Defn: A cry in war as the signal for indiscriminate slaughter. Toone.Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt With modest warrant.Shak.Cry 'havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war! Shak.
HAW Haw, n. Etym: [OE. hawe, AS. haga; akin to D. haag headge, G. hag, hecke, Icel. hagi pasture, Sw. hage, Dan. have garden. Haggard, Ha- ha, Haugh, Hedge.]
1. A hedge; an inclosed garden or yard. And eke there was a polecat in his haw. Chaucer.
2. The fruit of the hawthorn. Bacon.
HAWHaw, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Anat.)
Defn: The third eyelid, or nictitating membrane. See Nictitating membrane, under Nictitate.
HAW Haw, n. Etym: [Cf. ha an interjection of wonder, surprise, or hesitation.]
Defn: An intermission or hesitation of speech, with a sound somewhat like haw! also, the sound so made. "Hums or haws." Congreve.
HAWHaw, v. i.
Defn: To stop, in speaking, with a sound like haw; to speak with interruption and hesitation. Cut it short; don't prose — don't hum and haw. Chesterfield.
HAWHaw, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hawed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hawing.] Etym:[Written also hoi.] Etym: [Perhaps connected with here, hither; cf.,however, F. huhau, hue, interj. used in turning a horse to the right,G. hott, hü, interj. used in calling to a horse.]
Defn: To turn to the near side, or toward the driver; — said of cattle or a team: a word used by teamsters in guiding their teams, and most frequently in the imperative. See Gee. To haw and gee, or To haw and gee about, to go from one thing to another without good reason; to have no settled purpose; to be irresolute or unstable. [Colloq.]
HAWHaw, v. t.
Defn: To cause to turn, as a team, to the near side, or toward the driver; as, to haw a team of oxen. To haw and gee, or To haw and gee about, to lead this way and that at will; to lead by the nose; to master or control. [Colloq.]
HAWAIIANHa*wai"ian, a.
Defn: Belonging to Hawaii or the Sandwich Islands, or to the people of Hawaii. — n.
Defn: A native of Hawaii.
HAWEBAKEHawe"bake`, n.
Defn: Probably, the baked berry of the hawthorn tree, that is, coarse fare. See 1st Haw, 2. [Obs.] Chaucer.
HAWFINCHHaw"finch`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The common European grosbeak (Coccothraustes vulgaris); — called also cherry finch, and coble.
HAW-HAWHaw-haw", n. Etym: [Duplication of haw a hedge.]
Defn: See Ha-ha.
HAWHAWHaw*haw", v. i. Etym: [Of imitative origin.]
Defn: To laugh boisterously. [Colloq. U. S.]We haw-haw'd, I tell you, for more than half an hour. Major JackDowning.
HAWK Hawk, n. Etym: [OE. hauk (prob. fr. Icel.), havek, AS. hafoc, heafoc; akin to D. havik, OHG. habuh, G. habicht, Icel. haukr, Sw. hök, Dan. hög, prob. from the root of E. heave.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of numerous species and genera of rapacious birds of the family Falconidæ. They differ from the true falcons in lacking the prominent tooth and notch of the bill, and in having shorter and less pointed wings. Many are of large size and grade into the eagles. Some, as the goshawk, were formerly trained like falcons. In a more general sense the word is not infrequently applied, also, to true falcons, as the sparrow hawk, pigeon hawk, duck hawk, and prairie hawk.
Note: Among the common American species are the red-tailed hawk(Buteo borealis); the red-shouldered (B. lineatus); the broad-winged(B. Pennsylvanicus); the rough-legged (Archibuteo lagopus); thesharp-shinned Accipiter fuscus). See Fishhawk, Goshawk, Marsh hawk,under Marsh, Night hawk, under Night. Bee hawk (Zoöl.), the honeybuzzard.— Eagle hawk. See under Eagle.— Hawk eagle (Zoöl.), an Asiatic bird of the genus Spizætus, orLimnætus, intermediate between the hawks and eagles. There areseveral species.— Hawk fly (Zoöl.), a voracious fly of the family Asilidæ. SeeHornet fly, under Hornet.— Hawk moth. (Zoöl.) See Hawk moth, in the Vocabulary.— Hawk owl. (Zoöl.) (a) A northern owl (Surnia ulula) of Europe andAmerica. It flies by day, and in some respects resembles the hawks.(b) An owl of India (Ninox scutellatus).— Hawk's bill (Horology), the pawl for the rack, in the strikingmechanism of a clock.
