Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter H - Page 4
Hailse (v. t.) To greet; to salute. [Obs.] -- P. Plowman.
Hailshot (n. pl.) Small shot which scatter like hailstones. [Obs.] -- Hayward.
Hailstone (n.) A single particle of ice falling from a cloud; a frozen raindrop; a pellet of hail.
Hailstone (n.) Small pellet of ice that falls during a hailstorm.
Hailstorm (n.) A storm accompanied with hail; a shower of hail.
Hailstorm (n.) A storm during which hail falls.
Haily (a.) Of hail. "Haily showers." -- Pope.
Han (contr. inf. & plural pres. of Haven.) To have; have. [Obs.] -- Piers Plowman.
Him thanken all, and thus they han an end. -- Chaucer.
Han (n.) Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy; remembered as one of the great eras of Chinese civilization [syn: Han, Han dynasty].
Han (v. t.) To inclose for mowing; to set aside for grass.
Hain't () A contraction of have not or has not; as, I hain't, he hain't, we hain't. [Colloq. or illiterate speech.] [Written also han't.]
Han't, () A contraction of have not, or has not, used in illiterate speech. In the United States the commoner spelling is hain't. Hanukka
Hair (n.) The collection or mass of filaments growing from the skin of an animal, and forming a covering for a part of the head or for any part or the whole of the body.
Hair (n.) One the above-mentioned filaments, consisting, in invertebrate animals, of a long, tubular part which is free and flexible, and a bulbous root imbedded in the skin.
Then read he me how Sampson lost his hairs. -- Chaucer.
And draweth new delights with hoary hairs. -- Spenser.
Hair (n.) Hair (human or animal) used for various purposes; as, hair for stuffing cushions.
Hair (n.) (Zool.) A slender outgrowth from the chitinous cuticle of insects, spiders, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. Such hairs are totally unlike those of vertebrates in structure, composition, and mode of growth.
Hair (n.) (Bot.) An outgrowth of the epidermis, consisting of one or of several cells, whether pointed, hooked, knobbed, or stellated. Internal hairs occur in the flower stalk of the yellow frog lily ({Nuphar).
Hair (n.) A spring device used in a hair-trigger firearm.
Hair (n.) A haircloth. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Hair (n.) Any very small distance, or degree; a hairbreadth.
Note: Hairs is often used adjectively or in combination; as, hairbrush or hair brush, hair dye, hair oil, hairpin, hair powder, a brush, a dye, etc., for the hair.
Against the hair, In a rough and disagreeable manner; against the grain. [Obs.] "You go against the hair of your professions." -- Shak.
Hair bracket (Ship Carp.), A molding which comes in at the back of, or runs aft from, the figurehead.
Hair cells (Anat.), Cells with hairlike processes in the sensory epithelium of certain parts of the internal ear.
Hair compass, Hair divider, A compass or divider capable of delicate adjustment by means of a screw.
Hair glove, A glove of horsehair for rubbing the skin.
Hair lace, A netted fillet for tying up the hair of the head. -- Swift.
Hair line, A line made of hair; a very slender line.
Hair moth (Zool.), Any moth which destroys goods made of hair, esp. Tinea biselliella.
Hair pencil, A brush or pencil made of fine hair, for painting; -- generally called by the name of the hair used; as, a camel's hair pencil, a sable's hair pencil, etc.
Hair plate, An iron plate forming the back of the hearth of a bloomery fire.
Hair powder, A white perfumed powder, as of flour or starch, formerly much used for sprinkling on the hair of the head, or on wigs.
Hair seal (Zool.), Any one of several species of eared seals which do not produce fur; a sea lion.
Hair seating, Haircloth for seats of chairs, etc.
Hair shirt, A shirt, or a band for the loins, made of horsehair, and worn as a penance.
Hair sieve, A strainer with a haircloth bottom.
Hair snake. See Gordius.
Hair space (Printing), The thinnest metal space used in lines of type.
Hair stroke, A delicate stroke in writing.
Hair trigger, A trigger so constructed as to discharge a firearm by a very slight pressure, as by the touch of a hair. -- Farrow.
Not worth a hair, Of no value.
To a hair, With the nicest distinction.
To split hairs, To make distinctions of useless nicety. Hairball
Hair (n.) A covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss; "he combed his hair"; "each hair consists of layers of dead keratinized cells."
Hair (n.) A very small distance or space; "they escaped by a hair's-breadth"; "they lost the election by a whisker" [syn: hair's-breadth, hairsbreadth, hair, whisker].
