head

¹

[ hed ]

noun

1. the upper part of the body in humans, joined to the torso by the neck and containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

   Antonyms: foot

2. the upper part of the body in animals, often joined to the torso by the neck and containing the brain, eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
3. the head considered as the center of the intellect, as of thought, memory, understanding, or emotional control; mind; brain:

   She has a good head for mathematics.

   Keep a cool head in an emergency.

4. the position or place of leadership, greatest authority, or honor.
5. a person to whom others are subordinate, as the director of an institution or the manager of a department; leader or chief.

   Synonyms: chairperson, president, superintendent, principal, boss, superior, commander

6. a person considered with reference to their mind, disposition, attributes, status, etc.:

   wise heads;

   crowned heads.

7. that part of anything that forms or is regarded as forming the top, summit, or upper end:

   head of a pin;

   head of a page.

8. the foremost part or front end of anything or a forward projecting part:

   head of a procession.

9. the part of a weapon, tool, etc., used for striking:

   the head of a hammer.

10. a person or animal considered merely as one of a number, herd, or group:

    ten head of cattle;

    a dinner at $20 a head.

11. a culminating point, usually of a critical nature; crisis or climax:

    to bring matters to a head.

12. the hair covering the head:

    to wash one's head.

13. froth or foam at the top of a liquid:

    the head on beer.

14. Botany.
    1. any dense flower cluster or inflorescence.
    2. any other compact part of a plant, usually at the top of the stem, as that composed of leaves in the cabbage or lettuce, of leafstalks in the celery, or of flower buds in the cauliflower.
15. the maturated part of an abscess, boil, etc.
16. a projecting point of a coast, especially when high, as a cape, headland, or promontory.
17. the obverse of a coin, as bearing a head or other principal figure ( tail ).
18. one of the chief parts or points of a written or oral discourse; a main division of a subject, theme, or topic.
19. something resembling a head in form or a representation of a head, as a piece of sculpture.
20. the source of a river or stream.
21. Slang.
    1. a habitual user of a drug, especially LSD or marijuana (often used in combination):

       the feds versus the heads; an acid-head; a meth head; a pothead.

    2. a fan or devotee (usually used in combination):

       a punk-rock head.

22. heads, Distilling. alcohol produced during the initial fermentation. Compare tail ¹( def 6d ).
23. headline.
24. a toilet or lavatory, especially on a boat or ship.
25. Nautical.
    1. the forepart of a vessel; bow.
    2. the upper edge of a quadrilateral sail.
    3. the upper corner of a jib-headed sail.
    4. that part of the upper end of one spar of a mast that is overlapped by a spar above; a doubling at the upper end of a spar.
    5. that part of the upper end of a mast between the highest standing rigging and the truck.
    6. crown ( def 29 ).
26. Grammar.
    1. the member of an endocentric construction that belongs to the same form class and may play the same grammatical role as the construction itself.
    2. the member upon which another depends and to which it is subordinate: in former presidents, presidents is head and former is modifier.
27. the stretched membrane covering the end of a drum or similar musical instrument.
28. Mining. a level or road driven into solid coal for proving or working a mine.
29. Machinery. any of various devices on machine tools for holding, moving, indexing, or changing tools or work, as the headstock or turret of a lathe.
30. Railroads. railhead ( def 3 ).
31. (loosely) the pressure exerted by confined fluid:

    a head of steam.

32. Also called pressure head. Hydraulics.
    1. the vertical distance between two points in a liquid, as water, or some other fluid.
    2. the pressure differential resulting from this separation, expressed in terms of the vertical distance between the points.
    3. the pressure of a fluid expressed in terms of the height of a column of liquid yielding an equivalent pressure.
33. Also called magnetic head. Electronics. the part or parts of a tape recorder that record, play back, or erase magnetic signals on magnetic tape. Compare erasing head, playback head, recording head.
34. Computers. read/write head.
35. Photography.
    1. a mounting for a camera, as on a tripod.
    2. the part of an enlarger that contains the light source, negative carrier, lensboard, and lens.
36. Slang: Vulgar. fellatio or cunnilingus.
37. Archaic. power, strength, or force progressively gathered or gradually attained.
38. heads up! Informal. be careful! watch out for danger!

adjective

1. first in rank or position; chief; leading; principal:

   a head official.

