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   head

   /hɛd/

   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. Similar skullcraniumcrowninformal:nutnoodlenoddlenobnoggindomeboncenapperpollinformal, dated:beanconkarchaic:pateCostardcrumpet
   • ▪ the head regarded as the location of intellect, imagination, and memory: "whatever comes into my head" Similar brainbrainsbrainpowerintellectintelligenceintellectual capacitymental capacitypowers of reasoningwitwitswisdommindsensereasoningrationalitymentalityunderstandingcommon senseinformal:nousgrey mattersavvybrainboxbrain cellsloafupper storeysmartskop
   • ▪ an aptitude for or tolerance of: "she had a good head for business" Similar aptitudefacultyflairtalentgiftcapacityabilityknackbentmindbrain
   • ▪ a headache, especially one resulting from intoxication. informal
   • ▪ the height or length of a head as a measure: "he was beaten by a head"
   • ▪ the side of a coin bearing the image of a head (used when tossing a coin to determine a winner): "heads or tails?"
   • ▪ the antlers of a deer: "stags yearly cast their heads in March"
   • 2. a thing resembling a head either in form or in relation to a whole.
   • ▪ the cutting, striking, or operational end of a tool, weapon, or mechanism.
   • ▪ the flattened or knobbed end of a nail, pin, screw, or match.
   • ▪ the ornamented top of a pillar or column.
   • ▪ a compact mass of leaves or flowers at the top of a stem, especially a capitulum: "huge heads of fluffy cream flowers"
   • ▪ the edible leafy part at the top of the stem of such green vegetables as cabbage and lettuce.
   • 3. the front, forward, or upper part or end of something. Similar frontbeginningstartforeforefronttopleading positionforemost positionOpposite backbottom
   • ▪ the upper end of a table or bed: "he sat down at the head of the cot"
   • ▪ the upper horizontal part of a window frame or door frame.
   • ▪ the flat end of a cask or drum.
   • ▪ the front of a queue or procession: "at the head of the queue"
   • ▪ the top of a page.
   • ▪ short for headline
   • ▪ the top of a flight of stairs or steps.
   • ▪ the foam on top of a glass of beer, or the cream on the top of milk. Similar frothfoambubblesspumemoussefizzeffervescencelathersuds
   • ▪ the source of a river or stream. Similar sourceoriginwell headheadspringheadwaterheadwaterseyeliterary:wellspringfountfountainOpposite mouth
   • ▪ the end of a lake or inlet at which a river enters.
   • ▪ a promontory: "Beachy Head"
   • ▪ the top of a ship's mast.
   • ▪ the bows of a ship.
   • ▪ short for cylinder head
   • 4. a person in charge of something; a director or leader: "the head of the Dutch Catholic Church" Similar leaderchiefbosscontrollermastersupervisorgovernorsuperintendentforemanforewomanheadmancommandercommanding officercaptaindirectormanaging directorchief executivemanagerprincipalhead teacherheadmasterheadmistresspresidentpremierprime ministerrulerchairchairmanchairwomanchairpersonchief executive officerCEOinformal:boss mankingpintop dogbig cheesebigwigMr Bigskippergafferguv'nornumero unohead honchopadronesachembig white chiefbig kahunabig wheelhigh muckamuckOpposite subordinate
   • ▪ short for headmaster, headmistress, or head teacher British
   • 5. a person considered as a numerical unit: "they paid fifty pounds a head"
   • ▪ a number of cattle or game as specified: "seventy head of dairy cattle"
   • 6. 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.
   • ▪ short for printhead
   • 7. 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 a head of water or by a confined body of steam: "a good head of steam on the gauge"
   • 8. a toilet on a ship or boat: "they were cleaning out the heads"
   • 9. the word that governs all the other words in a phrase in which it is used, having the same grammatical function as the whole phrase.
   • 10. a superficial deposit of rock fragments, formed at the edge of an ice sheet by repeated freezing and thawing and then moved downhill.
   • 11. a group of pheasants: rare "it is easy to get up a head of pheasants with the aid of good keepers"

   adjective

   • 1. chief; principal: "the head waiter"

   verb

   • 1. be in the leading position on: "the St George's Day procession was headed by the mayor" Similar be at the front ofleadbe the leader ofbe at the head ofbe firstgo firstlead the wayOpposite be at the back ofbring up the rear of
   • ▪ be in charge of: "Young heads a team of internationally recognized experts in bone disease and drug development" Similar be in charge ofbe at the head ofbe in command ofcommandbe in control ofcontrolleadbe the leader ofrunmanagedirectadministersupervisesuperintendoverseepreside overrulegoverncaptainbe the boss ofbe at the helm of
   • 2. give a title or caption to: "an article headed ‘The Protection of Human Life’"
   • 3. move in a specified direction: "he was heading for the exit" Similar move towardsgo towardsmake foraim formake one's way towardsgo in the direction ofdirect one's steps towardsbe bound forsteer formake a beeline forset out in the direction ofset out forstart out forOpposite move away from
   • ▪ proceed towards a particular state of affairs, consequence, or outcome, especially one that is undesirable: "the economy is heading for recession" Similar move towardsgo towardsmake foraim formake one's way towardsgo in the direction ofdirect one's steps towardsbe bound forsteer formake a beeline forset out in the direction ofset out forstart out forOpposite move away from
   • ▪ direct or steer in a specified direction: "she headed the car towards them"
   • 4. shoot or pass (the ball) with the head: "a corner kick that Moody headed into the net"
   • 5. lop off the upper part or branches of (a plant or tree): "the willow is headed every three or four years"
   • 6. (of a lettuce or cabbage) form a head.

   Word Origin Old Englishhēafod, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoofd and German Haupt.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • H

     4

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • D

     2

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