HAWKHawk, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hawked; p. pr. & vb. n. Hawking.]
1. To catch, or attempt to catch, birds by means of hawks trained for the purpose, and let loose on the prey; to practice falconry. A falconer Henry is, when Emma hawks. Prior.
2. To make an attack while on the wing; to soar and strike like a hawk; — generally with at; as, to hawk at flies. Dryden. A falcon, towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawked at and killed. Shak.
HAWKHawk, v. i. Etym: [W. hochi.]
Defn: To clear the throat with an audible sound by forcing an expiratory current of air through the narrow passage between the depressed soft palate and the root of the tongue, thus aiding in the removal of foreign substances.
HAWKHawk, v. t.
Defn: To raise by hawking, as phlegm.
HAWKHawk, n. Etym: [W. hoch.]
Defn: An effort to force up phlegm from the throat, accompanied with noise.
HAWK Hawk, v. t. Etym: [Akin to D. hauker a hawker, G. höken, höcken, to higgle, to retail, höke, höker, a higgler, huckster. See Huckster.]
Defn: To offer for sale by outcry in the street; to carry(merchandise) about from place to place for sale; to peddle; as, tohawk goods or pamphlets.His works were hawked in every street. Swift.
HAWKHawk, n. (Masonry)
Defn: A small board, with a handle on the under side, to hold mortar.Hawk boy, an attendant on a plasterer to supply him with mortar.
HAWKBILLHawk"bill`, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), which yields the best quality of tortoise shell; — called also caret.
HAWKBITHawk"bit`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: The fall dandelion (Leontodon autumnale).
HAWKEDHawked, a.
Defn: Curved like a hawk's bill; crooked.
HAWKERHawk"er, n.
Defn: One who sells wares by crying them in the street; hence, a peddler or a packman.
HAWKERHawk"er, v. i.
Defn: To sell goods by outcry in the street. [Obs.] Hudibras.
HAWKERHawk"er, n. Etym: [Cf. AS. hafecere. See 1st Hawk.]
Defn: A falconer.
HAWKEYHawk"ey, n.
Defn: See Hockey. Holloway.
HAWK-EYEDHawk"-eyed`, a.
Defn: Having a keen eye; sharpsighted; discerning.
HAWKEYE STATEHawk"eye` State.
Defn: Iowa; — a nickname of obscure origin.
HAWK MOTHHawk" moth`. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any moth of the family Sphingidæ, of which there are numerous genera and species. They are large, handsome moths, which fly mostly at twilight and hover about flowers like a humming bird, sucking the honey by means of a long, slender proboscis. The larvæ are large, hairless caterpillars ornamented with green and other bright colors, and often with a caudal spine. See Sphinx, also Tobacco worm, and Tomato worm. Tobacco Hawk Moth (Macrosila Carolina), and its Larva, the Tobacco Worm.
Note: The larvæ of several species of hawk moths feed on grapevines.The elm-tree hawk moth is Ceratomia Amyntor.
HAWKWEED Hawk"weed`, n. (Bot.) (a) A plant of the genus Hieracium; — so called from the ancient belief that birds of prey used its juice to strengthen their vision. (b) A plant of the genus Senecio (S. hieracifolius). Loudon.
HAWMHawm, n.
Defn: See Haulm, straw.
HAWMHawm, v. i. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]
Defn: To lounge; to loiter. [Prov. Eng.] Tennyson.
HAWSEHawse, n. Etym: [Orig. a hawse hole, or hole in the ship; cf. Icel.hals, hals, neck, part of the bows of a ship, AS. heals neck. SeeCollar, and cf. Halse to embrace.]