Hair (n.) Filamentous hairlike growth on a plant; "peach fuzz" [syn: hair, fuzz, tomentum].
Hair (n.) Any of the cylindrical filaments characteristically growing from the epidermis of a mammal; "there is a hair in my soup" [syn: hair, pilus].
Hair (n.) Cloth woven from horsehair or camelhair; used for upholstery or stiffening in garments [syn: haircloth, hair].
Hair (n.) A filamentous projection or process on an organism.
Hair (n.) [back-formation from hairy] The complications that make something hairy.
?Decoding TECO commands requires a certain amount of hair.? Often seen in the phrase infinite hair, which connotes extreme complexity. Also in hairiferous (tending to promote hair growth): ?GNUMACS elisp encourages lusers to write complex editing modes.? ?Yeah, it's pretty hairiferous all right.? (or just: ?Hair squared!?)
Hair, () [back-formation from hairy] The complications that make something hairy. "Decoding TECO commands requires a certain amount of hair." Often seen in the phrase "infinite hair", which connotes extreme complexity. Also in "hairiferous" (tending to promote hair growth): "GNUMACS elisp encourages lusers to write complex editing modes." "Yeah, it's pretty hairiferous all right." (Or just: "Hair squared!")
Hair, () The Egyptians let the hair of their head and beard grow only when they were in mourning, shaving it off at other times. "So particular were they on this point that to have neglected it was a subject of reproach and ridicule; and whenever they intended to convey the idea of a man of low condition, or a slovenly person, the artists represented him with a beard." Joseph shaved himself before going in to Pharoah (Gen. 41:14). The women of Egypt wore their hair long and plaited. Wigs were worn by priests and laymen to cover the shaven skull, and false beards were common. The great masses of hair seen in the portraits and statues of kings and priests are thus altogether artificial.
Hair, () A precisely opposite practice, as regards men, prevailed among the Assyrians. In Assyrian sculptures the hair always appears long, and combed closely down upon the head. The beard also was allowed to grow to its full length.
Hair, () Among the Greeks the custom in this respect varied at different times, as it did also among the Romans. In the time of the apostle, among the Greeks the men wore short hair, while that of the women was long (1 Cor. 11:14, 15). Paul reproves the Corinthians for falling in with a style of manners which so far confounded the distinction of the sexes and was hurtful to good morals. (See, however, 1 Tim. 2:9, and 1 Pet. 3:3, as regards women.)
Hair, () Among the Hebrews the natural distinction between the sexes was preserved by the women wearing long hair (Luke 7:38; John 11:2; 1 Cor. 11:6), while the men preserved theirs as a rule at a moderate length by frequent clipping.
Baldness disqualified any one for the priest's office (Lev. 21). Elijah is called a "hairy man" (2 Kings 1:8) from his flowing
locks, or more probably from the shaggy cloak of hair which he wore. His raiment was of camel's hair. Long hair is especially noticed in the description of Absalom's person (2 Sam. 14:26); but the wearing of long hair was unusual, and was only practised as an act of religious observance by Nazarites (Num. 6:5; Judg. 13:5) and others in token of special mercies (Acts 18:18). In times of affliction the hair was cut off (Isa. 3:17, 24; 15:2; 22:12; Jer. 7:29; Amos 8:10). Tearing the hair and letting it go dishevelled were also tokens of grief (Ezra 9:3). "Cutting off the hair" is a figure of the entire destruction of a people (Isa. 7:20). The Hebrews anointed the hair profusely with fragrant ointments (Ruth 3:3; 2 Sam. 14:2; Ps. 23:5; 45:7, etc.), especially in seasons of rejoicing (Matt. 6:17; Luke 7:46).
Hairbell (n.) See Harebell.
Hairbird (n.) The chipping sparrow.
Hairbrained (a.) See Harebrained.
Hairbreadth () Alt. of Hair'sbreadth.
Hair'sbreadth () The diameter or breadth of a hair; a very small distance; sometimes, definitely, the forty-eighth part of an inch.
Hairbreadth (a.) Having the breadth of a hair; very narrow; as, a hairbreadth escape.
Hair-brown (a.) Of a clear tint of brown, resembling brown human hair. It is composed of equal proportions of red and green.
Hairbrush (n.) A brush for cleansing and smoothing the hair.
Haircloth (n.) Stuff or cloth made wholly or in part of hair.
Hairdresser (n.) One who dresses or cuts hair; a barber.
Haired (a.) Having hair.
