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View synonyms for how

how

1

[ hou ]

adverb

  1. in what way or manner; by what means?:

    How did the accident happen?

  2. to what extent, degree, etc.?:

    How damaged is the car?

  3. in what state or condition?:

    How are you?

  4. for what reason; why?:

    How can you talk such nonsense?

  5. to what effect; with what meaning?:

    How is one to interpret his action?

  6. what?:

    How do you mean? If they don't have vanilla, how about chocolate?

  7. (used as an intensifier):

    How seldom I go there!

  8. by what title or name?:

    How does one address the president?

  9. at what price:

    How are the new cars going, cheaper than last year's models?

  10. by what amount or in what measure or quantity?:

    How do you sell these tomatoes?

  11. in what form or shape?:

    How does the demon appear in the first act of the opera? How does the medication come?



conjunction

  1. the manner or way in which:

    He couldn't figure out how to solve the problem.

  2. about the manner, condition, or way in which:

    I don't care how you leave your desk when you go. Be careful how you act.

  3. in whatever manner or way; however:

    You can travel how you please.

  4. Informal. that:

    He told us how he was honest and could be trusted.

noun

  1. a question concerning the way or manner in which something is done, achieved, etc.:

    a child's unending whys and hows.

  2. a way or manner of doing something:

    to consider all the hows and wherefores.

  3. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter H.

how

2

[ hou ]

interjection

, Facetious: Often Offensive.
  1. (used as a greeting in imitation of American Indian speech.)

how

1

/ haʊ /

sentence substitute

  1. a greeting supposed to be or have been used by American Indians and often used humorously
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


how

2

/ haʊ /

adverb

  1. in what way? in what manner? by what means?: how did it happen? Also used in indirect questions: tell me how he did it
  2. to what extent?

    how tall is he?

  3. how good? how well? what…like?

    how did she sing?

    how was the holiday?

  4. how about?
    used to suggest something

    how about a cup of tea?

    how about asking her?

  5. how are you?
    what is your state of health?
  6. how come? informal.
    what is the reason (that)?

    how come you told him?

  7. how's that for…?
    1. is this satisfactory as regards…?

      how's that for size?

    2. an exclamation used to draw attention to a quality, deed, etc

      how is that for endurance?

  8. how's that?
    1. what is your opinion?
    2. cricket (an appeal to the umpire) is the batsman out? Also writtenhowzathaʊˈzæt
  9. how now? or how so? archaic.
    what is the meaning of this?
  10. not_standard.
    Alsoas how that

    he told me as how the shop was closed

  11. in whatever way

    do it how you wish

  12. used in exclamations to emphasize extent

    how happy I was!

  13. and how!
    intensifier very much so!
  14. here's how!
    (as a toast) good health!
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the way a thing is done

    the how of it

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Sensitive Note

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Word History and Origins

Origin of how1

First recorded before 900; Middle English hou, ou, hu, Old English hū; cognate with Old Frisian hū, ho, Dutch hoe; akin to Old High German hweo, German wie, Gothic hwaiwa

Origin of how2

First recorded in 1810–20; of uncertain origin
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Word History and Origins

Origin of how1

C19: of Siouan origin; related to Dakota háo

Origin of how2

Old English hu; related to Old Frisian hū, Old High German hweo
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. and how! Informal. certainly! you bet!:

    Am I happy? And how!

  2. how come? Informal. how is it that? why?:

    How come you never visit us anymore?

  3. how so? how does it happen to be so? why?:

    You haven't any desire to go? How so?

  4. Here's how, Informal. (used as a toast.)

More idioms and phrases containing how

  • and how
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Example Sentences

She tried the direct, how-do-you-do handshake approach, but was blocked by a burly aide-de-camp.

In March, popular beauty site Into the Gloss even published a how-to on getting blue-tinted hair.

The “Operation Trojan Horse” letter was a how-to guide for Islamic fundamentalists wanting to take over local schools.

Once again, Apple has all the know-how to enter, and dominate, this market without making an acquisition.

An email allegedly written by David Newman, an employee of the Cheyenne VA, reads like a how-to manual for cooking the books.

Consequently, while the direction of the what-not-how-now line is definitely fixed, their actual positions remain unestablished.

I'm plumb tired, an' there ain't no use tryin' to be respectable, no-how.

How lovers rashGot mittens at the spelling school!How many a mute, inglorious fool Wrote rhymes and sighed and died—mustache!

I guess I didn't think much what I was a-doin' of, no-how. '

But in that other heart how was it?how with the sweet saint that was talking to herself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs?

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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