1. A hawse hole. Harris.
2. (Naut.) (a) The situation of the cables when a vessel is moored with two anchors, one on the starboard, the other on the port bow. (b) The distance ahead to which the cables usually extend; as, the ship has a clear or open hawse, or a foul hawse; to anchor in our hawse, or athwart hawse. (c) That part of a vessel's bow in which are the hawse holes for the cables. Athwart hawse. See under Athwart. — Foul hawse, a hawse in which the cables cross each other, or are twisted together. — Hawse block, a block used to stop up a hawse hole at sea; — called also hawse plug. — Hawse hole, a hole in the bow of a ship, through which a cable passes. — Hawse piece, one of the foremost timbers of a ship, through which the hawse hole is cut. — Hawse plug. Same as Hawse block (above). — To come in at the hawse holes, to enter the naval service at the lowest grade. [Cant] — To freshen the hawse, to veer out a little more cable and bring the chafe and strain on another part.
HAWSER Haws"er, n. Etym: [From F. hausser to hausserée towpath, towing, F. haussière hawser), LL. altiare, fr. L. altus high. See Haughty.]
Defn: A large rope made of three strands each containing many yarns.
Note: Three hawsers twisted together make a cable; but it nautical usage the distinction between cable and hawser is often one of size rather than of manufacture. Hawser iron, a calking iron.
HAWSER-LAIDHaws"er-laid`, a.
Defn: Made in the manner of a hawser. Cf. Cable-laid, and see Illust. of Cordage.
HAWTHORNHaw"thorn`, n. Etym: [AS. hagaborn, hæg. See Haw a hedge, and Thorn.](Bot.)
Defn: A thorny shrub or tree (the Cratægus oxyacantha), having deeply lobed, shining leaves, small, roselike, fragrant flowers, and a fruit called haw. It is much used in Europe for hedges, and for standards in gardens. The American hawthorn is Cratægus cordata, which has the leaves but little lobed. Gives not the hawthorn bush a sweeter shade To shepherds Shak.
HAY Hay, n. Etym: [AS. hege: cf. F. haie, of German origin. See Haw a hedge, Hedge.]
1. A hedge. [Obs.]
2. A net set around the haunt of an animal, especially of a rabbit. Rowe. To dance the hay, to dance in a ring. Shak.
HAYHay, v. i.
Defn: To lay snares for rabbits. Huloet.
HAYHay, n. Etym: [OE. hei, AS. h; akin to D. kooi, OHG. hewi, houwi, G.heu, Dan. & Sw. hö, Icel. hey, ha, Goth. hawi grass, fr. the root ofE. hew. See Hew to cut. ]
Defn: Grass cut and cured for fodder.Make hay while the sun shines. Camden.Hay may be dried too much as well as too little. C. L. Flint.Hay cap, a canvas covering for a haycock.— Hay fever (Med.), nasal catarrh accompanied with fever, andsometimes with paroxysms of dyspnoea, to which some persons aresubject in the spring and summer seasons. It has been attributed tothe effluvium from hay, and to the pollen of certain plants. It isalso called hay asthma, hay cold, and rose fever.— Hay knife, a sharp instrument used in cutting hay out of a stackor mow.— Hay press, a press for baling loose hay.— Hay tea, the juice of hay extracted by boiling, used as food forcattle, etc.— Hay tedder, a machine for spreading and turning newmown hay. SeeTedder.
HAYHay, v. i.
Defn: To cut and cure grass for hay.
HAYBIRD Hay"bird`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) The European spotted flycatcher. (b) The European blackcap.
HAYBOTEHay"bote`, n. Etym: [See Hay hedge, and Bote, and cf. Hedgebote.](Eng. Law.)
Defn: An allowance of wood to a tenant for repairing his hedges or fences; hedgebote. See Bote. Blackstone.
HAYCOCKHay"cock`, n.
Defn: A conical pile or hear of hay in the field.The tanned haycock in the mead. Milton.
HAY-CUTTERHay"-cut`ter, n.
Defn: A machine in which hay is chopped short, as fodder for cattle.
HAYFIELDHay"field`, n.
Defn: A field where grass for hay has been cut; a meadow. Cowper.
