he ['hē, ē] -pron
- that male one who is neither speaker nor hearer
- 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
- a male person or animal
- one that is strongly masculine or has strong masculine appeal usu. used in combination
- that's what I call he -literature -- Sinclair Lewis
- the 5th letter of the Hebrew alphabet
He -symbol
- helium
HE -abbr
- Her Excellency; His Excellency
- high explosive
- His Eminence
head ['hed] -n
- the upper or anterior division of the animal body that contains the brain, the chief sense organs, and the mouth
- the seat of the intellect : mind
- two head s are better than one
- a person with respect to mental qualities
- natural aptitude or talent
- mental or emotional control : poise
- headache
- the obverse of a coin usu. used in pl.
- person, individual
- one of a number (as of domestic animals)
- the end that is upper or higher or opposite the foot
- the source of a stream
- either end of something (as a drum) whose two ends need not be distinguished
- : director, leader: as
- headmaster
- one in charge of a division or department in an office or institution
- capitulum
- the foliaged part of a plant esp. when consisting of a compact mass of leaves or close fructification
- the leading element of a military column or a procession
- headway
- the uppermost extremity or projecting part of an object : top
- the striking part of a weapon, tool, or implement
- the rounded proximal end of a long bone (as the humerus)
- the end of a muscle nearest the origin
- the oval part of a printed musical note
- a body of water kept in reserve at a height
- the containing bank, dam, or wall
- a mass of water in motion
- the difference in elevation between two points in a body of fluid
- the resulting pressure of the fluid at the lower point expressible as this height
- pressure of a fluid
- the bow and adjacent parts of a ship
- a ship's toilet
- toilet
- the approximate length of the head of a horse
- the place of leadership, honor, or command
- 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
- a separate part or topic
- a portion of a page or sheet that is above the first line of printing
- the foam or scum that rises on a fermenting or effervescing liquid (as beer)
- the part of a boil, pimple, or abscess at which it is likely to break
- culminating point of action : crisis
- a part or attachment of a machine or machine tool containing a device (as a cutter or drill)
- the part of an apparatus that performs the chief function or a particular function
- an electromagnet used as a transducer in magnetic recording for recording on, reading, or erasing a magnetic medium (as tape or a disk)
- an immediate constituent of a construction that can have the same grammatical function as the whole (as manin an old man, a very old man, or the man in the street)
- one who uses a drug often used in combination
- a devoted enthusiast : aficionado often used in combination
- fellatio, cunnilingus usu. used with give
- of, relating to, or intended for the head
- principal, chief
- situated at the head
- coming from in front
- behead
- to put a head on : fit a head to
- to form the head or top of
- to act as leader or head to
- to get in front of so as to hinder, stop, or turn back
- to take a lead over (as a racehorse) : surpass
- to pass (a stream) by going round above the source
- to put something at the head of (as a list)
- to stand as the first or leading member of
- head s the list of heroes
- to set the course of
- to drive (as a soccer ball) with the head
- to form a head
- this cabbage head s early
- to point or proceed in a certain direction
- the fleet was head ing out
- to have a source : originate
head·ache ['hed-,āk] -n, adj
- pain in the head
- a vexatious or baffling situation or problem
- meetings had become a giant headache -- Franklin Foer
head and shoulders -adv
- beyond comparison : by far
- head and shoulders above the competition
head·band ['hed-,band] -n
- a band worn on or around the head
- a narrow strip of cloth sewn or glued by hand to a book at the extreme ends of the spine
head·bang·er ['hed-,baŋ-ər] -n
- a musician who performs hard rock
- a fan of hard rock
head·board [-,bȯrd] -n
- a board forming the head (as of a bed)
head case -n
- nut
head·cheese [-,chēz] -n
- a jellied loaf or sausage made from edible parts of the head, feet, and sometimes the tongue and heart esp. of a pig
head cold -n
- a common cold centered in the nasal passages and adjacent mucous tissues
head·dress ['hed-,dres] -n
- an often elaborate covering for the head
head·ed ['he-dəd] -adj
- having a head or a heading
- having a head or heads of a specified kind or number used in combination
- became light- headed from the fever
head·end ['hed-,end] -n
- equipment or a facility which receives communications signals (as cable television broadcasts) for distribution to a local region
head·er ['he-dər] -n
- one that removes heads
- a grain-harvesting machine that cuts off the grain heads and elevates them to a wagon
- a brick or stone laid in a wall with its end toward the face of the wall
- a beam fitted at one side of an opening to support free ends of floor joists, studs, or rafters
- a horizontal structural or finish piece over an opening : lintel
- a conduit (as an exhaust pipe for a many-cylindered engine) into which a number of smaller conduits open
- a mounting plate through which electrical terminals pass from a sealed device (as a transistor)
- a fall or dive headfirst
- took a header into the pool
- a shot or pass in soccer made by heading the ball
- head
head·first ['hed-'fərst] -adv, adj
- with the head foremost
- dove headfirst into the waves
- headlong
head·fore·most [-'fōr-,mōst, -'fȯr-] -adv
- headfirst
head game -n
- mind game
head·gate ['hed-,gāt] -n
- a gate for controlling the water flowing into a channel (as an irrigation ditch)
head·gear [-,gir] -n
- a covering or protective device for the head
- a harness for a horse's head
head·hunt ['hed-,hənt] -vt
- to recruit (personnel and esp. executives) for top-level jobs
- to recruit personnel for top-level jobs
head·hunt·er [-,hən-tər] -n
- one that engages in head-hunting
- a recruiter of personnel esp. at the executive level
- an athlete who intentionally seeks to harm an opponent
headhunt·ing [-,hən-tiŋ] -n
- the act or custom of seeking out, decapitating, and preserving the heads of enemies as trophies
- a seeking to deprive usu. political enemies of position or influence
head·ing ['he-diŋ] -n
- something that forms or serves as a head
- an inscription, headline, or title standing at the top or beginning (as of a letter or chapter)
- the address and date at the beginning of a letter showing its place and time of origin
- the compass direction in which the longitudinal axis of a ship or aircraft points
- direction
- drift
headinthesand -adj
- unwilling to recognize or acknowledge a problem or situation
- the government's usual headinthesand response
head·lamp [-,lamp] -n
- headlight
head·land ['hed-lənd, -,land] -n
- unplowed land at the ends of furrows or near a fence
- a point of usu. high land jutting out into a body of water : promontory
head·less [-ləs] -adj, n
- having no head
- having the head cut off : beheaded
- having no chief
- lacking good sense or prudence : foolish
head·light [-,līt] -n
- a light with a reflector and special lens mounted on the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead
- the beam cast by a headlight
- a light worn on the forehead (as of a miner or physician)
head·line [-,līn] -n
- words set at the head of a passage or page to introduce or categorize
- a head of a newspaper story or article usu. printed in large type and giving the gist of the story or article that follows
- front-page news
- the scandal made headline s
headline -vt
- to provide with a headline
- to publicize highly
- to be engaged as a leading performer in (a show)
- deserving mention in a headline : very noteworthy
- the headline abduction of a diplomat
head·lin·er ['hed-,lī-nər] -n
- the principal performer in a show : star
- personality
- fabric covering the inside of the roof of an automobile
head linesman -n
- a football linesman
head·lock ['hed-,läk] -n
- a hold in which a wrestler encircles an opponent's head with one arm
head·long [-'lȯŋ] -adv
- headfirst
- without deliberation : recklessly
- rushes headlong into danger
- without pause or delay
- steep, precipitous
- lacking in calmness or restraint : precipitate
- a headlong torrent of emotion
- plunging headfirst
head louse -n
- a sucking louse ( Pediculus humanus capitis) that lives on the human scalp
head·man -n
- foreman, overseer
- a lesser chief of a primitive community
- headsman
head·mas·ter ['hed-,mas-tər, -'mas-] -n, adj
- a man heading the staff of a private school : principal
head·mis·tress [-,mis-trəs, -'mis-] -n
- a woman heading the staff of a private school
head·most ['hed-,mōst] -adj
- most advanced : leading
head·note [-,nōt] -n
- a prefixed note of comment or explanation
- a note prefixed to the report of a decided legal case
head off -vt
- to turn back or turn aside : block, prevent
- head them off at the pass
- attempts to head off the imminent crisis
head of steam
- strong driving force : momentum
- frequent rallies helped the movement develop a head of steam
headon ['hed-'ȯn, -'än] -adv
- with the head or front making the initial contact
- in direct opposition, confrontation, or contradiction
- having the front facing in the direction of initial contact or line of sight
- frontal
head over heels -adv
- in or as if in a somersault : helter-skelter
- upside down
- very much : deeply
head·phone ['hed-,fōn] -n
- an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head usu. used in pl.
head·piece [-,pēs] -n
- a protective or defensive covering for the head
- an ornamental, ceremonial, or traditional covering for the head
- brains, intelligence
- an ornament esp. at the beginning of a chapter
head·pin [-,pin] -n
- a bowling pin that stands foremost in the arrangement of pins
head·quar·ter ['hed-,kwȯ(r)-tər, -,kȯr-, (')hed-'] -vt
- to place in headquarters
- to make one's headquarters
head·quar·ters [-tərz] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- a place from which a commander performs the functions of command
- the administrative center of an enterprise
head·rest [-,rest] -n
- a support for the head
- head restraint
head restraint -n
- a resilient pad at the top of the back of an automobile seat esp. for preventing whiplash
head rhyme -n
- alliteration
head·room ['hed-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n
- vertical space in which to stand, sit, or move
head·sail [-,sāl, -səl] -n
- a sail set forward of the foremast
headscratch·er ['hed-,skra-chər] -n
- puzzle, mystery
headscratch·ing ['hed-,skra-chiŋ] -n
- puzzled contemplation
- a lot of headscratching going on
- confusion
head·set [-,set] -n
- an attachment for holding an earphone and transmitter at one's head
- a pair of headphones
head·ship [-,ship] -n
- the position, office, or dignity of a head
head shop -n
- a shop specializing in articles (as hashish pipes and roach clips) of interest to drug users
head·shrink·er [-,shriŋ-kər, esp Southern -,sriŋ-] -n
- shrink
heads·man ['hedz-mən] -n
- one that beheads : executioner
head·space ['hed-,spās] -n
- the volume above a liquid or solid in a closed container
head·spring ['hed-,spriŋ] -n
- fountainhead, source
head·stall [-,stȯl] -n
- a part of a bridle or halter that encircles the head
head·stand [-,stand] -n
- the gymnastic feat of standing on one's head usu. with support from the hands
head start -n
- an advantage granted or achieved at the beginning of a race, a chase, or a competition
- a favorable or promising beginning
head·stock ['hed-,stäk] -n
- a bearing or pedestal for a revolving or moving part
- a part of a lathe that holds the revolving spindle and its attachments
head·stone [-,stōn] -n
- a memorial stone at the head of a grave
head·stream [-,strēm] -n
- a stream that is the source of a river
head·strong [-,strȯŋ] -adj
- not easily restrained : impatient of control, advice, or suggestions
- directed by ungovernable will
- violent headstrong actions
headsup ['hedz-'əp] -adj
- alert, resourceful
- a message that alerts or prepares : warning
- gave him a headsup that an investigation was pending
heads up -interj
- used as a warning to look out for danger esp. overhead or to clear a passageway
headtohead -adv or adj
- in a direct confrontation or encounter usu. between individuals
head·wait·er ['hed-'wā-tər] -n
- the head of the dining-room staff of a restaurant or hotel
head·wa·ter [-,wȯ-tər, -,wä-] -n
- the source of a stream usu. used in pl.