Haired (a.) In composition: Having (such) hair; as, red-haired.
Hairen (a.) Hairy.
Hair grass () A grass with very slender leaves or branches; as the Agrostis scabra, and several species of Aira or Deschampsia.
Hairiness (n.) The state of abounding, or being covered, with hair.
Hairless (a.) Destitute of hair.
Hairlike (a.) 毛髮似的；細長的 Long and slender with a very small internal diameter. [syn: {capillary}, {thin}], of relatively small extent from one surface to the opposite or in cross section.
Hairpin (n.) A pin, usually forked, or of bent wire, for fastening the hair in place, -- used by women.
Hair-salt (n.) A variety of native Epsom salt occurring in silky fibers.
Hairsplitter (n.) One who makes excessively nice or needless distinctions in reasoning; one who quibbles.
Hairsplitting (a.) Making excessively nice or trivial distinctions in reasoning; subtle.
Hairsplitting (n.) The act or practice of making trivial distinctions.
Hairspring (n.) The slender recoil spring which regulates the motion of the balance in a timepiece.
Hairstreak (n.) A butterfly of the genus Thecla; as, the green hairstreak (T. rubi).
Hairtail (n.) Any species of marine fishes of the genus Trichiurus; esp., T. lepterus of Europe and America. They are long and like a band, with a slender, pointed tail. Called also bladefish.
Hairworm () A nematoid worm of the genus Gordius, resembling a hair. See Gordius.
Hairy (a.) 多毛的，毛茸茸的；毛狀的；【美】【俚】令人不快的，粗野的 Bearing or covered with hair; made of or resembling hair; rough with hair; rough with hair; rough with hair; hirsute.
Haitian (a. & n.) See Haytian.
Haye (n.) The Egyptian asp or cobra (Naja haje.) It is related to the cobra of India, and like the latter has the power of inflating its neck into a hood. Its bite is very venomous. It is supposed to be the snake by means of whose bite Cleopatra committed suicide, and hence is sometimes called Cleopatra's snake or asp. See Asp.
Hake (n.) A drying shed, as for unburned tile.
Hake (n.) One of several species of marine gadoid fishes, of the genera Phycis, Merlucius, and allies. The common European hake is M. vulgaris; the American silver hake or whiting is M. bilinearis. Two American species (Phycis chuss and P. tenius) are important food fishes, and are also valued for their oil and sounds. Called also squirrel hake, and codling.
Hake (v. t.) To loiter; to sneak.
Hake's-dame (n.) See Forkbeard.
Haketon (n.) Same as Acton.
Hakim (n.) A wise man; a physician, esp. a Mohammedan.
Hakim (n.) A Mohammedan title for a ruler; a judge.
Halachoth (n. pl. ) of Halacha.
Halacha (n.) The general term for the Hebrew oral or traditional law; one of two branches of exposition in the Midrash. See Midrash.
Halation (n.) An appearance as of a halo of light, surrounding the edges of dark objects in a photographic picture.
Halberd (n.) 戟 An ancient long-handled weapon, of which the head had a point and several long, sharp edges, curved or straight, and sometimes additional points. The heads were sometimes of very elaborate form.
Halberd (also Halbert) (n.) [Historical] A combined spear and battleaxe.
Halberd (n.) A weapon used in the past which is a combination of a spear and an axe.
Halberdier (n.) One who is armed with a halberd.
Halberd-shaped (a.) Hastate.
Halcyon (n.) A kingfisher. By modern ornithologists restricted to a genus including a limited number of species having omnivorous habits, as the sacred kingfisher (Halcyon sancta) of Australia.
Halcyon (a.) Pertaining to, or resembling, the halcyon, which was anciently said to lay her eggs in nests on or near the sea during the calm weather about the winter solstice.
Halcyon (a.) Hence: Calm; quiet; peaceful; undisturbed; happy.
Halcyonian (a.) Halcyon; calm.
Halcyonold (a. & n.) See Alcyonoid.
Hale (a.) (haler, halest.) Sound; entire; healthy; robust; not impaired; as, a hale body.
Last year we thought him strong and hale. -- Swift.
Hale (a.) Free from defect, disease, or infirmity : sound; also : retaining exceptional health and vigor.
Hale (v. t.) To compel (someone) to go.
Hale (v. t.) (haled, haling.) To haul, pull.
Hale (n.) Welfare. [Obs.]
All heedless of his dearest hale. -- Spenser.
Haled (imp. & p. p.) of Hale.
