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1

head

play
noun \ˈhed\

Definition of head

  1. 1 :  the upper or anterior division of the animal body that contains the brain, the chief sense organs, and the mouth nodded his head in agreement

  2. 2a :  the seat of the intellect :  mind two heads are better than oneb :  a person with respect to mental qualities let wiser heads prevailc :  natural aptitude or talent a good head for figuresd :  mental or emotional control :  poise a level heade :  headache

  3. 3 :  the obverse (see 2obverse 1) of a coin —usually used in plural call heads or tails

  4. 4a :  person, individual count headsb plural head :  one of a number (as of domestic animals) sold twenty head of cattle

  5. 5a :  the end that is upper or higher or opposite the foot the head of the table head of a sailb :  the source of a stream or river the head of the Nilec :  either end of something (such as a drum) whose two ends need not be distinguished

  6. 6 :  director, leader: such asa :  headmasterb :  one in charge of a division or department in an office or institution the head of the English department met with the other department heads

  7. 7a :  capitulum 2b :  the foliaged part of a plant especially when consisting of a compact mass of leaves, flowers, or fruit a head of lettuce a single head of grain

  8. 8a :  the leading element of a military column or a processionb :  headway often she had to fight for her head as the press of sail buried her bow — C. V. Reilly

  9. 9a :  the uppermost extremity or projecting part of an object :  top the head of a boltb :  the striking part of a weapon, tool, or implement the head of an axc :  the rounded proximal end of a long bone (such as the humerus)d :  the end of a muscle nearest the origine :  the oval part of a printed musical note

  10. 10a :  a body of water kept in reserve at a height; also :  the containing bank, dam, or wallb :  a mass of water in motion (as in a rip current)

  11. 11a :  the difference in elevation between two points in a body of fluidb :  the resulting pressure of the fluid at the lower point expressible as this height; broadly :  pressure of a fluid an engine with a full head of steam

  12. 12a :  the bow and adjacent parts of a shipb :  a ship's toilet; broadly :  toilet 1

  13. 13 :  the approximate length of the head of a horse won by a head

  14. 14 :  the place of leadership, honor, or command at the head of her class

  15. 15a (1) :  a word or series of words often in larger letters placed at the beginning of a passage or at the top of a page in order to introduce or categorize (2) :  a separate part or topic heads of a sermonb :  a portion of a page or sheet that is above the first line of printing

  16. 16 :  the foam or scum that rises on a fermenting or effervescing liquid (such as beer)

  17. 17a :  the part of a boil, pimple, or abscess at which it is likely to breakb :  culminating point of action :  crisis events came to a head

  18. 18a :  a part or attachment of a machine or machine tool containing a device (such as a cutter or drill) turret head of a lathe; also :  the part of an apparatus that performs the chief function or a particular function a drill headb magnetic recording :  an electromagnet used as a transducer for recording on, reading, or erasing a magnetic medium (such as tape or a disk)

  19. 19 grammar :  an immediate constituent of a construction that can have the same grammatical function as the whole (such as man in “an old man,” “a very old man,” or “the man in the street”)

  20. 20a :  one who uses a drug —often used in combination potheadb :  a devoted enthusiast :  aficionado —often used in combination computerhead

  21. 21 usually vulgar :  fellatio, cunnilingus —usually used with give

by the head

  1. :  drawing the greater depth of water forward

off one's head

  1. :  crazy, distracted

out of one's head

  1. :  delirious Her parents were out of their heads with worry.

over one's head

  1. 1 :  beyond one's comprehension or competence the most awful intellectual detail, all of it over my head — E. B. White

  2. 2 :  so as to pass over one's superior standing or authority went over my head to complain

See head defined for English-language learners

See head defined for kids

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Examples of head in a Sentence

  1. She patted the dog on the head.

  2. He nodded his head in agreement.

  3. The ceiling's low—watch your head!

Origin and Etymology of head

Middle English hed, from Old English hēafod; akin to Old High German houbit head, Latin caput


First Known Use: before 12th century

head Synonyms

Synonyms
bean, block [slang], dome, mazard (or mazzard) [chiefly dialect], nob, noddle, noggin, noodle, nut [slang], pate, poll
Antonyms
bottom, nadir, rock bottom
Related Words
cranium, crown, scalp, skull; occiput
Near Antonyms
ranks

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

2

head

adjective

Definition of head

  1. 1 :  of, relating to, or intended for the upper or anterior division of the animal body that contains the brain, the chief sense organs, and the mouth :  of, relating to, or intended for the head (see 1head 1) head injuries

  2. 2 :  principal, chief head cook

  3. 3 :  located at the end that is upper or higher :  situated at the head (see 1head 5a) head sails

  4. 4 :  coming from in front head sea

Examples of head in a Sentence

  1. as head editor at the TV station for 17 years, he has hired and fired innumerable staff members

Origin and Etymology of head

see 1head


First Known Use: before 12th century

head Synonyms

Synonyms
chief, commanding, first, foremost, high, lead, leading, preeminent, premier, presiding, primary, prime, principal, supereminent, supreme, top, in charge
Related Words
high-level, senior; controlling, directing, managing, officiating, overseeing, regnant, reigning, ruling, supervisory; main, major, paramount, predominant, predominate, sovereign (also sovran); ascendant (also ascendent), dominant, grand, superior, topmost, upmost, upper, uppermost
Near Antonyms
ancillary, inferior, last, less, lesser, lower, lowly, second, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary; assistant, assisting, coadjutor, deputy, junior, under