   Synonyms: main, supreme, foremost, cardinal

   Antonyms: subordinate

2. of, relating to, or for the head (often used in combination):

   head covering;

   headgear;

   headpiece.

3. situated at the top, front, or head of anything (often used in combination):

   headline;

   headboard.

4. moving or coming from a direction in front of the head or prow of a vessel:

   head sea;

   head tide;

   head current.

5. Slang. of or relating to drugs, drug paraphernalia, or drug users.

verb (used with object)

1. to go at the head of or in front of; lead; precede:

   to head a list.

2. to outdo or excel; take the lead in or over:

   to head a race;

   to head one's competitors in a field.

   Synonyms: beat, surpass

3. to be the head or chief of (sometimes followed by up ): to head up a department.

   to head a school;

   to head up a department.

   Synonyms: govern, rule, command, direct

4. to direct the course of; turn the head or front of in a specified direction:

   I'll head the boat for the shore. Head me in the right direction and I'll walk to the store.

5. to go around the head of (a stream).
6. to furnish or fit with a head.
7. to take the head off; decapitate; behead.
8. to remove the upper branches of (a tree).
9. Fox Hunting. to turn aside (a fox) from its intended course.
10. to get in front of in order to stop, turn aside, attack, etc.
11. headline ( def 4 ).
12. Soccer. to propel (the ball) by striking it with the head, especially with the forehead.

verb (used without object)

1. to move forward toward a point specified; direct one's course; go in a certain direction:

   to head toward town.

2. to come or grow to a head; form a head:

   Cabbage heads quickly.

3. (of a river or stream) to have the head or source where specified.

verb phrase

1. to go before in order to hinder the progress of; intercept:

   The police headed off the fleeing driver at a railroad crossing.

Head

²

[ hed ]

noun

1. Edith, 1897–1981, U.S. costume designer.

-head

³

1. a native English suffix meaning “state of being” ( godhead; maidenhead ), occurring in words now mostly archaic or obsolete, many being superseded by forms in -hood.

head

¹

/ hɛd /

noun

1. the upper or front part of the body in vertebrates, including man, that contains and protects the brain, eyes, mouth, and nose and ears when present cephalic
2. the corresponding part of an invertebrate animal
3. something resembling a head in form or function, such as the top of a tool
4. 1. the person commanding most authority within a group, organization, etc
   2. ( as modifier )

      head buyer

   3. ( in combination )

      headmaster

5. the position of leadership or command

   at the head of his class

6. 1. the most forward part of a thing; a part that juts out; front

      the head of a queue

   2. ( as modifier )

      head point

7. the highest part of a thing; upper end

   the head of the pass

8. the froth on the top of a glass of beer
9. aptitude, intelligence, and emotions (esp in the phrases above or over one's head, have a head for, keep one's head, lose one's head, etc)

   a wise old head

   she has a good head for figures

10. head a person or animal considered as a unit

    the show was two pounds per head

    six hundred head of cattle

11. the head considered as a measure of length or height

    he's a head taller than his mother

12. botany
    1. a dense inflorescence such as that of the daisy and other composite plants
    2. any other compact terminal part of a plant, such as the leaves of a cabbage or lettuce
13. a culmination or crisis (esp in the phrase bring or come to a head )
14. the pus-filled tip or central part of a pimple, boil, etc
15. the head considered as the part of the body on which hair grows densely

    a fine head of hair

16. the source or origin of a river or stream
17. capital when part of name a headland or promontory, esp a high one
18. the obverse of a coin, usually bearing a portrait of the head or a full figure of a monarch, deity, etc Compare tail 1
19. a main point or division of an argument, discourse, etc
20. often plural the headline at the top of a newspaper article or the heading of a section within an article
21. nautical
    1. the front part of a ship or boat
    2. (in sailing ships) the upper corner or edge of a sail
    3. the top of any spar or derrick
    4. any vertical timber cut to shape
    5. often plural a slang word for lavatory
22. grammar another word for governor
23. the taut membrane of a drum, tambourine, etc
24. 1. the height of the surface of liquid above a specific point, esp when considered or used as a measure of the pressure at that point