head·way [-,wā] -n
- motion or rate of motion in a forward direction
- advance, progress
- headroom (as under an arch) sufficient to allow passage
- the time interval between two vehicles traveling in the same direction on the same route
head·wind ['hed-,wind] -n
- a wind having the opposite general direction to a course of movement (as of an aircraft)
head·word ['hed-,wərd] -n
- a word or term placed at the beginning (as of a chapter or an entry in an encyclopedia)
- head
head·work [-,wərk] -n
- mental labor
- clever thinking
heady ['he-dē] -adj, adv, n
- willful, rash
- violent, impetuous
- tending to intoxicate or make giddy or elated
- being in such distinguished company was a heady experience
- giddy, exhilarated
- rich
- impressive
- a man of heady accomplishments
- marked by or showing good judgment : shrewd, intelligent
- intellectually stimulating or demanding
heal ['hēl] -vb
- to make sound or whole
- to restore to health
- to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome : mend
- the troubles...had not been forgotten, but they had been heal ed -- William Power
- to patch up (a breach or division)
- heal a breach between friends
- to restore to original purity or integrity
- to return to a sound state
heal·er ['hē-lər] -n
- one that heals
- a Christian Science practitioner
health ['helth also 'heltth] -n
- the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit
- freedom from physical disease or pain
- the general condition of the body
- flourishing condition : well-being
- defending the health of the beloved oceans -- Peter Wilkinson
- general condition or state
- a toast to someone's health or prosperity
health care -n
- efforts made to maintain or restore health esp. by trained and licensed professionals usu. hyphenated when used attributively
health club -n
- a usu. commercial establishment having members who pay a fee to use its health and fitness facilities and equipment
health food -n
- a food promoted as highly conducive to health
health·ful ['helth-fəl also 'heltth-] -adj, adv, n
- beneficial to health of body or mind
- healthy
- he felt incapable of looking into the girl's pretty, healthful face -- Saul Bellow
health insurance -n
- insurance against loss through illness of the insured
- insurance providing compensation for medical expenses
health maintenance organization -n
- hmo
health spa -n
- spa
- one emphasizing health and fitness
- health club
healthy ['hel-thē also 'helt-] -adj, adv, n
- enjoying health and vigor of body, mind, or spirit : well
- evincing health
- conducive to health
- walk three miles every day...a beastly bore, but healthy -- G. S. Patton
- prosperous, flourishing
- not small or feeble : considerable
heap ['hēp] -n
- a collection of things thrown one on another : pile
- a great number or large quantity : lot
- to throw or lay in a heap : pile or collect in great quantity
- his sole object was to heap up riches
- to form or round into a heap
- heap ed the dirt into a mound
- to form a heap on : load heavily
- heap the plates with food
- to accord or bestow lavishly or in large quantities
hear ['hir] -vb, n
- to perceive or apprehend by the ear
- to gain knowledge of by hearing
- to listen to with attention : heed
- attend
- to give a legal hearing to
- to take testimony from
- to have the capacity of apprehending sound
- to gain information : learn
- to receive communication
- haven't heard from her lately
- to entertain the idea used in the negative
- often used in the expression Hear Hear to express approval (as during a speech)
hearing -n
- the process, function, or power of perceiving sound
- the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli
- earshot
- opportunity to be heard, to present one's side of a case, or to be generally known or appreciated
- a listening to arguments
- a preliminary examination in criminal procedure
- a session (as of a legislative committee) in which testimony is taken from witnesses
- a piece of news
hearing aid -n
- an electronic device usu. worn in or behind the ear of a hearing-impaired person for amplifying sound
hearing dog -n
- a dog trained to alert its deaf or hearing-impaired owner to sounds (as of a doorbell, alarm, or telephone) called also hearing ear dog
heark·en ['här-kən] -vb
- listen
- to give respectful attention
- to give heed to : hear
hearken back -vi
- hark back
hear·say ['hir-,sā] -n
- rumor
- hearsay evidence
hearsay evidence -n
- evidence based not on a witness's personal knowledge but on another's statement not made under oath
hearse ['hərs] -n
- an elaborate framework erected over a coffin or tomb to which memorial verses or epitaphs are attached
- a triangular candelabra for 15 candles used esp. at Tenebrae
- coffin
- bier
- a vehicle for conveying the dead to the grave
- to place on or in a hearse
- to convey in a hearse
- bury
heart ['härt] -n
- a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood
- a structure in an invertebrate animal functionally analogous to the vertebrate heart
- breast, bosom
- something resembling a heart in shape
- a stylized representation of a heart
- a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a red heart
- the suit comprising cards marked with hearts
- a game in which the object is to avoid taking tricks containing hearts
- personality, disposition
- intellect
- : the emotional or moral as distinguished from the intellectual nature: as
- generous disposition : compassion
- love, affection
- courage, ardor
- one's innermost character, feelings, or inclinations
- the central or innermost part : center
- the essential or most vital part of something
- the younger central compact part of a leafy rosette (as a head of lettuce)
- hearten
- to fix in the heart
heart·ache ['härt-,āk] -n
- anguish of mind : sorrow
heart attack -n
- an acute episode of heart disease marked by the death or damage of heart muscle due to insufficient blood supply to the heart usu. as a result of a coronary thrombosis or a coronary occlusion and that is characterized esp. by chest pain called also myocardial infarction
heart·beat ['härt-,bēt] -n
- one complete pulsation of the heart
- the vital center or driving impulse
- a brief space of time : flash used chiefly in the phrase in a heartbeat
heart block -n
- incoordination of the heartbeat in which the atria and ventricles beat independently and which is marked by decreased cardiac output
heart·break ['härt-,brāk] -n
- crushing grief, anguish, or distress
heart·break·er [-,brā-kər] -n
- one that causes heartbreak
heart·break·ing [-,brā-kiŋ] -adj, adv
- causing intense sorrow or distress
- extremely trying or difficult
- producing an intense emotional reaction or response
heart·bro·ken [-,brō-kən] -adj
- overcome by sorrow
heart·burn [-,bərn] -n
- a burning discomfort behind the lower part of the sternum due esp. to spasmodic reflux of acid from the stomach into the esophagus
heart·burn·ing [-,bər-niŋ] -n
- intense or rancorous jealousy or resentment
heart disease -n
- an abnormal organic condition of the heart or of the heart and circulation
heart·ed ['här-təd] -adj
- having a heart esp. of a specified kind usu. used in combination
- seated in the heart
heart·en ['här-tᵊn] -vt, adv
- to give heart to : cheer
heart failure -n
- a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood at an adequate rate or in adequate volume
- cessation of heartbeat : death
heart·felt ['härt-,felt] -adj
- deeply felt : earnest
heartfree ['härt-,frē] -adj
- not in love
hearth ['härth] -n
- a brick, stone, or concrete area in front of a fireplace
- the floor of a fireplace
- fireplace
- the lowest section of a furnace
- the section of a furnace on which the ore or metal is exposed to the flame or heat
- home
- a vital or creative center
- the central hearth of occidental civilization -- A. L. Kroeber
hearthealthy ['härt-,hel-thē] -adj
- conducive to a healthy heart and circulatory system
hearth·stone [-,stōn] -n
- stone forming a hearth
- home
heart·i·ly ['här-tə-lē] -adv
- in a hearty manner
- with all sincerity : wholeheartedly
- with zest or gusto
- wholly, thoroughly
- heartily sick of all this talk
heart·land ['härt-,land] -n
- : a central area: as
- a central land area (as northern Eurasia) having strategic advantages
- the central geographical region of the U.S. in which mainstream or traditional values predominate
- a region where something (as an industry or activity) most strongly thrives
- the heartland of high technology
heart·less [-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- spiritless
- lacking feeling : cruel
heartlung machine -n
- a mechanical pump that maintains circulation during heart surgery by shunting blood away from the heart, oxygenating it, and returning it to the body
heart pine -n
- longleaf pine
heart·rend·ing ['härt-,ren-diŋ] -adj, adv
- heartbreaking
hearts·ease ['härts-,ēz] -n
- peace of mind : tranquillity
- any of various violas
- johnny-jump-up
heart·sick ['härt-,sik] -adj, n
- very despondent : depressed
heart·some ['hert-səm, 'härt-] -adj, adv
- giving spirit or vigor : animating, enlivening
heart·sore ['härt-,sȯr] -adj
- heartsick
heartstop·ping ['härt-,stä-piŋ] -adj, n
- extremely shocking or exciting
- a heartstopping adventure
heart·string [-,striŋ] -n
- a nerve once believed to sustain the heart
- the deepest emotions or affections
- pulled at his heartstring s
heart·throb [-,thräb] -n
- the throb of a heart
- sentimental emotion : passion
- sweetheart
- a usu. renowned man (as an entertainer) noted for his sex appeal
hearttoheart ['härt-tə-'härt] -adj
- sincere, frank
- a heart-to-heart conversation
heart·warm·ing ['härt-,wȯr-miŋ] -adj, n
- inspiring sympathetic feeling : cheering
heartwhole [-,hōl] -adj
- heart-free
- sincere, genuine
heart·wood [-,wu̇d] -n
- the older harder nonliving central wood of trees that is usu. darker, denser, less permeable, and more durable than the surrounding sapwood
heart·worm [-,wərm] -n
- a filarial worm ( Dirofilaria immitis) that is a parasite esp. in the right heart of dogs and is transmitted by mosquitoes
- infestation or disease caused by the heartworm
hearty ['här-tē] -adj, n
- giving unqualified support
- enthusiastically or exuberantly cordial : jovial
- expressed unrestrainedly
- exhibiting vigorous good health
- having a good appetite
- abundant, rich, or flavorful enough to satisfy the appetite
- vigorous, vehement
- a hearty fellow
- sailor
heat ['hēt] -vb, adj
- to become warm or hot
- to start to spoil from heat
- to make warm or hot
- excite
- a condition of being hot : warmth
- a marked or notable degree of hotness
- pathological excessive bodily temperature
- a hot place or situation
- a period of heat
- a single complete operation of heating
- the quantity of material so heated
- added energy that causes substances to rise in temperature, fuse, evaporate, expand, or undergo any of various other related changes, that flows to a body by contact with or radiation from bodies at higher temperatures, and that can be produced in a body (as by compression)
- the energy associated with the random motions of the molecules, atoms, or smaller structural units of which matter is composed
- appearance, condition, or color of a body as indicating its temperature
- intensity of feeling or reaction : passion
- the height or stress of an action or condition
- sexual excitement esp. in a female mammal
- estrus
- : a single continuous effort: as
- a single round of a contest (as a race) having two or more rounds for each contestant
- one of several preliminary contests held to eliminate less competent contenders
- pungency of flavor
- the intensification of law-enforcement activity or investigation
- police
- pressure, coercion
- abuse, criticism
- took heat for her mistakes
- smoke
- gun
heat cramps -n pl
- a condition that is marked by sudden development of cramps in skeletal muscles and that results from prolonged work or exercise in high temperatures accompanied by profuse perspiration with loss of sodium chloride from the body
heat·ed ['hē-təd] -adj, adv
- marked by anger or passion
heat engine -n
- a mechanism (as an internal combustion engine) for converting heat energy into mechanical or electrical energy
heat·er ['hē-tər] -n
- one that heats
- a device that imparts heat or holds something to be heated
- fastball
heat exchanger -n
- a device (as an automobile radiator) for transferring heat from one fluid to another without allowing them to mix
heat exhaustion -n
- a condition marked by weakness, nausea, dizziness, and profuse sweating that results from physical exertion in a hot environment called also heat prostration
heath ['hēth] -n, adj
- a tract of wasteland
- an extensive area of rather level open uncultivated land usu. with poor coarse soil, inferior drainage, and a surface rich in peat or peaty humus
- any of a family (Ericaceae, the heath family) of shrubby dicotyledonous and often evergreen plants that thrive on open barren usu. acid and ill-drained soil
- an evergreen subshrub of either of two genera ( Ericaand Calluna) with whorls of needlelike leaves and clusters of small flowers
- any of various plants that resemble true heaths
hea·then ['hē-thən] -adj
- of or relating to heathens, their religions, or their customs
- strange, uncivilized
heathen [-dəm] -n, vt
- an unconverted member of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible
- an uncivilized or irreligious person
hea·then·ish ['hē-thə-nish] -adj, adv
- resembling or characteristic of heathens : barbarous
heath·er ['he-thər] -n
- heath
- a common Eurasian heath ( Calluna vulgaris) of northern and alpine regions that has small crowded sessile leaves and racemes of tiny usu. purplish-pink flowers and is naturalized in the northeastern U.S.
heather -adj
- heathery
heath·ery ['heth-rē, 'he-thə-] -adj
- of, relating to, or resembling heather
- having flecks of various colors
heath hen -n
- a now extinct grouse ( Tympanuchus cupido cupido) of the northeastern U.S.
heath·land ['hēth-,land] -n
- heath
heat lightning -n
- vivid and extensive flashes of electric light without thunder seen near the horizon esp. at the close of a hot day and ascribed to far-off lightning reflected by high clouds
heat pump -n
- an apparatus for heating or cooling (as a building) by transferring heat by mechanical means from or to an external reservoir (as the ground, water, or outside air)
heat rash -n
- prickly heat
heat shield -n
- a barrier of ablative material to protect a space capsule from heat on its entry into an atmosphere
heatshock protein -n
- any of a group of proteins that are produced esp. in cells subjected to stressful conditions (as high temperature), that serve to ensure proper protein folding, and that are held to comprise a class of molecular chaperones
heat sink -n
- a substance or device that absorbs or dissipates esp. unwanted heat (as from a process or an electronic device)
heat·stroke ['hēt-,strōk] -n
- a condition marked esp. by cessation of sweating, extremely high body temperature, and collapse that results from prolonged exposure to high temperature
heattreat ['hēt-,trēt] -vt, n
- to subject to heat
- to treat (as metals) by heating and cooling in a way that will produce desired properties
heat wave -n
- a period of unusually hot weather
heave ['hēv] -vb, n
- elevate
- lift, raise
- heaved the trunk onto the table
- throw, cast
- to cause to swell or rise
- to displace (as a rock stratum) esp. by a fault
- to utter with obvious effort or with a deep breath
- haul, draw
- labor, struggle
- retch
- to rise and fall rhythmically
- pant
- pull, push
- to move a ship in a specified direction or manner
- to move in an indicated way
- to rise or become thrown or raised up
- an effort to heave or raise
- hurl, cast
- an upward motion : rising
- a rhythmical rising
- horizontal displacement esp. by the faulting of a rock
- chronic pulmonary emphysema of the horse resulting in difficult expiration, heaving of the flanks, and a persistent cough
heaveho ['hēv-'hō] -n
- dismissal
heav·en ['he-vən] -n
- the expanse of space that seems to be over the earth like a dome : firmament usu. used in pl.
