head

noun

1》 the upper part of the human body, or the front or upper part of the body of an animal, typically separated from the rest of the body by a neck, and containing the brain, mouth, and sense organs.

    ↘(heads) the side of a coin bearing the image of a head (used when tossing a coin to determine a winner).

2》 the front, forward, or upper part or end of something.

    ↘the source of a river or stream.

    ↘the end of a lake or inlet at which a river enters.

    ↘[usu. in place names] a promontory: Beachy Head.

    ↘the top of a ship's mast.

    ↘the bows of a ship.

    ↘the foam on top of a glass of beer.

3》 the cutting or operational end of a tool or mechanism.

    ↘the flattened or knobbed end of a nail, pin, screw, or match.

4》 a person in charge; a director or leader.

5》 a compact mass of leaves or flowers at the top of a stem, especially a capitulum.

    ↘the edible leafy part at the top of the stem of vegetables such as cabbage and lettuce.

    ↘one saleable unit of certain vegetables such as cabbage or celery.

6》 a person considered as a numerical unit: they paid fifty pounds a head.

    ↘[treated as plural] a number of cattle or game as specified: seventy head of dairy cattle.

7》 a component in an audio, video, or information system by which information is transferred from an electrical signal to the recording medium, or vice versa.

    ↘the part of a record player that holds the playing cartridge and stylus.

8》 a body of water kept at a particular height in order to provide a supply at sufficient pressure: an 8 m head of water in the shafts.

    ↘the pressure exerted by such water.

9》 Grammar the word that governs all the other words in a phrase in which it is used.

10》 nautical slang a toilet on a boat.

11》 the antlers of a deer.

12》 Geology a superficial deposit of rock fragments, formed at the edge of an ice sheet by repeated freezing and thawing and then moved downhill.

adjective chief; principal.

verb

1》 be or act as the head of.

2》 give a title or heading to.

3》 (also be headed) move in a specified direction: he was heading for the exit.

4》 (head someone/thing off) intercept and turn aside someone or something; forestall.

5》 Soccer shoot or pass (the ball) with the head.

6》 lop off the upper part or branches of (a plant or tree).

7》 (of a lettuce or cabbage) form a head.

8》 (head up) Sailing steer towards the wind.

Phrases

be banging one's head against a brick wall be doggedly attempting the impossible.

bang (or knock) people's heads together reprimand people in an attempt to stop them arguing.

be hanging over someone's head threaten to affect someone at any moment.

be on someone's (own) head be someone's sole responsibility.

by the head Nautical (of a boat or ship) deeper in the water forward than astern.

come to a head reach a crisis.

do someone's head in Brit. informal cause someone to feel annoyed, confused, or frustrated.

get one's head down Brit. informal

1》 sleep.

2》 concentrate on the task in hand.

get one's head round (or around) informal understand or come to terms with.

give someone his (or her) head allow someone complete freedom of action.

give someone head vulgar slang perform oral sex on someone.

go to someone's head

1》 (of alcohol) make someone slightly drunk.

2》 (of success) make someone conceited.

head first

1》 with the head in front of the rest of the body.

2》 without sufficient forethought.

a head for an aptitude for or tolerance of: he's never had a head for heights.

—— one's head off informal talk, laugh, shout, etc. unrestrainedly: he was yelling his head off.

head over heels

1》 turning over completely in forward motion, as in a somersault.

2》 madly in love.

a head start an advantage granted or gained at the beginning.

heads will roll people will be dismissed or forced to resign.

in one's head by mental process without use of physical aids.

keep one's head remain calm.

keep one's head above water avoid succumbing to difficulties.

lose one's head lose self-control.

make head or tail of [usu. with negative] understand at all.

off (or out of) one's head Brit. informal mad.

off the top of one's head without careful thought or investigation.

over someone's head

1》 (also above someone's head) beyond someone's ability to understand.

2》 without consultation or involvement.

put their (or our or your) heads together consult and work together.

stand (or turn) something on its head completely reverse an idea or argument.

turn someone's head make someone conceited.

turn heads attract a great deal of attention.

Derivatives

-headed adjective

headless adjective

headward adjective & adverb

headwards adverb

Origin

OE hēafod, of Gmc origin.