       a head of four feet

    2. pressure of water, caused by height or velocity, measured in terms of a vertical column of water
    3. any pressure

       a head of steam in the boiler

25. slang.
    1. a person who regularly takes drugs, esp LSD or cannabis
    2. ( in combination )

       an acidhead

       a pothead

26. mining a road driven into the coal face
27. 1. the terminal point of a route
    2. ( in combination )

       railhead

28. a device on a turning or boring machine, such as a lathe, that is equipped with one or more cutting tools held to the work by this device
29. See cylinder head
30. an electromagnet that can read, write, or erase information on a magnetic medium such as a magnetic tape, disk, or drum, used in computers, tape recorders, etc
31. informal.
    short for headmaster headmistress
32. 1. the head of a horse considered as a narrow margin in the outcome of a race (in the phrase win by a head )
    2. any narrow margin of victory (in the phrase ( win ) by a head )
33. informal.
    short for headache
34. curling the stones lying in the house after all 16 have been played
35. bowls the jack and the bowls that have been played considered together as a target area
36. against the head
    rugby from the opposing side's put-in to the scrum
37. bite someone's head off or snap someone's head off
    to speak sharply and angrily to someone
38. bring or come to a head
    1. to bring or be brought to a crisis

       matters came to a head

    2. (of a boil) to cause to be or be about to burst
39. get it into one's head
    to come to believe (an idea, esp a whimsical one)

    he got it into his head that the earth was flat

40. give head slang.
    to perform fellatio
41. give someone his head
    to allow a person greater freedom or responsibility
42. give a horse its head
    to allow a horse to gallop by lengthening the reins
43. go to one's head
    1. to make one dizzy or confused, as might an alcoholic drink
    2. to make one conceited

       his success has gone to his head

44. head and shoulders above
    greatly superior to
45. head over heels
    1. turning a complete somersault
    2. completely; utterly (esp in the phrase head over heels in love )
46. hold up one's head
    to be unashamed
47. keep one's head
    to remain calm
48. keep one's head above water
    to manage to survive a difficult experience
49. make head
    to make progress
50. make head or tail of
    used with a negative to attempt to understand (a problem, etc)

    he couldn't make head or tail of the case

51. off one's head or out of one's head slang.
    insane or delirious
52. off the top of one's head
    without previous thought; impromptu
53. on one's head or on one's own head
    at one's (own) risk or responsibility
54. one's head off slang.
    loudly or excessively

    the baby cried its head off

55. over someone's head
    1. without a person in the obvious position being considered, esp for promotion

       the graduate was promoted over the heads of several of his seniors

    2. without consulting a person in the obvious position but referring to a higher authority

       in making his complaint he went straight to the director, over the head of his immediate boss

    3. beyond a person's comprehension
56. put their heads together informal.
    to consult together
57. take it into one's head
    to conceive a notion, desire, or wish (to do something)
58. turn heads
    to be so beautiful, unusual, or impressive as to attract a lot of attention
59. turn something on its head or stand something on its head
    to treat or present something in a completely new and different way

    health care which has turned orthodox medicine on its head

60. turn someone's head
    to make someone vain, conceited, etc

verb

1. tr to be at the front or top of

   to head the field

2. troften foll byup to be in the commanding or most important position
3. often foll by for to go or cause to go (towards)

   where are you heading?