- the dwelling place of the Deity and the blessed dead
- a spiritual state of everlasting communion with God
- god
- a place or condition of utmost happiness
- a state of thought in which sin is absent and the harmony of divine Mind is manifest
heav·en·ly [-lē] -adj, n
- of or relating to heaven or the heavens : celestial
- use a telescope to study the heavenly bodies
- suggesting the blessed state of heaven : beatific
- delightful
heav·ensent [-,sent] -adj
- providential
heav·en·ward [-wərd] -adv or adj
- toward heaven
heav·en·wards [-wərdz] -adv
- heavenward
heavierthanair -adj
- of greater weight than the air displaced
heavi·ly ['he-və-lē] -adv
- to a great degree : severely
- slowly and laboriously : dully
- with sorrow : grievously
- in a heavy manner
Heav·i·side layer ['he-vē-,sīd-] -n
- ionosphere
heavy ['he-vē] -adj, n
- having great weight
- characterized by mass or weight
- having a high specific gravity : having great weight in proportion to bulk
- having or being atoms of greater than normal mass for that element
- containing heavy isotopes
- hard to bear
- grievous, afflictive
- of weighty import : serious
- deep, profound
- borne down by something oppressive : burdened
- pregnant
- approaching parturition
- slow or dull from loss of vitality or resiliency : sluggish
- lacking sparkle or vivacity : drab
- lacking mirth or gaiety : doleful
- characterized by declining prices
- dulled with weariness : drowsy
- : greater in quantity or quality than the average of its kind or class: as
- of unusually large size or amount
- of great force
- threatening to rain or snow
- impeding motion
- full of clay and inclined to hold water
- coming as if from a depth : loud
- thick, coarse
- oppressive
- steep, acute
- laborious, difficult
- immoderate
- more powerful than usual for its kind
- of large capacity or output
- very rich and hard to digest
- not properly raised or leavened
- producing goods (as coal, steel, or chemicals) used in the production of other goods
- having stress used esp. of syllables in accentual verse
- being the strongest degree of stress in speech
- relating to theatrical parts of a grave or somber nature
- long
- important, prominent
- in a heavy manner : heavily
- heavyweight
- a theatrical role of a dignified or somber character
- an actor playing such a role
- villain
- villain
- someone or something influential, serious, or important
- elite
heavy bag -n
- punching bag
heavy chain -n
- either of the two larger of the four polypeptide chains comprising antibodies
heavy cream -n
- a cream that is markedly thick
- cream that by law contains not less than 36 percent butterfat
heavydu·ty ['he-vē-'dü-tē, -'dyü-] -adj
- able or designed to withstand unusual strain
- intensive
- important, prominent
heavyfoot·ed [-'fu̇-təd] -adj
- heavy and slow in movement
heavyhand·ed [-'han-dəd] -adj, adv, n
- clumsy
- oppressive, harsh
heavy·heart·ed [-'här-təd] -adj, adv, n
- despondent, saddened
heavy hitter -n
- big shot, heavy
heavy hydrogen -n
- deuterium
heavy lifting -n
- a burdensome or laborious duty
heavy metal -n
- energetic and highly amplified electronic rock music having a hard beat
heavy·set [,he-vē-'set] -adj
- stocky and compact and sometimes tending to stoutness in build
heavy water -n
- the compound D 2O composed of deuterium and oxygen called also deuterium oxide
- water enriched in deuterium
heavy·weight ['he-vē-,wāt] -n
- one that is above average in weight
- : one in the usu. heaviest class of contestants: as
- a boxer in an unlimited weight division
- a weight lifter weighing more than 198 pounds
- one that possesses great power, prominence, or stature
Heb -abbr
- Hebrew; Hebrews
heb·do·mad ['heb-də-,mad] -n
- a group of seven
- a period of seven days : week
heb·dom·a·dal [heb-'dä-mə-dᵊl] -adj, adv
- weekly
hebe ['hēb] -n
- jew
He·be ['hē-bē] -n
- the Greek goddess of youth and a cupbearer to the gods
he·be·phre·nia [,hē-bə-'frē-nē-ə, -'fre-nē-] -n, adj or n
- a form of schizophrenia characterized esp. by incoherence, delusions lacking an underlying theme, and affect that is usu. flat, inappropriate, or silly
heb·e·tate ['he-bə-,tāt] -vt, n
- to make dull or obtuse
heb·e·tude ['he-bə-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n, adj
- lethargy, dullness
He·bra·ic [hi-'brā-ik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or characteristic of the Hebrews or their language or culture
He·bra·ism ['hē-(,)brā-,i-zəm] -n
- a characteristic feature of Hebrew occurring in another language
- the thought, spirit, or practice characteristic of the Hebrews
- a moral theory or emphasis attributed to the Hebrews
He·bra·ist [-,brā-ist] -n
- a specialist in Hebrew and Hebraic studies
He·bra·is·tic [,hē-brā-'is-tik] -adj
- marked by Hebraisms
- hebraic
he·bra·ize ['hē-brā-,īz] -vb, n
- to use Hebraisms
- to make Hebraic in character or form
He·brew ['hē-(,)brü] -n, adj
- the Semitic language of the ancient Hebrews
- any of various later forms of this language
- a member of or descendant from one of a group of northern Semitic peoples including the Israelites
- israelite
He·brews ['hē-(,)brüz] -n pl but sing in constr
- a theological treatise addressed to early Christians and included as a book in the New Testament
Hec·ate ['he-kə-tē, 'he-kət] -n
- a Greek goddess associated esp. with the underworld, night, and witchcraft
hec·a·tomb ['he-kə-,tōm] -n
- an ancient Greek and Roman sacrifice of 100 oxen or cattle
- the sacrifice or slaughter of many victims
heck ['hek] -n
- hell
- hell
heck·le ['he-kəl] -vt, n
- to harass and try to disconcert with questions, challenges, or gibes : badger
hect- -comb form
- hundred
hec·tic ['hek-tik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or being a fluctuating but persistent fever (as in tuberculosis)
- having a hectic fever
- red, flushed
- characterized by activity, excitement, or confusion
- the hectic days before the holidays
hec·to·graph [-,graf] -n, vt
- a machine for making copies of a writing or drawing produced on a gelatin surface
hec·tor ['hek-tər] -n
- a son of Priam, husband of Andromache, and Trojan champion slain by Achilles
- bully, braggart
hector [-t(ə-)riŋ] -vb, adv
- to play the bully : swagger
- to intimidate or harass by bluster or personal pressure
Hec·u·ba ['he-kyə-bə] -n
- the wife of Priam in Homer's Iliad
he'd ['hēd, ēd]
- he had : he would
hed·dle ['he-dᵊl] -n
- one of the sets of parallel cords or wires that with their mounting compose the harness used to guide warp threads in a loom
he·der ['k̲ā-dər, 'k̲e-] -n
- an elementary Jewish school in which children are taught to read the Torah and other books in Hebrew
hedge ['hej] -n
- a fence or boundary formed by a dense row of shrubs or low trees
- barrier, limit
- a means of protection or defense (as against financial loss)
- a calculatedly noncommittal or evasive statement
- to enclose or protect with or as if with a hedge : encircle
- to hem in or obstruct with or as if with a barrier : hinder
- hedged about by special regulations and statutes -- Sandi Rosenbloom
- to protect oneself from losing or failing by a counterbalancing action
- to plant, form, or trim a hedge
- to evade the risk of commitment esp. by leaving open a way of retreat : trim
- : to protect oneself financially: as
- to buy or sell commodity futures as a protection against loss due to price fluctuation
- to minimize the risk of a bet
- of, relating to, or designed for a hedge
- born, living, or made near or as if near hedges : roadside
- inferior
hedge fund -n
- an investing group usu. in the form of a limited partnership that employs speculative techniques in the hope of obtaining large capital gains
hedge·hog ['hej-,hȯg, -,häg] -n
- any of a subfamily (Erinaceinae) of Eurasian and African nocturnal insectivores that have both hair and spines which they present outwardly by rolling themselves up when threatened
- any of several spiny mammals (as a porcupine)
- a military defensive obstacle (as of barbed wire)
- a well-fortified military stronghold
hedge·hop [-,häp] -vi, n
- to fly an airplane close to the ground and rise over obstacles as they appear
hedge·pig [-,pig] -n
- hedgehog
hedge·row [-,rō] -n
- a row of shrubs or trees enclosing or separating fields
he·don·ic [hi-'dä-nik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or characterized by pleasure
- of, relating to, or characterized by hedonism
he·do·nism ['hē-də-,ni-zəm] -n, adj, adv
- the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life
- a way of life based on or suggesting the principles of hedonism
hee·biejee·bies [,hē-bē-'jē-bēz] -n pl
- jitters, creeps
heed ['hēd] -vb
- to pay attention
- to give consideration or attention to : mind
- attention, notice
heed·ful ['hēd-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- taking heed : attentive
- heedful of what they were doing
heed·less [-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- not taking heed : inconsiderate, thoughtless
- heedless follies of unbridled youth -- John DeBruyn
heehaw ['hē-,hȯ, -'hȯ] -n, vi
- the bray of a donkey
- a loud rude laugh : guffaw
heel ['hēl] -n, adj
- the back of the human foot below the ankle and behind the arch
- the part of the hind limb of other vertebrates that is homologous with the human heel
- an anatomical structure suggestive of the human heel
- the part of the palm of the hand nearest the wrist
- one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread
- the part (as of a shoe) that covers the human heel
- a solid attachment of a shoe or boot forming the back of the sole under the heel of the foot
- : a rear, low, or bottom part: as
- the after end of a ship's keel or the lower end of a mast
- the base of a tuber or cutting of a plant used for propagation
- the base of a ladder
- a contemptible person
- to furnish with a heel
- to supply esp. with money
- to exert pressure on, propel, or strike with the heel
- to urge (as a lagging animal) by following closely or by nipping at the heels
- to move along at someone's heels
- to lean to one side : tip
- to lean temporarily (as from the action of wind or waves)
- to cause (a boat) to heel
- a tilt (as of a boat) to one side
- the extent of such a tilt
heelandtoe [,hēl-ən-'tō] -adj
- marked by a stride in which the heel of one foot touches the ground before the toe of the other foot leaves it
heel·ball ['hēl-,bȯl] -n
- a composition of wax and lampblack used by shoemakers for polishing and by antiquarians for making rubbings of inscriptions
heel·er ['hē-lər] -n
- one that heels
- australian cattle dog
- a henchman of a local political boss
- a worker for a local party organization
- ward heeler
heel fly -n
- cattle grub
heel·piece ['hēl-,pēs] -n
- a piece designed for or forming the heel (as of a shoe)
heel·tap [-,tap] -n
- a small quantity of alcoholic beverage remaining (as in a glass after drinking)
heft ['heft] -n
- weight, heaviness
- importance, influence
- the greater part of something : bulk
- to heave up : hoist
- to test the weight of by lifting
- heft ing the rod...to get the feel of it -- Consumer Reports
hefty ['hef-tē] -adj, adv, n
- quite heavy
- marked by bigness, bulk, and usu. strength
- powerful, mighty
- impressively large : substantial
he·gari [hi-'ga-rē, -'ga-rə; 'hī-,gir] -n
- any of several Sudanese grain sorghums having chalky white seeds including one grown in the southwestern U.S.
He·ge·li·an [hā-'gā-lē-ən, hi-] -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of Hegel, his philosophy, or his dialectic method
Hegelian -n
- a follower of Hegel : an adherent of Hegelianism
He·ge·li·an·ism [-lē-ə-,ni-zəm] -n
- the philosophy of Hegel that places ultimate reality in ideas rather than in things and that uses dialectic to comprehend an absolute idea behind phenomena
heg·e·mon ['he-jə-,män, 'hē-] -n
- one (as a political state) possessing hegemony
he·ge·mo·ny [hi-'je-mə-nē, -'ge-; 'he-jə-,mō-nē] -n, adj
- preponderant influence or authority over others : domination
- battled for hegemony in Asia
- the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group
- extend their own hegemony over American culture as a whole -- Mary K. Cayton
he·gi·ra [hi-'jī-rə, 'he-jə-rə] -n
- a journey esp. when undertaken to escape from a dangerous or undesirable situation : exodus
Hei·del·berg man [,hī-dᵊl-,bərg-, -,berg-] -n
- an early Pleistocene hominid known from a massive fossilized jaw with distinctly human dentition and classified with the direct ancestor ( Homo erectus) of modern humans
heif·er ['he-fər] -n
- a young cow
- one that has not had a calf
heighho ['hī-'hō, 'hā-] -interj
- used typically to express boredom, weariness, or sadness or sometimes as a cry of encouragement
height ['hīt, ÷'hītth] -n
- the highest part : summit
- highest or most advanced point : zenith
- at the height of his powers
- the distance from the bottom to the top of something standing upright
- the extent of elevation above a level
- the condition of being tall or high
- an extent of land rising to a considerable degree above the surrounding country
- a high point or position
- an advanced social rank
height·en ['hī-tᵊn] -vb
- to increase the amount or degree of : augment
- to make brighter or more intense : deepen
- to bring out more strongly : point up
- to make more acute : sharpen
- to raise high or higher : elevate
- to raise above the ordinary or trite
- elate
- grow, rise
- to become great or greater in amount, degree, or extent
- to become brighter or more intense
height to paper
- the height of printing type standardized at 0.9186 inch (2.333 centimeters) in English-speaking countries
Heim·lich maneuver ['hīm-lik-] -n
- the manual application of sudden upward pressure on the upper abdomen of a choking victim to force a foreign object from the trachea
hei·nie ['hī-nē] -n
- buttocks
hei·nous ['hā-nəs] -adj, adv, n
- hatefully or shockingly evil : abominable
heir ['er] -n, adj
- one who inherits or is entitled to inherit property
- one who inherits or is entitled to succeed to a hereditary rank, title, or office
- one who receives or is entitled to receive some endowment or quality from a parent or predecessor
- inherit
heir apparent -n
- an heir whose right to an inheritance is indefeasible except by exclusion under a valid will if he or she survives the ancestor
- heir presumptive
- one whose succession esp. to a position or role appears certain under existing circumstances
heir at law
- heir
heir·ess ['er-əs] -n
- a woman who is an heir esp. to great wealth
heir·loom ['er-,lüm] -n
- a piece of property that descends to the heir as an inseparable part of an inheritance of real property
- something of special value handed on from one generation to another
- a horticultural variety that has survived for several generations usu. due to the efforts of private individuals
heir presumptive -n
- an heir whose legal right to an inheritance may be defeated (as by the birth of a nearer relative)
Hei·sen·berg uncertainty principle ['hī-zᵊn-,bərg-, -,bərk-] -n
- uncertainty principle called also Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
heist ['hīst] -vt
- hoist
- to commit armed robbery on
- steal
- armed robbery : holdup
- theft
Hel ['hel] -n
- the Norse goddess of the dead and queen of the underworld
hela cell ['he-lə-] -n