Haling (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Hale.
Hale (v. t.) To pull; to drag; to haul. See Haul. -- Chaucer.
Easier both to freight, and to hale ashore. -- Milton.
As some dark priest hales the reluctant victim. -- Shelley.
Hale (a.) Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health; "hale and hearty"; "whole in mind and body"; "a whole person again" [syn: hale, whole].
Hale (n.) A soldier of the American Revolution who was hanged as a spy by the British; his last words were supposed to have been `I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country' (1755-1776) [syn: Hale, Nathan Hale].
Hale (n.) United States astronomer who discovered that sunspots are associated with strong magnetic fields (1868-1938) [syn: Hale, George Ellery Hale].
Hale (n.) Prolific United States writer (1822-1909) [syn: Hale, Edward Everett Hale].
Hale (v.) To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job in the city"; "He squeezed her for information" [syn: coerce, hale, squeeze, pressure, force].
Hale (v.) Draw slowly or heavily; "haul stones"; "haul nets" [syn: haul, hale, cart, drag].
Halesia (n.) A genus of American shrubs containing several species, called snowdrop trees, or silver-bell trees. They have showy, white flowers, drooping on slender pedicels.
Half (adv.) In an equal part or degree; in some part approximating a half; partially; imperfectly; as, half-colored, half done, half-hearted, half persuaded, half conscious. "Half loth and half consenting." -- Dryden.
Their children spoke halfin the speech of Ashdod. -- Neh. xiii. 24.
Halves (n. pl. ) of Half.
Half (n.) Part; side; behalf. [Obs.] -- Wyclif.
The four halves of the house. -- Chaucer.
Half (n.) One of two equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided; -- sometimes followed by of; as, a half of an apple.
Not half his riches known, and yet despised. -- Milton.
A friendship so complete Portioned in halves between us. -- Tennyson.
Better half. See under Better.
In half, In two; an expression sometimes used improperly instead of in halves or into halves; as, to cut in half. [Colloq.] -- Dickens.
In one's half or On one's half, In one's behalf; on one's part. [Obs.]
To cry halves, To claim an equal share with another.
To go halves, To share equally between two.
Half (a.) Consisting of a moiety, or half; as, a half bushel; a half hour; a half dollar; a half view.
Note: The adjective and noun are often united to form a compound.
Half (a.) Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect; as, a half dream; half knowledge.
Assumed from thence a half consent. -- Tennyson.
Half ape (Zool.), A lemur.
Half back. (Football) See under 2d Back.
Half bent, The first notch, for the sear point to enter, in the tumbler of a gunlock; the halfcock notch.
Half binding, A style of bookbinding in which only the back and corners are in leather.
Half boarder, One who boards in part; specifically, a scholar at a boarding school who takes dinner only.
Half-breadth plan (Shipbuilding), A horizontal plan of one half a vessel, divided lengthwise, showing the lines.
Half cadence (Mus.), A cadence on the dominant.
Half cap, A slight salute with the cap. [Obs.] -- Shak.
At half cock, The position of the cock of a gun when retained by the first notch.
Half hitch, A sailor's knot in a rope; half of a clove hitch.
Half hose, Short stockings; socks.
Half measure, An imperfect or weak line of action.
Half note (Mus.), A minim, one half of a semibreve.
Half pay, Half of the wages or salary; reduced pay; as, an officer on half pay.
Half price, Half the ordinary price; or a price much reduced.
Half round. (a) (Arch.) A molding of semicircular section.
Half round. (b) (Mech.) Having one side flat and the other rounded; -- said of a file.
Half shift (Mus.), A position of the hand, between the open position and the first shift, in playing on the violin and kindred instruments. See Shift.
Half step (Mus.), A semitone; the smallest difference of pitch or interval, used in music.
Half tide, The time or state of the tide equally distant from ebb and flood.
Half time, Half the ordinary time for work or attendance; as, the half-time system.
Half tint (Fine Arts), A middle or intermediate tint, as in drawing or painting. See Demitint.
Half truth, A statement only partially true, or which gives only a part of the truth. -- Mrs. Browning.
Half year, The space of six months; one term of a school when there are two terms in a year.
Half (v. t.) To halve. [Obs.] See Halve. -- Sir H. Wotton.
Half (adv.) Partially or to the extent of a half; "he was half hidden by the bushes."
Half (a.) Consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity; "a half chicken"; "lasted a half hour."
Half (a.) Partial; "gave me a half smile"; "he did only a half job."