4. to turn or steer (a vessel) as specified

   to head into the wind

5. soccer to propel (the ball) by striking it with the head
6. tr to provide with or be a head or heading

   the quotation which heads chapter 6

   to head a letter

7. tr to cut the top branches or shoots off (a tree or plant)
8. intr to form a head, as a boil or plant
9. introften foll byin (of streams, rivers, etc) to originate or rise in
10. head them
    to toss the coins in a game of two-up

-head

²

combining_form

1. indicating a person having a preoccupation as specified

   breadhead

Head

³

/ hɛd /

noun

1. HeadEdith19071981FUSFASHION, BEAUTY, ETC: fashion designerFILMS AND TV: film maker Edith. 1907–81, US dress designer: won many Oscars for her Hollywood film costume designs

Derived Forms

• ˈheadˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• head·like adjective
• mul·ti·head noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of head¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English he(v)ed, Old English hēafod; cognate with Old High German houbit, Gothic haubith; akin to Old English hafud- (in hafudland “headland”), Old Norse hǫfuth, Latin caput ( capital ¹ )

Origin of head²

Middle English -hede, Old English *-hǣdu, feminine of -hād -hood

Word History and Origins

Origin of head¹

Old English hēafod; related to Old Norse haufuth, Old Frisian hāved, Old Saxon hōbid, Old High German houbit

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. (down) by the head, Nautical. loaded so as to draw more water forward than aft.
2. come to a head,
   1. to suppurate, as a boil.
   2. to reach a crisis; culminate:

      The struggle for power came to a head.

3. get one's head together, Slang. to have one's actions, thoughts, or emotions under control or in order:

   If he'd get his head together, maybe he'd get to work on time.

4. give head, Slang: Vulgar. to perform fellatio or cunnilingus.
5. give someone his / her head, to permit someone to do as they like; allow someone freedom of choice:

   She wanted to go away to college, and her parents gave her her head.

6. go to someone's head,
   1. to make someone dizzy or drunk; overcome one with excitement:

      Power went to his head. The brandy went to his head.

   2. to make someone conceited or self-important:

      Success went to his head.

7. hang one's head, to become dejected or ashamed: Also hide one's head.

   When he realized what an unkind thing he had done, he hung his head in shame.

8. have one’s head screwed on right / straight, Informal. to be sensible or rational: Also have one’s head on rightstraight.

   It seems like these young people have their heads screwed on right and that our future is in great hands.

9. head and shoulders,
   1. far better, more qualified, etc.; superior:

      In intelligence, he was head and shoulders above the rest of the children in the class.

   2. Archaic. by force.
10. head over heels,
    1. headlong, as in a somersault:

       He tripped and fell head over heels into the gully.

    2. intensely; completely:

       head over heels in love.

    3. impulsively; carelessly:

       They plunged head over heels into the fighting.

11. head to head, in direct opposition or competition:

    The candidates will debate head to head.

12. keep one's head above water, to remain financially solvent:

    Despite their debts, they are managing to keep their heads above water.

13. keep one's head, to remain calm or poised, as in the midst of crisis or confusion:

    It was fortunate that someone kept his head and called a doctor.

14. lay / put heads together, to meet in order to discuss, consult, or scheme:

    Neither of them had enough money for a tour of Europe, so they put their heads together and decided to find jobs there.

15. lose one's head, to become uncontrolled or wildly excited:

    When he thought he saw an animal in the underbrush, he lost his head and began shooting recklessly.

16. make head, to progress or advance, especially despite opposition; make headway:

    There have been many delays, but we are at last making head.

17. make heads roll, to exert authority by firing or dismissing employees or subordinates:

    He made heads roll as soon as he took office.

18. not make head or tail of, to be unable to understand or decipher: Also not make heads or tails of.

    We couldn't make head or tail of the strange story.

19. off the top of one's head, candidly or extemporaneously:

    Off the top of my head, I'd say that's right.

20. on one's head, as one's responsibility or fault:

    Because of his reckless driving he now has the deaths of three persons on his head.

21. one's head off, extremely; excessively:

    We screamed our heads off at that horror movie.

    He laughed his head off at the monkey's antics.

22. out of one's head / mind,
    1. insane; crazy.
    2. Informal. delirious; irrational:

       You're out of your head if you accept those terms.

23. over one's head,
    1. beyond one's comprehension, ability, or resources:

       The classical allusion went right over his head.

    2. beyond one's financial resources or ability to pay:

       He's losing over his head in that poker game.

24. over someone's head, to appeal to someone having a superior position or prior claim:

    She went over her supervisor's head and complained to a vice president.

