head

1. 1) noun, 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. Related adj cephalic
2. 2) noun, the corresponding part of an invertebrate animal
3. 3) noun, something resembling a head in form or function, such as the top of a tool
4. 4) noun, a) the person commanding most authority within a group, organization, etc b) (as modifier): head buyer c) (in combination): headmaster
5. 5) noun, the position of leadership or command: at the head of his class
6. 6) noun, a) the most forward part of a thing; a part that juts out; front: the head of a queue b) (as modifier): head point
7. 7) noun, the highest part of a thing; upper end: the head of the pass
8. 8) noun, the froth on the top of a glass of beer
9. 9) noun, 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): she has a good head for figures; a wise old head
10. 10) noun, a person or animal considered as a unit: the show was two pounds per head; six hundred head of cattle
11. 11) noun, the head considered as a measure of length or height: he's a head taller than his mother
12. 12) noun, botany a) a dense inflorescence such as that of the daisy and other composite plants b) any other compact terminal part of a plant, such as the leaves of a cabbage or lettuce
13. 13) noun, a culmination or crisis (esp in the phrase bring or come to a head)
14. 14) noun, the pus-filled tip or central part of a pimple, boil, etc
15. 15) noun, the head considered as the part of the body on which hair grows densely: a fine head of hair
16. 16) noun, the source or origin of a river or stream
17. 17) noun, a headland or promontory, esp a high one
18. 18) noun, the obverse of a coin, usually bearing a portrait of the head or a full figure of a monarch, deity, etc. Compare tail
19. 19) noun, a main point or division of an argument, discourse, etc
20. 20) noun, the headline at the top of a newspaper article or the heading of a section within an article
21. 21) noun, nautical a) the front part of a ship or boat b) (in sailing ships) the upper corner or edge of a sail c) the top of any spar or derrick d) any vertical timber cut to shape e)a slang word for lavatory
22. 22) noun, grammar. another word for governor
23. 23) noun, the taut membrane of a drum, tambourine, etc
24. 24) noun, a) 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 b) pressure of water, caused by height or velocity, measured in terms of a vertical column of water c) any pressure: a head of steam in the boiler
25. 25) noun, slang a) a person who regularly takes drugs, esp LSD or cannabis b) (in combination): an acidhead; a pothead
26. 26) noun, mining a road driven into the coal face
27. 27) noun, a) the terminal point of a route b) (in combination): railhead
28. 28) noun, 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. 29) noun, See cylinder head
30. 30) noun, 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. 31) noun, short for headmaster
32. 32) noun, a) the head of a horse considered as a narrow margin in the outcome of a race (in the phrase win by a head) b) any narrow margin of victory (in the phrase (win) by a head)
33. 33) noun, short for headache
34. 34) noun, curling the stones lying in the house after all 16 have been played
35. 35) noun, bowls the jack and the bowls that have been played considered together as a target area
36. 36) noun, against the head rugby from the opposing side's put-in to the scrum
37. 37) noun, bite or or snap someone's head off to speak sharply and angrily to someone
38. 38) noun, bring or come to a head a) to bring or be brought to a crisis: matters came to a head b) (of a boil) to cause to be or be about to burst
39. 39) noun, 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. 40) noun, give head slang to perform fellatio
41. 41) noun, give someone (or something) his (or its) head a) to allow a person greater freedom or responsibility b) to allow a horse to gallop by lengthening the reins
42. 42) noun, go to one's head a) to make one dizzy or confused, as might an alcoholic drink b) to make one conceited: his success has gone to his head
43. 43) noun, head and shoulders above greatly superior to
44. 44) noun, head over heels a) turning a complete somersault b) completely; utterly (esp in the phrase head over heels in love)
45. 45) noun, hold up one's head to be unashamed
46. 46) noun, keep one's head to remain calm
47. 47) noun, keep one's head above water to manage to survive a difficult experience
48. 48) noun, make head to make progress
49. 49) noun, make head or tail of to attempt to understand (a problem, etc): he couldn't make head or tail of the case
50. 50) noun, off (or out of) one's head slang insane or delirious
51. 51) noun, off the top of one's head without previous thought; impromptu
52. 52) noun, on one's (own) head at one's (own) risk or responsibility
53. 53) noun, one's head off slang loudly or excessively: the baby cried its head off
54. 54) noun, over someone's head a) without a person in the obvious position being considered, esp for promotion: the graduate was promoted over the heads of several of his seniors b) 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 c) beyond a person's comprehension
55. 55) noun, put (our, their, etc) heads together to consult together
56. 56) noun, take it into one's head to conceive a notion, desire, or wish (to do something)
57. 57) noun, turn heads to be so beautiful, unusual, or impressive as to attract a lot of attention
58. 58) noun, turn 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
59. 59) noun, turn someone's head to make someone vain, conceited, etc
60. 60) verb, to be at the front or top of: to head the field
61. 61) verb, to be in the commanding or most important position
62. 62) verb, to go or cause to go (towards): where are you heading?
63. 63) verb, to turn or steer (a vessel) as specified: to head into the wind
64. 64) verb, soccer to propel (the ball) by striking it with the head
65. 65) verb, to provide with or be a head or heading: to head a letter; the quotation which heads chapter 6
66. 66) verb, to cut the top branches or shoots off (a tree or plant)
67. 67) verb, to form a head, as a boil or plant
68. 68) verb, (of streams, rivers, etc) to originate or rise in
69. 69) verb, head them to toss the coins in a game of two-up â–· See also head for â–· See also, head off â–· See also, heads

Collins English Electronic Dictionary - Digital Edition: 2008
© HarperCollins Publishers 2008