head

head [hed]

n.

[ME hede, heved < OE heafod, akin to Ger haupt (OHG houbit, Goth haubith) < IE base * kaput- (orig. prob. cup-shaped) > L caput: merged in Gmc with word akin to OHG hūba, a cap, crest (Ger haube) < IE base * keu-, to bend, curve]

1.

a) the top part of the body in humans, the apes, etc., or the front part in most other animals: in higher animals it is a bony structure containing the brain, and including the jaws, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth

b) this part exclusive of the face

2.

a) the head as the seat of reason, memory, and imagination; mind; intelligence [to use one's head]

b) aptitude; ability [to have a head for mathematics]

c) Informal a headache, esp. as part of a hangover

3. the head as a symbol for the individual; person [dinner at five dollars a head]

4. pl. the head as a unit of counting [fifty head of cattle]

5. a representation of a head, as in painting or sculpture

6. the obverse of a coin, usually with such a representation: often heads

7. the highest or uppermost part or thing; top; specif.,

a) the top of a page, column of figures, etc.

b) a printed title at the top of a page, section of writing, etc.

c) a chief point of discussion; topic of a section, chapter, etc. in a speech or written work

d) a headline for a newspaper story

e) froth floating on newly poured effervescent beverages, esp. on beer

f) that end of a cask or barrel which is uppermost at any time

g) the upper edge or corner of a sail

8. the foremost part of a thing; front; specif.,

a) a part associated with the human head [the head of a bed]

b) the end of a pier farthest from land

c) the front part of a ship; bow

d) Naut. a toilet, or lavatory

e) the front position, as of a column of marchers

f) either end of something; extremity

9. the projecting part of something; specif.,

a) the part designed for holding, pushing, striking, etc. [the head of a pin, the head of a golf club]

b) a jutting mass of rock, land, etc. as of a mountain

c) a point of land; promontory; headland

d) a projecting place in a boil or other inflammation where pus is about to break through

e) the part of a tape recorder that records or plays back the magnetic signals on the tape

f) WARHEAD

10. the membrane stretched across the end of a drum, tambourine, etc.; drumhead

11. the source of a flowing body of water; beginning of a stream, river, etc.

12.

a) a source of water kept at some height to supply a mill, etc.

b) the height of such a source of water or the vertical distance through which it falls

c) a rush of water, as in a riptide

13. the pressure in an enclosed fluid, as steam, from its own weight or applied externally

14. a position of leadership, honor, or first importance [the head of the class]

15. the person who is foremost or in charge; leader, ruler, chief, director, etc.

16. a headmaster

17. Bot.

a) a dense cluster of tiny sessile flowers attached to a common receptacle, as in the composite family

b) a large, compact bud [a head of cabbage]

c) the uppermost part of a plant's foliage [the head of a tree ]

☆ 18. Jazz

a) the melody or theme of a composition

b) an improvised, usually extemporaneous arrangement that is not written down: in full head arrangement

19. Linguis. any word or word group in a construction that functions grammatically like the entire construction [“woman” is the head of “the woman who wrote that book”]

20. Mining HEADING (sense 4)

21. Music the rounded part of a note, at the end of the stem

☆ 22. Slang

a) a habitual user of a hallucinogen, stimulant, etc., as marijuana or cocaine: often in combination [acidhead]

b) a person dedicated to, enthusiastic about, or addicted to some interest, activity, food, etc.: usually in combination [cheesehead]

adj.

1. of or having to do with the head

2. most important; principal; commanding; first

3. to be found at the top or front

4. striking against the front [head winds]

vt.

1. to be the chief of or in charge of; command; direct

2.

a) to be at the top or beginning of; lead; precede: often with up [to head a list]

b) to take a lead over, as in a race or competition

3. to supply (a pin, etc.) with a head

4. Rare to behead; decapitate

5. to trim the higher part from (a tree or plant); poll

☆ 6. to go around the head of [to head a stream]

7. to turn or cause to go in a specified direction [to head a car for home]

8. Soccer to hit (the ball) with one's head

vi.

1. to grow or come to a head

2. to set out; travel [to head eastward ]

☆ 3. to originate, as a river

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by a head

by the length of the animal's head, as in horse racingby ( or down by) the head

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by the head or down by the head

Naut. with the bow deeper in the water than the stern

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come to a head

1. to be about to discharge pus: said of a boil or pimple

2. to culminate, or reach a crisis

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get it through one's head or get it through someone's head

to understand (or cause someone to understand) something

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give head

[Vulgar Slang] to perform fellatio or cunnilingus (on)

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go to someone's head

1. to confuse, excite, or intoxicate someone

2. to make someone vain or overconfident

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hang one's head or hide one's head

to lower one's head or conceal one's face in or as in shame

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head and shoulders above

definitely superior to

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☆ head for

1. to direct one's way toward [she headed for home]

2. to be destined for [he's heading for trouble]

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head off

to get ahead of and cause to stop or turn away; intercept

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one's head off

a great deal; excessively: preceded by a verb [he laughed his head off]

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head over heels

1. tumbling as if in a somersault

2. deeply; completely

3. hurriedly; impetuously; recklessly

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heads up!

Informal look out! be careful!

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keep one's head

to keep one's poise, self-control, etc.; not become excited or flustered

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keep one's head above water

1. to remain afloat; not sink

2. to keep oneself alive, out of debt, etc.

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lose one's head

to lose one's poise, self-control, etc.; become excited or flustered

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make head

to make headway; go forward; advance

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make head or tail of

to understand: usually in the negative

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on (or upon) someone's head

as someone's burden, responsibility, or misfortune

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out of one's head or out off one's head Informal

1. crazy

2. delirious; raving

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over someone's head

1.

a) too difficult for someone to understand

b) so that someone cannot understand

2. in spite of someone's prior claim

3. without consulting someone; to a higher authority

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put heads together or lay heads together

to consult or scheme together

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take it into one's head

to conceive the notion, plan, or intention

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turn someone's head

1. to make someone dizzy

2. to make someone vain or overconfident