25. pull one's head in, Australian Slang. to keep quiet or mind one's own business; shut up.
26. rear its (ugly) head, (of something undesirable) to emerge or make an appearance, especially after being hidden:

    Jealousy reared its ugly head and destroyed their relationship.

27. take it into one's head, to form a notion, purpose, or plan: Also take into one's head.

    She took it into her head to study medicine.

28. turn someone's head,
    1. to cause someone to become smug or conceited:

       Her recent success has completely turned her head.

    2. to cause one to become foolish or confused:

       A whirlwind romance has quite turned his head.

More idioms and phrases containing head

• beat into someone's head
• beat one's head against the wall
• big head
• bite someone's head off
• bring to a head
• can't make head or tail of
• count noses (heads)
• do blindfolded (standing on one's head)
• enter one's mind (head)
• eyes in the back of one's head
• from head to toe
• get into one's head
• get one's head examined
• get through one's head
• give someone his or her head
• good head on one's shoulders
• go to one's head
• hang one's head
• hang over (one's head)
• have a head for
• have a screw loose (head screwed on right)
• hide one's head
• hide one's head in the sand
• hit the nail on the head
• hold a gun to someone's head
• hold one's head high
• in over one's head
• keep one's head
• laugh one's head off
• like a chicken with its head cut off
• lose one's head
• make one's head spin
• need like a hole in the head
• not right in the head
• off one's head
• off the top of one's head
• on one's head
• on the block (put one's head)
• over one's head
• price on one's head
• put ideas in someone's head
• put our heads together
• rear its ugly head
• rocks in one's head
• roof over one's head
• scratch one's head
• shake one's head
• soft in the head
• swelled head
• talk someone's arm (head) off
• throw oneself (at someone's head)
• touched in the head
• trouble one's head
• turn one's head
• upside the head
• use one's head

Example Sentences

The left-back, originally the sixth penalty taker, remembers the nerves setting in after being bumped to fifth by head coach Tony DiCicco and instructed to take the final kick of the game with her left foot.

From BBC

Englishwoman Emma Hayes, now the head coach of the current US national team, said: "They were my role models as an English girl."

From BBC

Hayes and her team head to England next week for a friendly at Wembley Stadium.

From BBC

It is a venue which witnessed Chloe Kelly evoke memories of Chastain by memorably twirling her shirt above her head after scoring the match-winning goal for England in the Euro 2022 final.

From BBC

Other areas of potential scrutiny are teacher job protections in K-12 schools and Head Start preschools.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• command
• control
• direct
• guide
• lead
• run

Words That Use -head

What does -head mean?

The suffix -head has two distinct senses.

The first of these senses is “a state of being.” It is used rarely, typically in archaic or obscure terms.

The suffix -head comes from Old English -hǣdu, roughly meaning “manner.”

Many terms, such as barehead, use the second sense of -head: literally, “head,” as in the part of the body. This usage is particularly found in insults, such as knucklehead.

What are variants of -head?

While not technically a variant of -head, the related suffix -hood, as in childhood, is more commonly used and similarly denotes a state of being.

Examples of -head meaning "a state of being"

One example of a term that features the suffix -head to mean “a state of being” is godhead, or godhood, meaning “divinity.” Godhead comes from Middle English godhede, which uses the equivalent of -head in that language.

The god- part of the word means “god,” while the suffix -head here denotes “a state of being.” Godhead literally means “state of being godly.”

What are some words that use the suffix -head to denote “state of being”?

• drunkenhead
• drowsihead
• evenhead
• jollyhead
• lowlihead
• maidenhead

What are some other forms that -head may be commonly confused with?

• -hedral
• -hedron
• -hood

Break it down!

With the sense of -head as “a state of being,” what is the meaning of the archaic noun lowlihead?

Examples of -head meaning "head"

One example of a term that features the suffix -head to mean “head” is redhead, meaning “a person with red hair.”

What are some words that use -head to mean “head”?

• airhead
• blockhead
• bulkhead
• fountainhead
• printhead
• towhead

Break it down!

With the meaning of -head to mean “head,” what does the insult blockhead mean?