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

3

head

verb

Definition of head

  1. transitive verb

  2. 1 :  behead

  3. 2a :  to put the striking part of a weapon, tool, or implement on :  fit a head (see 1head 9b) to head an arrowb :  to form the uppermost extremity or projecting part of :  to form the head or top of tower headed by a spire

  4. 3 :  to act as leader or director of :  to act as head (see 1head 6) to head a revolt

  5. 4a :  to get in front of so as to hinder, stop, or turn back head a herd of cattleb :  to take a lead over (as in a race) :  surpassc :  to pass (a stream) by going round above the source

  6. 5a :  to place something at the beginning or top of (something) in order to introduce or categorize :  to put something at the head of (something, as a list) Each page was headed with the writer’s name.b :  to stand as the first or leading member of heads the list of heroes

  7. 6 :  to set the course of head a ship northward

  8. 7 :  to hit and propel (something, such as a soccer ball) with the head (see 1head 1) headed the ball into the goal

  9. intransitive verb

  10. 1 :  to form a compact mass of leaves or fruit :  to form a head (see 1head 7b) This type of cabbage heads early.

  11. 2 :  to point or proceed in a certain direction headed south

  12. 3 :  to have a source :  originate The river heads in those mountains.

See head defined for English-language learners

Examples of head in a Sentence

  1. The group was headed by the church pastor.

  2. He was accused of heading the revolt.

  3. I hopped in the car and headed down the street.

  4. After lunch, we headed back to the office.

  5. She headed out early this morning.

  6. The birds have already started heading south for the winter.

  7. The forward headed the ball into the goal.

Origin and Etymology of head

see 1head


First Known Use: before 12th century

head Synonyms

Synonyms
bear, make
Related Words
aim, bend, direct, point, turn; beeline, light out, put, put out, set off, set out, strike, take off; face, orient, steer; about-face, back, come about, come round, cut, incline, put about, reverse, swerve, tack, turn back, veer, wheel, yaw
Near Antonyms
conclude, end, finish, stop, terminate; tail, tailgate; dog, follow, trail

HEAD Defined for English Language Learners

head

play
noun

Definition of head for English Language Learners

  • : the part of the body containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth

  • : a person's mental ability : mind or intellect

  • : a person who has a specified mental or emotional quality

head

verb

Definition of head for English Language Learners

  • : to be the leader of (something)

  • : to be first on (a list)

  • : to go in a specified direction or toward a specified place

HEAD Defined for Kids

1

head

play
noun \ˈhed\

Definition of head for Students

  1. 1 :  the part of the body containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth

  2. 2 :  1mind 1 Mom has a good head for figures.

  3. 3 :  control of the mind or feelings He kept his head during the emergency.

  4. 4 :  the side of a coin or medal usually thought of as the front

  5. 5 :  director 1, leader She's the head of the school department.

  6. 6 :  each person among a number Count heads to make sure everyone is here.

  7. 7 plural head :  a unit of number They own 100 head of cattle.

  8. 8 :  something like a head in position or use the head of a bed

  9. 9 :  the place where a stream begins

  10. 10 :  a tight mass of plant parts (as leaves or flowers) a head of cabbage

  11. 11 :  a part of a machine, tool, or weapon that performs the main work head of a spear shower head

  12. 12 :  a place of leadership or honor He is at the head of his class.

  13. 13 :  climax, crisis Events came to a head.

over someone's head

  1. :  beyond someone's understanding Their discussion was way over my head.

2

head

play
adjective

Definition of head for Students

  1. 1 :  2chief 1 He's the head coach.

  2. 2 :  located at the front We sat at the head table.

  3. 3 :  coming from in front We sailed into a head wind.

3

head

play
verb

Definition of head for Students

headed

;

heading

  1. 1 :  to be the leader of She headed the investigation.

  2. 2 :  to go or cause to go in a certain direction Let's head for home.

  3. 3 :  to be first or get in front of He heads the list of candidates.

  4. 4 :  to provide with or form a head This cabbage heads early.

Medical Dictionary

head

play
noun \ˈhed\

Medical Definition of head

  1. 1:  the division of the human body that contains the brain, the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the mouth; also :  the corresponding anterior division of the body of various animals including all vertebrates, most arthropods, and many mollusks and worms

  2. 2:  headache

  3. 3:  a projection or extremity especially of an anatomical part: asa:  the rounded proximal end of a long bone (as the humerus)b:  the end of a muscle nearest the originc:  the anterior end of an invertebrate :  scolex

  4. 4:  the part of a boil, pimple, or abscess at which it is likely to break

  5. 5:  the end of a lipid molecule that consists of a polar group and is regarded as being opposite to the tail

head

adjective

Law Dictionary

head

noun

Legal Definition of head

  1. :  any of a number of individuals

by heads

  1. :  per capita —used in the rules of intestate succession in Louisiana

Learn More about head

  1. See words that rhyme with head Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for head Spanish Central: Translation of head Nglish: Translation of head for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of head for Arabic speakers

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Examples: head in a Sentence