- a cell of a continuously cultured strain isolated from a human uterine cervical carcinoma in 1951 and used in biomedical research esp. to culture viruses
held ['hōld] -vb
(variant of hold)
- to have possession or ownership of or have at one's disposal
- hold s property worth millions
- the bank hold s the title to the car
- to have as a privilege or position of responsibility
- to have as a mark of distinction
- hold s the record for the 100-yard dash
- : to keep under restraint
- hold price increases to a minimum
: as - to prevent free expression of
- to prevent from some action
- ordered the troops to hold fire
- the only restraining motive which may hold the hand of a tyrant -- Thomas Jefferson
- to keep back from use
- ask them to hold a room for us
- I'll have a hot dog, and hold the mustard
- to delay temporarily the handling of
- to make liable or accountable or bound to an obligation
- I'll hold you to your promise
- to have or maintain in the grasp
- this is how you hold the racket
- aim, point
- to support in a particular position or keep from falling or moving
- a clamp hold s the whole thing together
- to bear the pressure of : support
- can the roof hold all of that weight
- : to prevent from leaving or getting away: as
- to avoid emitting or letting out
- how long can you hold your breath
- to restrain as or as if a captive
- the suspect was held without bail
- to have strong appeal to
- the book held my interest throughout
- to enclose and keep in a container or within bounds : contain
- the jug hold s one gallon
- this corral will not hold all of the horses
- to be able to consume easily or without undue effect
- to be able to drink (alcoholic beverages) without becoming noticeably drunk
- accommodate
- the restaurant hold s 400 diners
- to have as a principal or essential feature or attribute
- the book hold s a number of surprises
- to have in store
- no one knows what the future hold s
- to have in the mind or express as a judgment, opinion, or belief
- I hold the view that this is wrong
- hold ing that it is nobody's business but his -- Jack Olsen
often used with against - in America they hold everything you say against you -- Paul McCartney
- to think of in a particular way : regard
- to assemble for and carry on the activity of
- to cause to be carried on : conduct
- to produce or sponsor esp. as a public exhibition
- to maintain occupation, control, or defense of
- the troops held the ridge
- to resist the offensive efforts or advance of
- held the opposing team to just two points
- to maintain (a certain condition, situation, or course of action) without change
- to cover (a part of the body) esp. for protection
- had to hold their ears because of the cold
- to maintain position : refuse to give ground
- the defensive line is hold ing
- to continue in the same way or to the same degree : last
- hopes the weather will hold
often used with up - to derive right or title often used with of or from
- to be or remain valid : apply
- the rule hold s in most cases
often used in the phrase hold true - to maintain a grasp on something : remain fastened to something
- the anchor held in the rough sea
- to go ahead as one has been going
- held south for several miles
- to bear or carry oneself
- to forbear an intended or threatened action : halt, pause often used as a command
- to stop counting during a countdown
- to have illicit drug material in one's possession
- stronghold
- confinement, custody
- prison
- the act or the manner of holding or grasping : grip
- released his hold on the handle
- a manner of grasping an opponent in wrestling
- a nonphysical bond that attaches, restrains, or constrains or by which something is affected, controlled, or dominated
- has lost its hold on the broad public -- Oscar Cargill
- full comprehension
- get hold of exactly what is happening -- J. P. Lyford
- full or immediate control : possession
- wants to get hold of a road map
- touch used with of
- something that may be grasped as a support
- fermata
- the time between the onset and the release of a vocal articulation
- a sudden motionless posture at the end of a dance
- an order or indication that something is to be reserved or delayed
- a delay in a countdown (as in launching a spacecraft)
- the interior of a ship below decks
- the cargo deck of a ship
- the cargo compartment of a plane
hel·den·te·nor ['hel-dən-,tā-,nȯr, -,te-nər] -n
- a tenor with a powerful dramatic voice well suited to heroic (as Wagnerian) roles
Helen of Troy [,he-lən-əv-'trȯi]
- the wife of Menelaus whose abduction by Paris brings about the Trojan War
heli- -comb form
- sun
- helicopter
he·li·a·cal [hi-'lī-ə-kəl] -adj, adv
- relating to or near the sun used esp. of the last setting of a star before and its first rising after invisibility due to conjunction with the sun
helic- -comb form
- helix : spiral
he·li·cal ['he-li-kəl, 'hē-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or having the form of a helix
- spiral
he·li·coid ['he-lə-,kȯid, 'hē-] -adj
- forming or arranged in a spiral
- having the form of a flat coil or flattened spiral
hel·i·con ['he-lə-,kän, -i-kən] -n
- a large circular tuba similar to a sousaphone but lacking an adjustable bell
hel·i·co·nia [,he-lə-'kō-nē-ə, -nyə] -n
- any of a genus ( Heliconiaof the family Heliconiaceae) of perennial herbs of tropical America and islands of the western Pacific having showy brightly colored bracts and large leaves
he·li·cop·ter ['he-lə-,käp-tər, 'hē-] -n
- an aircraft whose lift is derived from the aerodynamic forces acting on one or more powered rotors turning about substantially vertical axes
helicopter -vi
- to travel by helicopter
- to transport by helicopter
he·lio·cen·tric [,hē-lē-ō-'sen-trik] -adj
- referred to or measured from the sun's center or appearing as if seen from it
- having or relating to the sun as center
he·lio·graph [-,graf] -n, vt
- an apparatus for telegraphing by means of the sun's rays flashed from a mirror
he·lio·graph·ic [,hē-lē-ə-'gra-fik] -adj
- measured on the sun's disk
he·li·ol·a·try [,hē-lē-'ä-lə-trē] -n, adj
- sun worship
he·li·om·e·ter [,hē-lē-'ä-mə-tər] -n, adj, adv
- a visual telescope that has a divided objective designed for measuring the apparent diameter of the sun but also used for measuring angles between celestial bodies or between points on the moon
He·li·os ['hē-lē-əs, -(,)ōs] -n
- the god of the sun in Greek mythology
he·li·o·sphere ['hē-lē-ə-,sfir, -ō-] -n, adj
- the region in space influenced by the sun or solar wind
he·lio·stat ['hē-lē-ə-,stat] -n
- an instrument consisting of a mirror mounted on an axis moved by clockwork by which a sunbeam is steadily reflected in one direction
he·lio·trope ['hē-lē-ə-,trōp, 'hēl-yə-, Brit also 'hel-yə-] -n
- any of a genus ( Heliotropium) of herbs or shrubs of the borage family
- bloodstone
- a variable color averaging a moderate to reddish purple
he·li·ot·ro·pism [,hē-lē-'ä-trə-,pi-zəm] -n, adj
- phototropism in which sunlight is the orienting stimulus
he·lio·zo·an [,hē-lē-ə-'zō-ən] -n
- any of a class (Heliozoa) of free-living spherical usu. freshwater protozoans that reproduce by binary fission or budding
he·li·pad ['he-lə-,pad, 'hē-] -n
- heliport
he·li·port [-,pȯrt] -n
- a landing and takeoff place for a helicopter
he·liski·ing [-,skē-iŋ] -n
- downhill skiing on remote mountains reached by helicopter
he·li·um ['hē-lē-əm, 'hēl-yəm] -n
- a light colorless inert gaseous element found esp. in natural gases and used chiefly for inflating airships and balloons, in lamps, in cryogenic research, and as a component of inert atmospheres (as in welding)
he·lix ['hē-liks] -n
- : something spiral in form: as
- an ornamental volute
- a coil formed by winding wire around a uniform tube
- the incurved rim of the external ear
- a curve traced on a cylinder or cone by the rotation of a point crossing its right sections at a constant oblique angle
- spiral
hell ['hel] -n
- a nether world in which the dead continue to exist : hades
- the nether realm of the devil and the demons in which the damned suffer everlasting punishment often used in curses or as a generalized term of abuse
- error , sin
- a place or state of misery, torment, or wickedness
- war is hell -- W. T. Sherman
- a place or state of turmoil or destruction
- a severe scolding
- flak, grief
- gave me hell for coming in late
- unrestrained fun or sportiveness
- the kids were full of hell
often used in the phrase for the hell of it esp. to suggest action on impulse or without a serious motive - decided to go for the hell of it
- an extremely unpleasant and often inescapable situation
- a tailor's receptacle
- used as an interjection or as an intensive often used in the phrase hell of a
- it was one hell of a good fight
or hell out of - scared the hell out of him
or with the or in - moved way the hell up north
- what in hell is wrong, now?
he'll ['hēl, 'hil, ēl, il]
- he will : he shall
hel·la·cious [,he-'lā-shəs] -adj, adv
- exceptionally powerful or violent
- remarkably good
- extremely difficult
- extraordinarily large
hell·ben·der ['hel-,ben-dər] -n
- a large aquatic usu. brownish-gray salamander ( Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) of streams of the eastern and central U.S.
hellbent [-,bent] -adj, adv
- stubbornly and often recklessly determined or intent
hell·broth [-,brȯth] -n
- a brew for working black magic
hell·cat [-,kat] -n
- witch
- a violently temperamental person
- an ill-tempered woman
hel·le·bore ['he-lə-,bȯr] -n
- any of a genus ( Helleborus) of poisonous Eurasian herbs of the buttercup family having showy flowers with petaloid sepals
- the dried rhizome of a hellebore (as H. niger) formerly used in medicine
- a poisonous herb (genus Veratrum) of the lily family
- the dried rhizome of a hellebore ( V. albumor V. viride) that is used as an insecticide and contains toxic alkaloids that are cardiac and respiratory depressants
Hel·lene ['he-,lēn] -n
- greek
Hel·len·ic [he-'le-nik, hə-] -adj
- of or relating to Greece, its people, or its language
- of or relating to ancient Greek history, culture, or art before the Hellenistic period
Hellenic -n
- greek
Hel·le·nism ['he-lə-,ni-zəm] -n
- grecism
- devotion to or imitation of ancient Greek thought, customs, or styles
- Greek civilization esp. as modified in the Hellenistic period by influences from southwestern Asia
- a body of humanistic and classical ideals associated with ancient Greece and including reason, the pursuit of knowledge and the arts, moderation, civic responsibility, and bodily development
Hel·le·nist [-nist] -n
- a person living in Hellenistic times who was Greek in language, outlook, and way of life but was not Greek in ancestry
- a hellenized Jew
- a specialist in the language or culture of ancient Greece
Hel·le·nis·tic [,he-lə-'nis-tik] -adj, adv
- of or relating to Greek history, culture, or art after Alexander the Great
- of or relating to the Hellenists
hel·le·nize ['he-lə-,nīz] -vb, n
- to become Greek or Hellenistic
- to make Greek or Hellenistic in form or culture
hell·er ['he-lər] -n
- hellion
hell·fire ['hel-,fī(-ə)r] -n, adj
- the eternal fire of hell that tortures sinners
hellforleather -adv
- in a hell-for-leather manner : at full speed
- rode hellforleather down the trail
- marked by determined recklessness, great speed, or lack of restraint
- a cocky, hellforleather fighting man -- H. H. Martin
hell·gram·mite ['hel-grə-,mīt] -n
- a carnivorous aquatic No. American insect larva that is the young form of a dobsonfly (esp. Corydalis cornutus) and is used for fish bait
hell·hole ['hel-,hōl] -n
- a place of extreme misery or squalor
hell·hound [-,hau̇nd] -n
- a dog represented in mythology as a guardian of the underworld
- a fiendish person
hel·lion ['hel-yən] -n
- a troublesome or mischievous person
hell·ish ['he-lish] -adj, adv, n
- of, resembling, or befitting hell
- terrible
hel·lo [hə-'lō, he-] -n
- an expression or gesture of greeting used interjectionally in greeting, in answering the telephone, or to express surprise
hellrais·er ['hel-,rā-zər] -n, n or adj
- one given to wild, boisterous, or intemperate behavior
helm ['helm] -n
- helmet
- to cover or furnish with a helmet
- a lever or wheel controlling the rudder of a ship for steering
- the entire apparatus for steering a ship
- position of the helm with respect to the amidships position
- a position of control : head
- a new dean is at the helm of the medical school
- to direct with or as if with a helm : steer
- direct, control
- the director has helm ed many action movies
hel·met ['hel-mət] -n, adj
- a covering or enclosing headpiece of ancient or medieval armor
- any of various protective head coverings usu. made of a hard material to resist impact
- something resembling a helmet
hel·minth ['hel-,min(t)th] -n, adj
- a parasitic worm (as a tapeworm, liver fluke, ascarid, or leech)
- an intestinal worm
hel·min·thi·a·sis [,hel-mən-'thī-ə-səs] -n
- infestation with or disease caused by parasitic worms
hel·min·thol·o·gy [-'thä-lə-jē] -n
- a branch of zoology concerned with helminths
- the study of parasitic worms
helms·man ['helmz-mən] -n
- the person at the helm : steersman
helms·per·son ['helmz-,pər-sᵊn] -n
- helmsman
he·lo ['hē-(,)lō] -n
- helicopter
hel·ot ['he-lət] -n
- a member of a class of serfs in ancient Sparta
- serf, slave
help ['help; Southern often 'hep also 'heəp] -vb
- to give assistance or support to
- help a child with homework
- to make more pleasant or bearable : improve, relieve
- bright curtains will help the room
- took an aspirin to help her headache
- rescue, save
- to be of use to : benefit
- to further the advancement of : promote
- to change for the better
- to refrain from : avoid
- we couldn't help laughing
- to keep from occurring : prevent
- they couldn't help the accident
- to restrain (oneself) from doing something
- knew they shouldn't go but couldn't help themselves
- to serve with food or drink esp. at a meal
- told the guests to help themselves
- to appropriate something for (oneself)
- help ed himself to the car keys
- give assistance or support often used with out
- help s out with the housework
- to be of use or benefit
- aid, assistance
- a source of aid
- printed help s to the memory -- C. S. Braden
- remedy, relief
- one who serves or assists another (as in housework) : helper
- employee often used collectively
help·er ['hel-pər] -n
- one that helps
- a relatively unskilled worker who assists a skilled worker usu. by manual labor
helper T cell -n
- a T cell that participates in an immune response by recognizing a foreign antigen and secreting lymphokines to activate T cell and B cell proliferation and that usu. carries CD4 molecular markers on its cell surface called also helper cell T-helper cell
help·ful ['help-fəl; Southern often 'hep- also 'heəp-] -adj, adv, n
- of service or assistance : useful
help·ing ['hel-piŋ] -n
- a portion of food : serving
- dose
- large helping s of reportage and interviews -- Stefan Kanfer
helping hand -n
- hand
helping verb -n
- an auxiliary verb
help·less ['hel-pləs; Southern often 'hep-ləs also 'heəp-] -adj, adv, n
- lacking protection or support : defenseless
- marked by an inability to act or react
- the crowd looked on in helpless horror -- Current Biog.
