting to a particular Web site
    • a million hit s per day
  36. a successful match in a search (as of a computer database or the Internet)

hitandmiss [,hit-ᵊn-'mis] -adj

  1. sometimes successful and sometimes not : not reliably good or successful

hitandrun [-'rən] -adj

  1. being or relating to a hit-and-run in baseball
  2. being or involving a motor-vehicle driver who does not stop after being involved in an accident
  3. involving or intended for quick specific action or results
    • a hitandrun raid
  4. a baseball play calling for a runner on first to begin running as a pitch is delivered and for the batter to attempt to hit the pitch
  5. to execute a hit-and-run play in baseball

hitch ['hich] -vb, n

  1. to move by jerks or with a tug
  2. to catch or fasten by or as if by a hook or knot
    • hitch ed his horse to the fence post
  3. to connect (a vehicle or implement) with a source of motive power
    • hitch a rake to a tractor
  4. to attach (a source of motive power) to a vehicle or instrument
    • hitch the horses to the wagon
  5. to join in marriage
    • got hitch ed
  6. hitchhike
  7. to move with halts and jerks : hobble
  8. to become entangled, made fast, or linked
  9. to become joined in marriage
  10. hitchhike
  11. limp
  12. a sudden movement or pull : jerk
    • gave his trousers a hitch
  13. a sudden halt : stoppage
  14. a usu. unforeseen difficulty or obstacle
    • the plan went off without a hitch
  15. the act or fact of catching hold
  16. a connection between a vehicle or implement and a detachable source of power (as a tractor or horse)
  17. a delimited period esp. of military service
  18. any of various knots used to form a temporary noose in a line or to secure a line temporarily to an object
  19. lift

hitch·hike ['hich-,hīk] -vi, n

  1. to travel by securing free rides from passing vehicles
  2. to be carried or transported by chance or unintentionally
    • destructive insects hitchhiking on ships
  3. to solicit and obtain (a free ride) esp. in a passing vehicle

hitch up -vi

  1. to hitch a draft animal or team to a vehicle

hith·er ['hi-thər] -adv

  1. to this place

hither -adj

  1. being on the near or adjacent side

hith·er·most [-,mōst] -adj

  1. nearest on this side

hith·er·to [-,tü, ,hi-thər-'tü] -adv

  1. up to this or that time

hith·er·ward ['hi-thə(r)-wərd] -adv

  1. hither

Hit·ler·ism ['hit-lə-,ri-zəm] -n, n or adj

  1. the principles and policies associated with Hitler

hit list -n

  1. a list of persons or programs to be opposed or eliminated
  2. a list of those targeted for special attention or treatment

hit man -n

  1. a professional assassin who works for a crime syndicate
  2. hatchet man

hitormiss [,hit-ər-'mis] -adj

  1. marked by a lack of care, forethought, system, or plan
  2. hit-and-miss

hit or miss -adv

  1. in a hit-or-miss manner : haphazardly

hit parade -n

  1. a group or listing of the most popular or noteworthy items of a particular kind (as popular songs)

Hit·tite ['hi-,tīt] -n, adj

  1. a member of a conquering people in Asia Minor and Syria with an empire in the second millennium b.c.
  2. the extinct Indo-European language of the Hittites

HIV [,āch-,ī-'vē] -n

  1. either of two retroviruses that infect and destroy helper T cells of the immune system causing the marked reduction in their numbers that is diagnostic of AIDS called also AIDS virus human immunodeficiency virus

hive ['hīv] -n, adj

  1. a container for housing honeybees
  2. the usu. aboveground nest of bees
  3. a colony of bees
  4. a place swarming with activity
  5. to enter and take possession of a hive
  6. to reside in close association
  7. to collect into a hive
  8. to store up in or as if in a hive

hive off -vi

  1. to break away from or as if from a group : become separate
  2. : to make separate: as
  3. to remove from a group
    • hive off the rookies for special training
  4. to assign (as assets or responsibilities) to another
  5. spin off

hives ['hīvz] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. an allergic disorder marked by raised edematous patches of skin or mucous membrane and usu. intense itching and caused by contact with a specific precipitating factor (as a food, drug, or inhalant) either externally or internally called also urticaria

HIV1 [-'wən] -n

  1. a lentivirus (species Human immunodeficiency virus 1) that is the most prevalent HIV called also HTLV-III

HIV2 [-'tü] -n

  1. a lentivirus (species Human immunodeficiency virus 2) that causes AIDS esp. in western Africa, is closely related in structure to SIV of monkeys, and is less virulent than HIV-1

hiz·zon·er [,hi-'zä-nər] -n

  1. used as a title for a man holding the office of mayor