Half (a.) (Of siblings) Related through one parent only; "a half brother"; "half sister" [ant: whole].
Half (n.) One of two equal parts of a divisible whole; "half a loaf"; "half an hour"; "a century and one half" [syn: one-half, half].
Half (n.) One of two divisions into which some games or performances are divided: the two divisions are separated by an interval.
Half. () One equal part of a thing divided into two parts, either in fact or in contemplation. A moiety. This word is used in composition; as, half cent, half dime, &c.
Half, (n.) One of two equal parts into which a thing may be divided, or considered as divided. In the fourteenth century a heated discussion arose among theologists and philosophers as to whether Omniscience could part an object into three halves; and the pious Father Aldrovinus publicly prayed in the cathedral at Rouen that God would demonstrate the affirmative of the proposition in some signal and unmistakable way, and particularly (if it should please Him) upon the body of that hardy blasphemer, Manutius Procinus, who maintained the negative. Procinus, however, was spared to die of the bite of a viper.
Half-and-half (n.) A mixture of two malt liquors, esp. porter and ale, in about equal parts. -- Dickens.
Half-and-half (adv.) In equal parts; "it was divided half-and-half."
Half-and-half (a.) In equal parts; "a half-and-half mixture."
Half-and-half (n.) Half milk and half light cream; contains 10% to 18% butterfat.
Halfbeak (n.) (Zool.) Any slender, marine fish of the genus Hemirhamphus, having the upper jaw much shorter than the lower; -- called also balahoo.
Half blood () The relation between persons born of the same father or of the same mother, but not of both; as, a brother or sister of the half blood. See Blood, n., 2 and 4.
Half blood (n.) A person so related to another.
Half blood (n.) A person whose father and mother are of different races; a half-breed.
Note: In the 2d and 3d senses usually with a hyphen.
Half blood (n.) One of siblings who have only one parent in common.
Half-blooded (a.) Proceeding from a male and female of different breeds or races; having only one parent of good stock; as, a half-blooded sheep.
Half-blooded (a.) Degenerate; mean. -- Shak.
Half-blooded (a.) (Of animals) Having only one purebred parent [syn: half-blooded, half-bred, half-breed].
Half-boot (n.) A boot with a short top covering only the ankle. See Cocker, and Congress boot, under Congress.
Half-bound (n.) Having only the back and corners in leather, as a book.
Half-bound (a.) (Of books) Having the back bound in one material and the sides in another.
Half-bred (a.) Half-blooded. [Obs.]
Half-bred (a.) Imperfectly acquainted with the rules of good-breeding; not well trained. -- Atterbury.
half-bred
Half-bred (a.) (Of animals) Having only one purebred parent [syn: half-blooded, half-bred, half-breed].
Half-breed (a.) Half-blooded.
Half-breed (n.) A person who is blooded; the offspring of parents of different races, especially of the American Indian and the white race.
Half-breed (a.) (Of animals) Having only one purebred parent [syn: half- blooded, half-bred, half-breed].
Half-breed (n.) An offensive term for an offspring of parents of different races (especially of Caucasian and American Indian ancestry).
Half-brother (n.) A brother by one parent, but not by both.
Half-brother (n.) A brother who has only one parent in common with you [syn: stepbrother, half-brother, half brother].
Half-caste (n.) One born of a European parent on the one side, and of a Hindoo or Mohammedan on the other. Also adjective; as, half-caste parents.
Half-clammed (a.) Half-filled. [Obs.]
Lions' half-clammed entrails roar for food. -- Marston.
Halfcocked (imp. & p. p.) of Halfcock.
Halfcocking (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Halfcock.
Halfcock (v. t.) To set the cock of (a firearm) at the first notch.
To go off half-cocked, To go off halfcocked. (a) To be discharged prematurely, or with the trigger at half cock; -- said of a firearm.
To go off half-cocked, To go off halfcocked. (b) To do or say something without due thought or care. [Colloq. or Low]
Half-cracked (a.) Half-demented; half-witted. [Colloq.]
Half-deck (n.) (Zool.) A shell of the genus Crepidula; a boat shell. See Boat shell.
Half-deck (n.) See Half deck, under Deck.
Half-decked (a.) Partially decked.
The half-decked craft . . . used by the latter Vikings. -- Elton.
Halfen (a.) Wanting half its due qualities. [Obs.] -- Spenser.
Halfendeal (adv.) Half; by the part. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Halfendeal (n.) A half part. [Obs.] -- R. of Brunne.