- not able to be controlled or restrained
help·mate ['help-,māt; Southern often 'hep- also 'heəp-] -n
- one who is a companion and helper
- wife
help·meet [-,mēt] -n
- helpmate
hel·terskel·ter [,hel-tər-'skel-tər] -adv
- in undue haste, confusion, or disorder
- ran helterskelter, getting in each other's way -- F. V. W. Mason
- in a haphazard manner
helterskelter -n
- a disorderly confusion : turmoil
- a spiral slide around a tower at an amusement park
- confusedly hurried : precipitate
- marked by a lack of order or plan : haphazard
- the helterskelter arrangement of the papers, all mussed and frayed -- Jean Stafford
helve ['helv] -n
- a handle of a tool or weapon : haft
Hel·ve·tii [hel-'vē-shē-,ī] -n pl
- an early Celtic people in the area of western Switzerland at the time of Julius Caesar
hem ['hem] -n
- a border of a cloth article doubled back and stitched down
- rim, margin
- bright green hem of reeds about the ponds -- R. M. Lockley
- to finish with a hem
- border, edge
- to surround in a restrictive manner : confine usu. used with in
- hemmed in by enemy troops
- to make a hem in sewing
- to utter the sound represented by hem
- hemmed and hawed before answering
- equivocate
- the administration hemmed and hawed over the students' demands
- often used to indicate a vocalized pause in speaking
hem- -comb form
- blood
hema- -comb form
- hem-
he·ma·cy·tom·e·ter [,hē-mə-sī-'tä-mə-tər] -n
- an instrument for counting blood cells
hem·ag·glu·ti·na·tion [,hē-mə-,glü-tə-'nā-shən] -n, vt
- agglutination of red blood cells
hem·ag·glu·ti·nin [-'glü-tə-nən] -n
- an agglutinin (as an antibody or viral capsid protein) that causes hemagglutination
heman ['hē-,man] -n
- a strong virile man
hem·an·gi·o·ma [,hē-,man-jē-'ō-mə] -n
- a usu. benign tumor made up of blood vessels that typically occurs as a purplish or reddish slightly elevated area of skin
hemat- -comb form
- hem-
he·ma·tin ['hē-mə-tən] -n
- a brownish-black or bluish-black derivative C 34H 33N 4O 5Fe of oxidized heme
- any of several similar compounds
he·ma·tin·ic [,hē-mə-'ti-nik] -n, adj
- an agent that tends to stimulate blood cell formation or to increase the hemoglobin in the blood
he·ma·tite ['hē-mə-,tīt] -n, adj
- a reddish-brown to black mineral consisting of ferric oxide, constituting an important iron ore, and occurring in crystals or as earthy red ocher
he·mat·o·crit [hi-'ma-tə-krət, -,krit] -n
- the ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the total volume of blood as determined by separation of red blood cells from the plasma usu. by centrifugation
he·ma·tog·e·nous [,hē-mə-'tä-jə-nəs] -adj
- producing blood
- involving, spread by, or arising in the blood
- hematogenous spread of infection
he·ma·to·log·ic [,hē-mə-tə-'lä-jik] -adj
- of or relating to blood or to hematology
he·ma·tol·o·gy [,hē-mə-'tä-lə-jē] -n
- a medical science that deals with the blood and blood-forming organs
he·ma·to·ma [-'tō-mə] -n
- a mass of usu. clotted blood that forms in a tissue, organ, or body space as a result of a broken blood vessel
he·ma·toph·a·gous [-'tä-fə-gəs] -adj
- feeding on blood
he·ma·to·poi·e·sis [hi-,ma-tə-pȯi-'ē-səs, ,hē-mə-tō-] -n, adj
- the formation of blood or of blood cells in the living body
he·ma·to·por·phy·rin [-'pȯr-fə-rən] -n
- any of several isomeric porphyrins C 34H 38O 6N 4that are hydrated derivatives of protoporphyrins
- the deep red crystalline pigment obtained by treating hematin or heme with acid
he·ma·tox·y·lin [,hē-mə-'täk-sə-lən] -n
- a crystalline phenolic compound C 16H 14O 6found in logwood and used chiefly in biological staining
he·ma·tu·ria [-'tu̇r-ē-ə, -'tyu̇r-] -n
- the presence of blood or blood cells in the urine
heme ['hēm] -n
- the deep red iron-containing prosthetic group C 34H 32N 4O 4Fe of hemoglobin and myoglobin
hem·el·y·tron [he-'me-lə-,trän] -n
- one of the basally thickened anterior wings of various insects (as true bugs)
hem·ero·cal·lis [,he-mə-rō-'ka-ləs] -n
- daylily
hem·er·y·thrin [hē-'mer-ə-thrən] -n
- an iron-containing respiratory pigment in the blood of various chiefly marine invertebrates (as some brachiopods)
hemi- -prefix
- half
hemi·ac·e·tal [,he-mē-'a-sə-,tal] -n
- any of a class of compounds characterized by the grouping C(OH)(OR) where R is an alkyl group and usu. formed as intermediates in the preparation of acetals from aldehydes or ketones
he·mic ['hē-mik] -adj
- of, relating to, or produced by the blood or the circulation of blood
hemi·cel·lu·lose [,he-mi-'sel-yə-,lōs, -,lōz] -n
- any of various plant polysaccharides less complex than cellulose and easily hydrolyzable to monosaccharides and other products
hemi·chor·date [-'kȯr-dət, -'kȯr-,dāt] -n
- any of a phylum (Hemichordata) of wormlike marine animals (as an acorn worm) that have in the proboscis an outgrowth of the pharyngeal wall which superficially resembles the notochord of chordates
hemi·cy·cle ['he-mi-,sī-kəl] -n
- a curved or semicircular structure or arrangement
hemi·demi·semi·qua·ver [,he-mi-,de-mi-'se-mi-,kwā-vər] -n
- sixty-fourth note
hemi·he·dral [,he-mi-'hē-drəl] -adj
- having half the faces required by complete symmetry
hemi·hy·drate [-'hī-,drāt] -n, adj
- a hydrate (as plaster of paris) containing half a mole of water to one mole of the compound forming the hydrate
hemi·me·tab·o·lous [,he-mi-mə-'ta-bə-ləs] -adj
- characterized by incomplete metamorphosis
hemi·mor·phic [,he-mi-'mȯr-fik] -adj, n
- having different crystalline forms at each end of a crystallographic axis
he·min ['hē-mən] -n
- a red-brown to blue-black crystalline salt C 34H 32N 4O 4FeCl derived from oxidized heme but usu. obtained in a characteristic crystalline form from hemoglobin
hemi·o·la [,he-mē-'ō-lə] -n
- a musical rhythmic alteration in which six equal notes may be heard as two groups of three or three groups of two
hemi·ple·gia [,he-mi-'plē-j(ē-)ə] -n, adj or n
- total or partial paralysis of one side of the body that results from disease of or injury to the motor centers of the brain
he·mip·ter·an [hi-'mip-tə-rən] -n, adj
- any of a large order (Hemiptera) of hemimetabolous insects (as the true bugs) that have hemelytra and mouthparts adapted to piercing and sucking
hemi·sphere ['he-mə-,sfir] -n, adj
- a half of the celestial sphere as divided into two halves by the horizon, the celestial equator, or the ecliptic
- half of a spherical or roughly spherical body (as a planet)
- the northern or southern half of the earth as divided by the equator or the eastern or western half as divided by a meridian
- the inhabitants of a terrestrial hemisphere
- realm, province
- one of two half spheres formed by a plane through the sphere's center
- a map or projection of a celestial or terrestrial hemisphere
- cerebral hemisphere
hemi·spher·ec·to·my [,he-mi-sfi-'rek-tə-mē] -n
- surgical removal of a cerebral hemisphere
hemi·stich ['he-mi-,stik] -n
- half a poetic line of verse usu. divided by a caesura
hemi·zy·gous [,he-mi-'zī-gəs] -adj
- having or characterized by one or more genes (as in a genetic deficiency or in an X chromosome paired with a Y chromosome) that have no allelic counterparts
hem·line ['hem-,līn] -n
- the line formed by the lower edge of a dress, skirt, or coat
hem·lock ['hem-,läk] -n
- any of several poisonous herbs (as a poison hemlock or a water hemlock) of the carrot family having finely cut leaves and small white flowers
- a drug or lethal drink prepared from the poison hemlock
- any of a genus ( Tsuga) of evergreen coniferous trees of the pine family
- the soft light splintery wood of a hemlock
he·mo·chro·ma·to·sis [,hē-mə-,krō-mə-'tō-səs] -n
- a hereditary disorder of metabolism involving the deposition of iron-containing pigments in the tissues that is characterized esp. by joint or abdominal pain, weakness, and fatigue and that may lead to bronzing of the skin, arthritis, diabetes, cirrhosis, or heart disease if untreated
he·mo·coel ['hē-mə-,sēl] -n
- a body cavity (as in arthropods or some mollusks) that contains blood or hemolymph and functions as part of the circulatory system
he·mo·cy·a·nin [,hē-mō-'sī-ə-nən] -n
- a copper-containing respiratory pigment in the circulatory fluid of various arthropods and mollusks
he·mo·cyte ['hē-mə-,sīt] -n
- a blood cell esp. of an invertebrate animal
he·mo·cy·tom·e·ter [,hē-mə-sī-'tä-mə-tər] -n
- hemacytometer
he·mo·di·al·y·sis [,hē-mō-dī-'a-lə-səs] -n
- dialysis
he·mo·di·lu·tion [-dī-'lü-shən, -də-] -n
- decreased concentration of cells and solids in the blood resulting from gain of fluid
he·mo·dy·nam·ic [-dī-'na-mik, -də-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or involving hemodynamics
- relating to or functioning in the mechanics of blood circulation
he·mo·dy·nam·ics [-miks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- a branch of physiology that deals with the circulation of the blood
- the forces or mechanisms involved in circulation
he·mo·fla·gel·late [,hē-mō-'fla-jə-lət, -,lāt; -flə-'je-lət] -n
- a flagellate (as a trypanosome) that is a blood parasite
he·mo·glo·bin ['hē-mə-,glō-bən] -n
- an iron-containing respiratory pigment of vertebrate red blood cells that consists of a globin composed of four subunits each of which is linked to a heme molecule, that functions in oxygen transport to the tissues after conversion to oxygenated form in the gills or lungs, and that assists in carbon dioxide transport back to the gills or lungs after surrender of its oxygen
- any of numerous iron-containing respiratory pigments of various organisms (as invertebrates and yeasts)
he·mo·glo·bin·op·a·thy [,hē-mə-,glō-bə-'nä-pə-thē] -n
- a blood disorder (as sickle-cell anemia) caused by a genetically determined change in the molecular structure of hemoglobin
hemoglobin S -n
- an abnormal hemoglobin that occurs in the red blood cells in sickle-cell anemia and sickle-cell trait
he·mo·glo·bin·uria [,hē-mə-,glō-bə-'nu̇r-ē-ə, -'nyu̇r-] -n, adj
- the presence of free hemoglobin in the urine
he·mo·lymph ['hē-mə-,lim(p)f] -n
- the circulatory fluid of various invertebrate animals that is functionally comparable to the blood and lymph of vertebrates
he·mo·ly·sin [,hē-mə-'lī-sᵊn] -n
- a substance that causes the dissolution of red blood cells
he·mo·ly·sis [hi-'mä-lə-səs, ,hē-mə-'lī-səs] -n, adj
- lysis of red blood cells with liberation of hemoglobin
hemolytic anemia -n
- anemia caused by excessive destruction (as in infection or sickle-cell anemia) of red blood cells
hemolytic disease of the newborn
- erythroblastosis fetalis
hemolytic uremic syndrome -n
- any of a group of rare disorders occurring esp. in young children that are characterized by hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and varying degrees of kidney failure and that are precipitated by various factors (as infection with E. coli)
he·mo·lyze ['hē-mə-,līz] -vb
- to cause hemolysis of
- to undergo hemolysis
he·mo·phil·ia [,hē-mə-'fi-lē-ə] -n
- a sex-linked hereditary blood defect that occurs almost exclusively in males and is characterized by delayed clotting of the blood and consequent difficulty in controlling hemorrhage even after minor injuries
he·mo·phil·i·ac [-'fi-lē-,ak] -adj
- of, resembling, or affected with hemophilia
hemophiliac -n
- one affected with hemophilia called also bleeder
he·mo·phil·ic [-'fi-lik] -n or adj
- hemophiliac
he·mo·poi·e·sis [,hē-mə-pȯi-'ē-səs] -n, adj
- hematopoiesis
he·mo·pro·tein [-'prō-,tēn, -'prō-tē-ən] -n
- a conjugated protein (as hemoglobin or cytochrome) whose prosthetic group is a porphyrin combined with iron
he·mop·ty·sis [hi-'mäp-tə-səs] -n
- expectoration of blood from some part of the respiratory tract
hem·or·rhage ['hem-rij, 'he-mə-] -n, adj
- a copious discharge of blood from the blood vessels
- a rapid and uncontrollable loss or outflow
hemorrhage -vb
- to undergo heavy or uncontrollable bleeding
- to lose rapidly and uncontrollably
hemorrhagic fever -n
- any of a diverse group of virus diseases (as Lassa fever and Ebola) that are usu. transmitted by arthropods or rodents and are characterized by a sudden onset, fever, aching, bleeding in the internal organs, petechiae, and shock
hem·or·rhoid ['hem-,rȯid, 'he-mə-] -n
- a mass of dilated veins in swollen tissue at the margin of the anus or nearby within the rectum usu. used in pl. called also piles
hem·or·rhoid·al [,hem-'rȯi-dᵊl, ,he-mə-] -n
- a hemorrhoidal part (as an artery or vein)
hemorrhoidal -adj
- of, relating to, or involving hemorrhoids
- rectal
he·mo·sid·er·in [,hē-mō-'si-də-rən] -n
- a yellowish-brown granular intracellular pigment that is formed in some phagocytic cells (as macrophages) by the breakdown of hemoglobin and is prob. essentially a denatured form of ferritin
he·mo·sta·sis [,hē-mə-'stā-səs] -n
- arrest of bleeding
he·mo·stat ['hē-mə-,stat] -n
- hemostatic
- an instrument for compressing a bleeding vessel
he·mo·stat·ic [,hē-mə-'sta-tik] -n
- a hemostatic agent
hemostatic -adj
- of or caused by hemostasis
- serving to check bleeding
hemp ['hemp] -n
- a tall widely cultivated Asian herb ( Cannabis sativaof the family Cannabaceae, the hemp family) that has a tough bast fiber used esp. for cordage and that is often separated into a tall loosely branched species ( C. sativa) and a low-growing densely branched species ( C. indica)
- the fiber of hemp
- a psychoactive drug (as marijuana or hashish) from hemp
- a fiber (as jute) from a plant other than the true hemp
- a plant yielding such fiber
hemp·en ['hem-pən] -adj
- composed of hemp
hemp nettle -n
- any of a genus ( Galeopsis) of coarse Old World herbs of the mint family
- a bristly Eurasian herb ( G. tetrahit) naturalized in No. America as a weed
hem·stitch ['hem-,stich] -vt, n
- to decorate (as a border) with hemstitch
hemstitch -n
- decorative needlework similar to drawnwork that is used esp. on or next to the stitching line of hems
- a stitch used in hemstitching
hen ['hen] -n
- a female chicken esp. over a year old
- a female bird
- the female of various mostly aquatic animals (as lobsters or fish)
- woman
- a fussy middle-aged woman
hen and chickens -n
- any of several plants having offsets, runners, or flowers that send out shoots
- houseleek
hen·bane ['hen-,bān] -n
- a poisonous fetid Eurasian herb ( Hyoscyamus niger) of the nightshade family with yellowish-brown flowers and sticky hairy leaves that yield hyoscyamine and scopolamine
hen·bit ['hen-,bit] -n
- a Eurasian herb ( Lamium amplexicaule) of the mint family that has small scalloped leaves and purplish flowers and is naturalized in No. America
hence ['hen(t)s] -adv
- from this place : away
- henceforth
- from this time
- because of a preceding fact or premise : therefore
- from this source or origin
hence·forth ['hen(t)s-,fȯrth, hen(t)s-'] -adv
- from this point on
hence·for·ward [hen(t)s-'fȯr-wərd] -adv
- henceforth
hench·man ['hench-mən] -n
- a squire or page to a person of high rank
- a trusted follower : a right-hand man
- a political follower whose support is chiefly for personal advantage
- a member of a gang
hen·deca·syl·lab·ic [(,)hen-,de-kə-sə-'la-bik] -adj, n
- consisting of 11 syllables or composed of verses of 11 syllables
hen·di·a·dys [hen-'dī-ə-dəs] -n
- the expression of an idea by the use of usu. two independent words connected by and(as nice and warm) instead of the usual combination of independent word and its modifier (as nicely warm)
hen·e·quen ['he-ni-kən, ,he-ni-'ken] -n
- a strong yellowish or reddish hard fiber obtained from the leaves of a tropical American agave ( Agave fourcroydes) found chiefly in Yucatan and used esp. in making twine and rope
- a plant that yields henequen
hen·house ['hen-,hau̇s] -n
- a house or shelter for fowl
Hen·le's loop ['hen-lēz-] -n
- loop of henle
hen·na ['he-nə] -n
- a reddish-brown dye obtained from leaves of the henna plant and used esp. on hair
- an Old World tropical shrub or small tree ( Lawsonia inermis) of the loosestrife family with small opposite leaves and panicles of fragrant usu. white flowers
henna -vt
- to dye (as hair) with henna
hen·nery ['he-nə-rē] -n
- a poultry farm
- an enclosure for poultry
heno·the·ism ['he-nə-(,)thē-,i-zəm] -n, adj
- the worship of one god without denying the existence of other gods
hen party -n
- a party for women only
hen·peck ['hen-,pek] -vt
- to subject (one's husband) to persistent nagging and domination
hen·ry ['hen-rē] -n
- the practical meter-kilogram-second unit of inductance equal to the self-inductance of a circuit or the mutual inductance of two circuits in which the variation of one ampere per second results in an induced electromotive force of one volt
hent ['hent] -vt
- seize
hen track -n
- an illegible or scarcely legible mark intended as handwriting called also hen scratch
hep ['hep, 'həp, 'hət] -interj
- used to mark a marching cadence
- hip
HEPA ['he-pə] -adj
- being, using, or containing a filter usu. designed to remove 99.97% of airborne particles measuring 0.3 micrometers or greater in diameter passing through it
hep·a·rin ['he-pə-rən] -n, adj
- a mucopolysaccharide sulfuric acid ester that is found esp. in the liver and lungs, that prolongs the clotting time of blood, and that is used medically in the form of its sodium salt
hepat- -comb form
- liver
- hepatic and
hep·a·tec·to·my [,he-pə-'tek-tə-mē] -n, adj
- excision of the liver or of part of the liver
he·pat·ic [hi-'pa-tik] -adj
- of, relating to, affecting, associated with, supplying, or draining the liver
hepatic -n
- liverwort
he·pat·i·ca [hi-'pa-ti-kə] -n
- any of a genus ( Hepatica) of herbs of the buttercup family with lobed leaves and delicate flowers
hep·a·ti·tis [,he-pə-'tī-təs] -n
- inflammation of the liver
- a disease or condition (as hepatitis A or hepatitis B) marked by inflammation of the liver
hepatitis A -n
- an acute usu. benign hepatitis caused by a picornavirus (species Hepatitis A virusof the genus Hepatovirus) that does not persist in the blood serum and is transmitted esp. in food and water contaminated with infected fecal matter called also infectious hepatitis
hepatitis B -n
- a sometimes fatal hepatitis caused by a double-stranded DNA virus (species Hepatitis B virusof the genus Orthohepadnavirus,family Hepadnaviridae) that tends to persist in the blood serum and is transmitted esp. by contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids (as semen) called also serum hepatitis
hepatitis C -n
- a hepatitis caused by a flavivirus (species Hepatitis C virusof the genus Hepacivirus) that tends to persist in the blood serum and is usu. transmitted by contact with infected blood (as by transfusion or by illicit intravenous drug use)
he·pa·to·cel·lu·lar [,he-pə-tō-'sel-yə-lər, hi-,pa-tə-'sel-] -adj
- of or involving hepatocytes
he·pa·to·cyte [hi-'pa-tə-,sīt, 'he-pə-tə-] -n
- an epithelial parenchymatous cell of the liver
hep·a·to·ma [,he-pə-'tō-mə] -n
- a usu. malignant tumor of the liver
he·pa·to·meg·a·ly [,he-pə-tō-'me-gə-lē, hi-,pa-tə-'me-] -n
- enlargement of the liver
he·pa·to·pan·cre·as [-'paŋ-krē-əs, -'pan-] -n
- a glandular structure (as of a crustacean) that combines the digestive functions of the vertebrate liver and pancreas
hep·a·to·tox·ic [-'täk-sik] -adj
- relating to or causing injury to the liver
hep·a·to·tox·ic·i·ty [-täk-'si-sə-tē] -n
- a state of toxic damage to the liver
- a tendency or capacity to cause hepatotoxicity
hep·cat ['hep-,kat] -n
- hipster
He·phaes·tus [hi-'fes-təs, -'fēs-] -n
- the Greek god of fire and metalworking
hepped up -adj
- enthusiastic
Hep·ple·white ['he-pəl-,hwīt, -,wīt] -adj
- of, relating to, or imitating a style of furniture originating in late 18th century England
hepta- -comb form
- seven
- containing seven atoms, groups, or equivalents
hep·ta·chlor ['hep-t-ə,klȯr] -n
- a cyclodiene chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide C 10H 5Cl 7that causes liver disease in animals and is a suspected human carcinogen
hep·tad ['hep-,tad] -n
- a group of seven
hep·ta·gon ['hep-tə-,gän] -n, adj
- a polygon of seven angles and seven sides
hep·tam·e·ter [hep-'ta-mə-tər] -n
- a line of verse consisting of seven metrical feet
hep·tane ['hep-,tān] -n
- any of several isomeric alkanes C 7H 16
- the liquid normal isomer occurring in petroleum and used esp. as a solvent and in determining octane numbers
hep·tar·chy ['hep-,tär-kē] -n
- a hypothetical confederacy of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of the seventh and eighth centuries
Hep·ta·teuch ['hep-tə-,tük, -,tyük] -n
- the first seven books of the canonical Jewish and Christian Scriptures
hep·tath·lete [hep-'tath-,lēt] -n
- an athlete who competes in a heptathlon
hep·tath·lon [hep-'tath-lən, -,län, ÷-'ta-thə-] -n
- a 7-event athletic contest
- a composite contest for female athletes that consists of the 100-meter hurdles, the high jump, the shot put, the 200-meter dash, the long jump, the javelin throw, and the 800-meter run
hep·tose ['hep-,tōs, -,tōz] -n
- any of various monosaccharides C 7H 14O 7containing seven carbon atoms in a molecule
her [(h)ər, 'hər] -adj
- of or relating to her or herself esp. as possessor, agent, or object of an action
her ['shē] -pron
(variant of she)
- that female one who is neither speaker nor hearer
- used to refer to one regarded as feminine (as by personification)
- used as an alternative to he to refer to a person of unspecified gender
- allow anyone to do whatever she wants -- D. J. Callahan
- a female person or animal often used in combination
He·ra ['hir-ə, 'he-rə, 'her-ə] -n
- the sister and consort of Zeus
Her·a·cles ['her-ə-,klēz-, 'he-rə-] -n
- hercules
her·ald ['her-əld, 'he-rəld] -n
- an official at a tournament of arms with duties including the making of announcements and the marshaling of combatants
- an officer with the status of ambassador acting as official messenger between leaders esp. in war
- officer of arms
- an officer of arms ranking above a pursuivant and below a king of arms
- an official crier or messenger
- one that precedes or foreshadows
- one that conveys news or proclaims : announcer
- one who actively promotes or advocates : exponent
herald -vt
- to give notice of : announce
- to greet esp. with enthusiasm : hail
- doctors are herald ing a new drug
- publicize
- to signal the approach of : foreshadow
he·ral·dic [he-'ral-dik, hə-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to heralds or heraldry
her·ald·ry ['her-əl-drē, 'he-rəl-] -n
- the practice of devising, blazoning, and granting armorial insignia and of tracing and recording genealogies
- an armorial ensign
- insignia
- pageantry
herb ['ərb, US also & Brit usu 'hərb] -n, adj
- a seed-producing annual, biennial, or perennial that does not develop persistent woody tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season
- a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory, or aromatic qualities
- marijuana
her·ba·ceous [,(h)ər-'bā-shəs] -adj
- of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an herb
- having little or no woody tissue and persisting usu. for a single growing season
- having the texture, color, or appearance of a leaf
herb·age ['(h)ər-bij] -n
- herbaceous vegetation (as grass) esp. when used for grazing
- the succulent parts of herbaceous plants
herb·al ['(h)ər-bəl] -n
- a book about plants esp. with reference to their medicinal properties
- herbarium
herbal -adj
- of, relating to, utilizing, or made of herbs
herb·al·ism ['(h)ər-bə-,liz-əm] -n
- herbal medicine
herb·al·ist ['(h)ər-bə-list] -n
- a person who practices healing by the use of herbs
- a person who collects or grows herbs
herbal medicine -n
- the art or practice of using herbs and herbal preparations to maintain health and to prevent, alleviate, or cure disease
- a plant or plant part or an extract or mixture of these used in herbal medicine
her·bar·i·um [,(h)ər-'ber-ē-əm] -n
- a collection of dried plant specimens usu. mounted and systematically arranged for reference
- a place that houses an herbarium
herb doctor -n
- herbalist
herbed ['(h)ərbd] -adj
- seasoned with herbs
her·bi·cide ['(h)ər-bə-,sīd] -n, adj, adv
- an agent used to destroy or inhibit plant growth
her·bi·vore ['(h)ər-bə-,vȯr] -n
- a herbivorous animal
her·biv·o·rous [,(h)ər-'biv-rəs, -'bi-və-] -adj, n
- feeding on plants
her·bol·o·gy [(h)ər-'bä-lə-jē] -n
- herbal medicine
herb Rob·ert ['(h)ərb-'rä-bərt] -n
- a low annual or biennial geranium ( Geranium robertianum) with small reddish-purple flowers
Her·cu·le·an [,hər-kyə-'lē-ən, ,hər-'kyü-lē-] -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of Hercules
- of extraordinary power, extent, intensity, or difficulty
Her·cu·les ['hər-kyə-,lēz] -n
- a mythical Greek hero renowned for his great strength and esp. for performing 12 labors imposed on him by Hera
- a northern constellation between Corona Borealis and Lyra
Her·cu·les'club ['hər-kyə-,lēz-,kləb] -n
- a small prickly eastern U.S. tree ( Aralia spinosa) of the ginseng family with large compound leaves called also angelica tree
- a small prickly southern U.S. tree ( Zanthoxylum clava-herculis) of the rue family
herd ['hərd] -n, adj
- a number of animals of one kind kept together under human control
- a congregation of gregarious wild animals
- a group of people usu. having a common bond
- a large assemblage of like things
- the undistinguished masses : crowd
- isolate the individual prophets from the herd -- Norman Cousins
- to gather, lead, or drive as if in a herd
- herd ed the children into the car
- to keep or move (animals) together
- to place in a group
- to assemble or move in a herd
- to place oneself in a group : associate
herd·er ['hər-dər] -n
- one that herds
- herdsman
herds·man ['hərdz-mən] -n
- a manager, breeder, or tender of livestock
- bootes
here ['hir] -adv
- in or at this place often used interjectionally esp. in answering a roll call
- now
- here it's morning already
- in an arbitrary location
- a book here, a paper there
- at or in this point, particular, or case
- in the present life or state
- hither
- used interjectionally in rebuke or encouragement
- used for emphasis esp. after a demonstrative pronoun or after a noun modified by a demonstrative adjective
- used for emphasis after a demonstrative adjective but before the noun modified
- this place
here·abouts ['hir-ə-,bau̇ts] -adv
- in this vicinity
here·af·ter [hir-'af-tər] -adv
- after this in sequence or in time
- in some future time or state
hereafter -n
- future
- an existence beyond earthly life
- future
here and now -n
- the present time used with the
- man's obligation is in the here and now -- W. H. Whyte
here and there -adv
- in one place and another
- from time to time
here·away ['hir-ə-,wā] -adv
- hereabouts
here·by [hir-'bī, 'hir-,] -adv
- by this means
her·e·dit·a·ment [,her-ə-'di-tə-mənt] -n
- heritable property
he·red·i·tar·i·an [hə-,re-də-'ter-ē-ən] -n, adj
- an advocate of the theory that individual differences in human beings can be accounted for primarily on the basis of genetics
he·red·i·tary [hə-'re-də-,ter-ē] -adj, adv
- genetically transmitted or transmittable from parent to offspring
- characteristic of or fostered by one's predecessors
- received or passing by inheritance or required to pass by inheritance or by reason of birth
- having title or possession through inheritance or by reason of birth
- of a kind established by tradition
- of or relating to inheritance or heredity
he·red·i·ty [hə-'re-də-tē] -n
- inheritance
- tradition
- the sum of the characteristics and potentialities genetically derived from one's ancestors
- the transmission of such qualities from ancestor to descendant through the genes
Her·e·ford ['hər-fərd sometimes 'her-ə-] -n
- any of a breed of hardy red-coated beef cattle of English origin with white faces and markings
here·in [hir-'in] -adv
- in this
here·in·above [(,)hir-,in-ə-'bəv] -adv
- at a prior point in this writing or document
here·in·af·ter [,hir-ə-'naf-tər] -adv
- in the following part of this writing or document
here·in·be·fore [(,)hir-,in-bi-'fȯr] -adv
- in the preceding part of this writing or document
here·in·be·low [-bi-'lō] -adv
- at a subsequent point in this writing or document
here·of [hir-'əv, -'äv] -adv
- of this
here·on [-'ȯn, -'än] -adv
- on this
He·re·ro [hə-'rer-(,)ō, 'her-ə-,rō] -n
- a member of a Bantu people of central Namibia
he·re·si·arch [hə-'rē-zē-,ärk, 'her-ə-sē-] -n
- an originator or chief advocate of a heresy
her·e·sy ['her-ə-sē, 'he-rə-] -n
- adherence to a religious opinion contrary to church dogma
- denial of a revealed truth by a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church
- an opinion or doctrine contrary to church dogma
- dissent or deviation from a dominant theory, opinion, or practice
- an opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth or to generally accepted beliefs or standards
her·e·tic ['her-ə-,tik, 'he-rə-] -n
- a dissenter from established religious dogma
- a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church who disavows a revealed truth
- one who dissents from an accepted belief or doctrine : nonconformist
he·ret·i·cal [hə-'re-ti-kəl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or characterized by heresy
- of, relating to, or characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or standards : unorthodox
here·to [hir-'tü] -adv
- to this writing or document
here·to·fore ['hir-tə-,fȯr, ,hir-tə-'] -adv
- up to this time : hitherto
here·un·der [hir-'ən-dər] -adv
- under or in accordance with this writing or document
here·un·to [hir-'ən-(,)tü, ,hir-(,)ən-'tü] -adv
- to this
here·up·on ['hir-ə-,pȯn, -,pän, ,hir-ə-'] -adv
- on this : immediately after this
here·with [hir-'with, -'with] -adv
- with this communication : enclosed in this
- hereby
He·rez [hə-'rez] -n
- a Persian rug characterized by a large central geometric medallion and by angular floral designs
her·i·ot ['her-ē-ət] -n
- a feudal duty or tribute due under English law to a lord on the death of a tenant
her·i·ta·bil·i·ty [,her-ə-tə-'bi-lə-tē, ,he-rə-] -n
- the quality or state of being heritable
- the proportion of observed variation in a particular trait (as height) that can be attributed to inherited genetic factors in contrast to environmental ones
her·i·ta·ble ['her-ə-tə-bəl, 'he-rə-] -adj
- capable of being inherited or of passing by inheritance
- hereditary
her·i·tage ['her-ə-tij, 'he-rə-] -n
- property that descends to an heir
- something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor : legacy, inheritance
- tradition
- something possessed as a result of one's natural situation or birth : birthright
- the nation's heritage of tolerance
her·i·tor ['her-ə-tər] -n
- one that inherits : inheritor
herkyjerky ['hər-kē-'jər-kē] -adj
- characterized by sudden, irregular, or unpredictable movement or style
herm ['hərm] -n
- a statue in the form of a square stone pillar surmounted by a bust or head esp. of Hermes
her·ma ['hər-mə] -n
- herm
her·maph·ro·dite [(,)hər-'ma-frə-,dīt] -n, adj
- an animal or plant having both male and female reproductive organs
- something that is a combination of diverse elements
Her·maph·ro·di·tus [(,)hər-,ma-frə-'dī-təs] -n
- a son of Hermes and Aphrodite who becomes joined in one body with a nymph while bathing
her·ma·typ·ic [,hər-mə-'ti-pik] -adj
- building reefs
her·me·neu·tic [,hər-mə-'nü-tik, -'nyü-] -n
- the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible)
- a method or principle of interpretation
her·me·neu·ti·cal [,hər-mə-'nü-ti-kəl, -'nyü-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to hermeneutics : interpretative
Her·mes ['hər-(,)mēz] -n
- a Greek god of commerce, eloquence, invention, travel, and theft who serves as herald and messenger of the other gods
Hermes Tris·me·gis·tus [-,tris-mə-'jis-təs] -n
- a legendary author of works embodying magical, astrological, and alchemical doctrines
her·met·ic [(,)hər-'me-tik] -adj, adv
- of or relating to the Gnostic writings or teachings arising in the first three centuries a.d.and attributed to Hermes Trismegistus
- relating to or characterized by occultism or abstruseness : recondite
- airtight
- impervious to external influence
- trapped inside the hermetic military machine -- Jack Newfield
- recluse, solitary
her·met·i·cism [-'me-tə-,si-zəm] -n
- hermetism
her·me·tism ['hər-mə-,ti-zəm] -n
- a system of ideas based on hermetic teachings
- adherence to or practice of hermetic doctrine
- the practice of being hermetically mysterious
- it is not...willful hermetism, if the message of their art is veiled and indirect -- R. J. Goldwater
her·mit ['hər-mət] -n
- one that retires from society and lives in solitude esp. for religious reasons : recluse
- beadsman
- a spiced molasses cookie
her·mit·age ['hər-mə-tij] -n
- the habitation of a hermit
- a secluded residence or private retreat : hideaway
- monastery
- the life or condition of a hermit
Her·mi·tage [,(h)er-mi-'täzh] -n
- a red or white Rhone valley wine
hermit crab -n
- any of numerous chiefly marine small decapod crustaceans (esp. families Diogenidae, Paguridae, and Parapaguridae) having soft asymmetrical abdomens and occupying the empty shells of gastropods
Her·mi·tian matrix [er-'mē-shən-, ,hər-'mi-shən-] -n
- a square matrix having the property that each pair of elements in the ith row and jth column and in the jth row and ith column are conjugate complex numbers
hern ['her-ən, 'he-rən] -n
(variant of heron)
- any of various long-necked and long-legged wading birds (family Ardeidae) with a long tapering bill, large wings, and soft plumage
her·nia ['hər-nē-ə] -n, adj
- a protrusion of an organ or part (as the intestine) through connective tissue or through a wall of the cavity (as of the abdomen) in which it is normally enclosed called also rupture
her·ni·ate ['hər-nē-,āt] -vi, n
- to protrude through an abnormal body opening : rupture
- a herniated intervertebral disk
he·ro ['hir-(,)ō] -n
- a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
- an illustrious warrior
- a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
- one that shows great courage
- the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work
- the central figure in an event, period, or movement
- submarine
- an object of extreme admiration and devotion : idol
Hero -n
- a legendary priestess of Aphrodite loved by Leander
he·ro·ic [hi-'rō-ik also her-'ō- or hē-'rō-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, resembling, or suggesting heroes esp. of antiquity
- exhibiting or marked by courage and daring
- supremely noble or self-sacrificing
- of impressive size, power, extent, or effect
- of great intensity : extreme
- of a kind that is likely only to be undertaken to save a life
- of, relating to, or constituting drama written during the Restoration in heroic couplets and concerned with a conflict between love and honor
heroic -n
- a heroic verse or poem
- flamboyantly heroic language or action
- heroic action or behavior
- determined effort esp. in the face of difficulty
heroic couplet -n
- a rhyming couplet in iambic pentameter
he·ro·i·cize [hi-'rō-ə-,sīz also her-'ō- or hē-'rō-] -vt
- heroize
he·roi·com·ic [hi-,rō-i-'kä-mik] -adj
- comic by being ludicrously noble, bold, or elevated
heroic poem -n
- an epic or a poem in epic style
heroic stanza -n
- a rhymed quatrain in heroic verse with a rhyme scheme of abab called also heroic quatrain
heroic verse -n
- dactylic hexameter esp. of epic verse of classical times called also heroic meter
- the iambic pentameter used esp. in English epic poetry during the 17th and 18th centuries called also heroic line heroic meter
her·o·in ['her-ə-wən, 'he-rə-] -n
- a strongly physiologically addictive narcotic C 21H 23NO 5that is made by acetylation of but is more potent than morphine and that is prohibited for medical use in the U.S. but is used illicitly for its euphoric effects
her·o·ine ['her-ə-wən, 'hir-, 'he-rə-] -n
- a mythological or legendary woman having the qualities of a hero
- a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities
- the principal female character in a literary or dramatic work
- the central female figure in an event or period
her·o·ism ['her-ə-,wi-zəm, 'he-rə- also 'hir-] -n
- heroic conduct esp. as exhibited in fulfilling a high purpose or attaining a noble end
- the qualities of a hero
he·ro·ize ['hir-(,)ō-,īz; 'her-ə-,wīz, 'he-rə-] -vt
- to make heroic
her·on ['her-ən, 'he-rən] -n
- any of various long-necked and long-legged wading birds (family Ardeidae) with a long tapering bill, large wings, and soft plumage
her·on·ry [-rē] -n
- a heron rookery
heroworship -vt, n
- to feel or express hero worship for
hero worship -n
- veneration of a hero
- foolish or excessive adulation for an individual
her·pes ['hər-(,)pēz] -n, adj
- any of several inflammatory diseases of the skin caused by herpesviruses and characterized by clusters of vesicles
- herpes simplex
herpes sim·plex [-'sim-,pleks] -n
- either of two diseases caused by herpesviruses (species Human herpesvirus 1and Human herpesvirus 2of the genus Simplexvirus) and marked esp. by watery blisters on the skin or mucous membranes of the lips, mouth, face, or genital region
her·pes·vi·rus [-'vī-rəs] -n
- any of a family ( Herpesviridae) of double-stranded DNA viruses that include the cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus and the causative agents of chicken pox, herpes simplex, Marek's disease, roseola infantum, and shingles
herpes zoster -n
- shingles
her·pe·tol·o·gy [,hər-pə-'tä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- a branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians
Herr [(,)her] -n
- used among German-speaking people as a title equivalent to Mr.
her·ren·volk ['her-ən-,fōk, -,fȯlk] -n
- master race
her·ring ['her-iŋ, 'he-riŋ] -n
- : either of two food fishes (genus Clupeus):
- one ( C. harengus) that is abundant in the temperate and colder parts of the No. Atlantic and that in the adult state is preserved by smoking or salting and in the young state is extensively canned and sold as sardines
- one ( C. pallasisyn. C. h. pallasi) of the No. Pacific harvested esp. for its roe
- any of a large family (Clupeidae) of soft-finned bony fishes (as the herrings, shads, sardines, and menhadens) that have a laterally compressed body and a forked tail and usu. occur in schools
her·ring·bone ['her-iŋ-,bōn, 'he-riŋ-] -n
- a pattern made up of rows of parallel lines which in any two adjacent rows slope in opposite directions
- a twilled fabric with a herringbone pattern
- a suit made of this fabric
- a herringbone arrangement (as of materials or parts)
- a method in skiing of ascending a slope by herringboning
herringbone -vt
- to produce a herringbone pattern on
- to arrange in a herringbone pattern
- to produce a herringbone pattern
- to ascend a slope by toeing out on skis and placing the weight on the inner side
herring gull -n
- a common large gull ( Larus argentatus) of the northern hemisphere that as an adult is largely white with a gray mantle, dark wing tips, pink feet, and yellow bill
hers ['hərz] -pron, sing or pl in constr
- that which belongs to her used without a following noun as a pronoun equivalent in meaning to the adjective her
her·self [(h)ər-'self, Southern also -'sef] -pron
- that identical female one used reflexively, for emphasis, in absolute constructions, and in place of her esp. when joined to another object
- she considers herself lucky
- herself an orphan, she understood the situation
- accepted the award for her colleagues and herself
- her normal, healthy, or sane condition or self
- a woman of consequence
- the mistress of the house
her·sto·ry ['hər-st(ə-)rē] -n
- history
- history considered or presented from a feminist viewpoint or with special attention to the experience of women
Herts -abbr
- Hertfordshire
hertz ['hərts, 'herts] -n
- a unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second abbr. Hz
he's ['hēz, ēz]
- he is : he has
he/she ['hē-'shē; 'hē-ər-; 'hē-'slash-] -pron
- he or she used as a pronoun of common gender
Hesh·van ['k̲esh-vən] -n
- the second month of the civil year or the eighth month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar
hes·i·tance ['he-zə-tən(t)s] -n
- hesitancy
hes·i·tan·cy [-tən(t)-sē] -n
- : the quality or state of being hesitant: as
- indecision
- reluctance
- took that drastic step only with the greatest hesitancy
- hesitation
hes·i·tant ['he-zə-tənt] -adj, adv
- tending to hesitate : slow to act or proceed
hes·i·tate ['he-zə-,tāt] -vb, n, adv
- to hold back in doubt or indecision
- to delay momentarily : pause
- stammer
- to hold back from in doubt or uncertainty
- wouldn't hesitate to commit herself
hes·i·ta·tion [,he-zə-'tā-shən] -n
- an act or instance of hesitating
- a pausing or faltering in speech
Hes·pe·ri·an [he-'spir-ē-ən] -adj
- western, occidental
Hes·per·i·des [he-'sper-ə-,dēz] -n pl
- a legendary garden at the western extremity of the world producing golden apples
- the nymphs in classical mythology who guard with the aid of a dragon a garden in which golden apples grow
hes·per·i·din [he-'sper-ə-dən] -n
- a crystalline glycoside C 28H 34O 15found in most citrus fruits and esp. in orange peel
hes·per·id·i·um [,hes-pə-'ri-dē-əm] -n
- a berry (as an orange or lime) having a leathery rind
Hes·per·us ['hes-p(ə-)rəs] -n
- evening star
hes·sian ['he-shən] -n
- a native of Hesse
- a German mercenary serving in the British forces during the American Revolution
- a mercenary soldier
- burlap
Hessian boot -n
- a high boot that extends to just below the knee and is commonly ornamented with a tassel and that was introduced into England by the Hessians early in the 19th century
Hessian fly -n
- a small European dipteran fly ( Mayetiola destructor) introduced into No. America that is destructive to wheat
hes·so·nite ['he-sə-,nīt] -n
- a yellow to brown garnet
hest ['hest] -n
- command, precept
Hes·tia ['hes-tē-ə; 'hes-chə, 'hesh-] -n
- the Greek goddess of the hearth and chief goddess of domestic activity
het ['het] -n, adj
- heterosexual
he·tae·ra [hi-'tir-ə] -n
- one of a class of highly cultivated courtesans in ancient Greece
- demimondaine
heter- -comb form
- other than usual : other : different
- containing atoms of different kinds
het·ero ['he-tə-,rō] -n, adj
- heterosexual
het·ero·at·om ['he-tə-rō-,a-təm] -n
- an atom other than carbon in the ring of a heterocyclic compound
het·ero·cer·cal [-'sər-kəl] -adj
- having the upper lobe larger than the lower with the vertebral column extending into the upper lobe
- having or relating to a heterocercal tail fin
het·ero·chro·ma·tin [-'krō-mə-tən] -n, adj
- densely staining chromatin that appears as nodules in or along chromosomes and contains relatively few genes
het·ero·clite ['he-tə-rə-,klīt] -n
- a word irregular in inflection
- a noun irregular in declension
- one that deviates from common forms or rules
heteroclite -adj
- deviating from common rules or forms
het·ero·cy·clic [,he-tə-rō-'sī-klik, -'si-] -adj, n
- relating to, characterized by, or being a ring composed of atoms of more than one kind
heterocyclic amine -n
- an amine containing one or more closed rings of carbon and nitrogen
- any of various carcinogenic amines formed when creatine or creatinine reacts with free amino acids and sugar in meat cooked at high temperatures
het·ero·cyst ['he-tə-rō-,sist] -n, adj
- a large transparent thick-walled cell that is found in the filaments of some cyanobacteria and is the site of nitrogen fixation
het·ero·dox ['he-tə-rə-,däks, 'he-trə-] -adj
- contrary to or different from an acknowledged standard, a traditional form, or an established religion : unorthodox, unconventional
- holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines
het·ero·doxy [-,däk-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being heterodox
- a heterodox opinion or doctrine
het·ero·du·plex [,he-tə-rō-'dü-,pleks, -'dyü-] -n, adj
- a nucleic-acid molecule (as DNA) composed of two chains with each derived from a different parent molecule
het·ero·dyne ['he-tə-rə-,dīn, 'he-trə-] -adj
- of or relating to the production of an electrical beat between two radio frequencies of which one usu. is that of a received signal-carrying current and the other that of an uninterrupted current introduced into the apparatus
- of or relating to the production of a beat between two optical frequencies
heterodyne -vt
- to combine (as a radio frequency) with a different frequency so that a beat is produced
het·er·oe·cious [,he-tə-'rē-shəs] -adj, n
- passing through the different stages in the life cycle on alternate and often unrelated hosts
het·ero·ga·mete [,he-tə-rō-'ga-,mēt also -gə-'mēt] -n
- either of a pair of dissimilar and usu. oogamous gametes
het·ero·ga·met·ic [-gə-'me-tik] -adj, n
- forming two kinds of gametes of which one produces male offspring and the other female offspring
- the human male is heterogametic
het·er·og·a·mous [,he-tə-'rä-gə-məs] -adj
- having or characterized by fusion of unlike gametes
het·er·og·a·my [-mē] -n
- sexual reproduction involving fusion of unlike gametes often differing in size, structure, and physiology
- the condition of reproducing by heterogamy
het·ero·ge·ne·ity [,he-tə-rō-jə-'nē-ə-tē, ,he-trō-] -n
- the quality or state of being heterogeneous
het·ero·ge·neous [,he-tə-rə-'jē-nē-əs, ,he-trə-, -nyəs] -adj, adv, n
- consisting of dissimilar or diverse ingredients or constituents : mixed
het·er·og·e·nous [,he-tə-'rä-jə-nəs] -adj
- heterogeneous
het·er·og·e·ny [-nē] -n
- a heterogenous collection or group
het·ero·glos·sia [,he-tə-rō-'glä-sē-ə, -'glȯ-] -n
- a diversity of voices, styles of discourse, or points of view in a literary work and esp. a novel
het·er·og·o·ny [,he-tə-'rä-gə-nē] -n, adj
- alternation of generations
- alternation of a dioecious with a parthenogenetic generation
- allometry
het·ero·graft ['he-tə-rō-,graft] -n
- xenograft
het·ero·kary·on [,he-tə-rō-'ker-ē-,än, -ən, -'ka-rē-] -n
- a cell (as in the mycelium of a fungus) that contains two or more genetically unlike nuclei
het·ero·kary·o·sis [,he-tə-rō-,ker-ē-'ō-səs, -,ka-rē-] -n, adj
- the condition of having cells that are heterokaryons
het·er·ol·o·gous [-'rä-lə-gəs] -adj, adv
- derived from a different species
het·ero·ly·sis [,he-tə-'rä-lə-səs, -ə-rə-'lī-səs] -n, adj
- decomposition of a compound into two oppositely charged particles or ions
het·ero·mor·phic [,he-tə-rə-'mȯr-fik] -adj, n
- deviating from the usual form
- exhibiting diversity of form or forms
- heteromorphic pairs of chromosomes
het·er·on·o·mous [,he-tə-'rä-nə-məs] -adj
- subject to external controls and impositions
het·er·on·o·my [-mē] -n
- subjection to something else
- a lack of moral freedom or self-determination
het·ero·nym ['he-tə-rə-,nim] -n
- one of two or more homographs (as a bassvoice and bass,a fish) that differ in pronunciation and meaning
het·ero·phile ['he-tə-rə-,fī(-ə)l] -adj
- relating to or being any of a group of antigens in organisms of different species that induce the formation of antibodies that will cross-react with the other antigens of the group
- being or relating to any of these antibodies
het·er·oph·o·ny [,he-tə-'rä-fə-nē] -n
- independent variation on a single melody by two or more voices
het·ero·phyl·lous [,he-tə-rō-'fi-ləs] -adj, n
- having the foliage leaves of more than one form on the same plant or stem
het·ero·ploid ['he-tə-rə-,plȯid] -adj, n
- having a chromosome number that deviates from and is not an integral multiple of the number characteristic of a given species
het·er·op·ter·ous [,he-tə-'räp-tə-rəs] -adj
- of or relating to an insect order or suborder (Heteroptera) comprising the true bugs
het·ero·sex·ism [,he-tə-rō-'sek-si-zəm] -n, adj
- discrimination or prejudice by heterosexuals against homosexuals
het·ero·sex·u·al [,he-tə-rō-'sek-sh(ə-)wəl, -'sek-shəl] -adj, n, adv
- of, relating to, or characterized by a tendency to direct sexual desire toward the opposite sex
- of, relating to, or involving sexual intercourse between individuals of opposite sex
- of or relating to different sexes
heterosexual -n
- a heterosexual person
het·er·o·sis [,he-tə-'rō-səs] -n, adj
- the marked vigor or capacity for growth often exhibited by crossbred animals or plants called also hybrid vigor
het·ero·so·cial [,he-tə-rō-'sō-shəl] -adj
- of, relating to, or involving social relationships between persons of the opposite sex
het·ero·spo·ry ['he-tə-rə-,spȯr-ē, ,he-tə-'räs-pə-rē] -n, adj
- the production of microspores and megaspores (as in seed plants)
het·ero·thal·lic [,he-tə-rō-'tha-lik] -adj, n
- having two or more morphologically similar haploid phases or types of which individuals from the same type are mutually sterile but individuals from different types are cross-fertile
- dioecious
het·ero·top·ic [-rə-'tä-pik] -adj
- occurring in an abnormal place
- heterotopic bone formation
- heterotopic liver transplant
het·ero·troph ['he-tə-rə-,trōf, -,träf] -n
- a heterotrophic individual
het·ero·tro·phic [,he-tə-rə-'trō-fik] -adj, adv, n
- requiring complex organic compounds of nitrogen and carbon (as that obtained from plant or animal matter) for metabolic synthesis
het·ero·typ·ic [,he-tə-rō-'ti-pik] -adj
- different in kind, arrangement, or form
het·ero·zy·go·sis [-(,)zī-'gō-səs] -n
- heterozygosity
het·ero·zy·gos·i·ty [-'gä-sə-tē] -n
- the state of being heterozygous
het·ero·zy·gote [-'zī-,gōt] -n
- a heterozygous individual
het·ero·zy·gous [-gəs] -adj
- having the two alleles at corresponding loci on homologous chromosomes different for one or more loci
heth ['k̲āt, 'k̲āth, 'k̲et, 'k̲eth] -n
- the 8th letter of the Hebrew alphabet
het·man ['het-mən] -n
- a Cossack leader
het up ['het-'əp] -adj
- highly excited : upset
heu·land·ite ['hyü-lən-,dīt] -n
- a zeolite consisting of a hydrous aluminosilicate of sodium and calcium
heu·ris·tic [hyu̇-'ris-tik] -adj, adv
- involving or serving as an aid to learning, discovery, or problem-solving by experimental and esp. trial-and-error methods
- of or relating to exploratory problem-solving techniques that utilize self-educating techniques (as the evaluation of feedback) to improve performance
heuristic -n
- the study or practice of heuristic procedure
- heuristic argument
- a heuristic method or procedure
hew ['hyü] -vb, n
- to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument
- to fell by blows of an ax
- to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows
- hew ed their farms from the wilderness -- J. T. Shotwell
- to make cutting blows
- conform, adhere often used in the phrase hew to the line
- no pressure...on newspapers to hew to the official line -- N.Y. Times Mag.
HEW -abbr
- Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
hex ['heks] -vb, n
- to practice witchcraft
- to put a hex on
- to affect as if by an evil spell : jinx
- a person who practices witchcraft
- spell, jinx
- hexagonal
- hexadecimal
- hexagon
hexa- -comb form
- six
- containing six atoms, groups, or equivalents
hexa·chlo·ro·eth·ane [,hek-sə-,klȯr-ō-'e-,thān] -n
- a toxic crystalline compound C 2Cl 6used esp. in smoke bombs and in the control of liver flukes in ruminants
hexa·chlo·ro·phene [-'klȯr-ə-,fēn] -n
- a powdered phenolic bacteria-inhibiting agent C 13H 6Cl 6O 2
hexa·chord ['hek-sə-,kȯrd] -n
- a diatonic series of six tones having a semitone between the third and fourth tones
hexa·dec·i·mal [,hek-sə-'des-məl, -'de-sə-] -adj, n
- of, relating to, or being a number system with a base of 16
hexa·gon ['hek-sə-,gän] -n
- a polygon of six angles and six sides
hex·ag·o·nal [hek-'sa-gə-nᵊl] -adj, adv
- having six angles and six sides
- having a hexagon as section or base
- relating to or being a crystal system characterized by three equal lateral axes intersecting at angles of 60 degrees and a vertical axis of variable length at right angles
hexa·gram ['hek-sə-,gram] -n
- a plane figure that has the shape of a 6-pointed star, that consists of two intersecting congruent equilateral triangles having the same point as center and their sides parallel, and that can be formed by constructing external equilateral triangles on the sides of a regular hexagon
hexa·he·dron [,hek-sə-'hē-drən] -n
- a polyhedron of six faces (as a cube)
hexa·hy·drate [-'hī-,drāt] -n
- a chemical compound with six molecules of water
hex·am·e·ter [hek-'sa-mə-tər] -n
- a line of verse consisting of six metrical feet
hexa·me·tho·ni·um [,hek-sə-mə-'thō-nē-əm] -n
- either of two compounds C 12H 30Br 2N 2or C 12H 30Cl 2N 2used as ganglionic blocking agents in the treatment of hypertension
hexa·meth·y·lene·tet·ra·mine [,hek-sə-'me-thə-,lēn-'te-trə-,mēn] -n
- a crystalline compound C 6H 12N 4used esp. as an accelerator in vulcanizing rubber and as a urinary antiseptic
hex·ane ['hek-,sān] -n
- any of several isomeric volatile liquid alkanes C 6H 14found in petroleum
hex·a·no·ic acid [,hek-sə-'nō-ik-] -n
- caproic acid
hexa·ploid ['hek-sə-,plȯid] -adj, n
- having or being six times the monoploid chromosome number
hexa·pod ['hek-sə-,päd] -n
- insect
hexapod -adj
- six-footed
- of or relating to insects
Hexa·teuch ['hek-sə-,tük, -,tyük] -n
- the first six books of the Bible
hex·e·rei [,hek-sə-'rī] -n
- witchcraft
hexo·bar·bi·tal [,hek-sə-'bär-bə-,tȯl] -n
- a barbiturate C 12H 16N 2O 3used as a sedative and hypnotic and in the form of its soluble sodium salt as an intravenous anesthetic of short duration
hexo·ki·nase [,hek-sə-'kī-,nās, -,nāz] -n
- any of a group of enzymes that accelerate the phosphorylation of hexoses (as in the formation of glucose-6-phosphate from glucose and ATP) in carbohydrate metabolism
hex·os·a·min·i·dase [,hek-,sä-sə-'mi-nə-,dās, -,dāz] -n
- either of two hydrolytic enzymes that catalyze the splitting off of a hexose from a ganglioside and are deficient in some metabolic diseases (as Tay-Sachs disease)
hex·o·san ['hek-sə-,san] -n
- a polysaccharide yielding only hexoses on hydrolysis
hex·ose ['hek-,sōs, -,sōz] -n
- a monosaccharide (as glucose) containing six carbon atoms in a molecule
hex·yl ['hek-səl] -n
- any of various isomeric alkyl radicals C 6H 13 derived from hexane
hex·yl·res·or·cin·ol [,hek-səl-rə-'zȯr-sᵊn-,ȯl, -,ōl] -n
- a crystalline phenol C 12H 18O 2used as an antiseptic and anthelmintic
hey ['hā] -interj
- used esp. to call attention or to express interrogation, surprise, or exultation
hey·day ['hā-,dā] -interj
- used to express elation or wonder
heyday -n
- high spirits
- the period of one's greatest popularity, vigor, or prosperity
hey presto [(')hā-'pres-(,)tō] -interj
- suddenly as if by magic
Hez·e·ki·ah [,he-zə-'kī-ə] -n
- a king of Judah under whom the kingdom underwent a ruinous Assyrian invasion at the end of the eighth century b.c.