HAYFORKHay"fork`, n.
Defn: A fork for pitching and tedding hay. Horse hayfork, a contrivance for unloading hay from the cart and depositing it in the loft, or on a mow, by horse power.
HAYLOFTHay"loft`, n.
Defn: A loft or scaffold for hay.
HAYMAKERHay"mak`er, n.
1. One who cuts and cures hay.
2. A machine for curing hay in rainy weather.
HAYMAKINGHay"mak`ing, n.
Defn: The operation or work of cutting grass and curing it for hay.
HAYMOWHay"mow`, n.
1. A mow or mass of hay laid up in a barn for preservation.
2. The place in a barn where hay is deposited.
HAYRACKHay"rack`, n.
Defn: A frame mounted on the running gear of a wagon, and used in hauling hay, straw, sheaves, etc.; — called also hay rigging.
HAYRAKEHay"rake`, n.
Defn: A rake for collecting hay; especially, a large rake drawn by a horse or horses.
HAYRICKHay"rick, n.
Defn: A heap or pile of hay, usually covered with thatch for preservation in the open air.
HAYSTACKHay"stack`, n.
Defn: A stack or conical pile of hay in the open air.
HAYSTALKHay"stalk`, n.
Defn: A stalk of hay.
HAYTHORNHay"thorn`, n.
Defn: Hawthorn. R. Scot.
HAYTIANHay"ti*an, a.
Defn: Of pertaining to Hayti.— n.
Defn: A native of Hayti. [Written also Haitian.]
HAYWARDHay"ward, n. Etym: [Hay a hedge + ward.]
Defn: An officer who is appointed to guard hedges, and to keep cattle from breaking or cropping them, and whose further duty it is to impound animals found running at large.
HAZARD Haz"ard, n. Etym: [F. hazard, Sp. azar an unforeseen disaster or accident, an unfortunate card or throw at dice, prob. fr. Ar. zahr, zar, a die, which, with the article al the, would give azzahr, azzar.]
1. A game of chance played with dice. Chaucer.
2. The uncertain result of throwing a die; hence, a fortuitous event; chance; accident; casualty. I will stand the hazard of the die. Shak.
3. Risk; danger; peril; as, he encountered the enemy at the hazard of his reputation and life. Men are led on from one stage of life to another in a condition of the utmost hazard. Rogers
4. (Billiards
Defn: Holing a ball, whether the object ball (winning hazard) or the player's ball (losing hazard).
5. Anything that is hazarded or risked, as the stakes in gaming. "Your latter hazard." Shak. Hazard table, a a table on which hazard is played, or any game of chance for stakes. — To ru, to take the chance or risk.
Syn.— Danger; risk; chance. See Danger.
HAZARDHaz"ard, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hazarded; p. pr. & vb. Hazarding.] Etym:[Cf. F. hazarder. See Hazard, n.]
1. To expose to the operation of chance; to put in danger of loss or injury; to venture; to risk. Men hazard nothing by a course of evangelical obedience. John Clarke. He hazards his neck to the halter. Fuller.
2. To venture to incur, or bring on. I hazarded the loss of whom I loved. Shak. They hazard to cut their feet. Landor.
Syn.— To venture; risk; jeopard; peril; endanger.
HAZARDHaz"ard, v. i.
Defn: To try the chance; to encounter risk or danger. Shak.
HAZARDABLEHaz"ard*a*ble, a.
1. Liable to hazard or chance; uncertain; risky. Sir T. Browne.
2. Such as can be hazarded or risked.
HAZARDERHaz"ard*er, n.
1. A player at the game of hazard; a gamester. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. One who hazards or ventures.
HAZARDIZEHaz"ard*ize, n.
Defn: A hazardous attempt or situation; hazard. [Obs.]Herself had run into that hazardize. Spenser.
HAZARDOUSHaz"ard*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. hasardeux.]
Defn: Exposed to hazard; dangerous; risky.To enterprise so hazardous and high! Milton.
Syn.— Perilous; dangerous; bold; daring; adventurous; venturesome;precarious; uncertain.— Haz"ard*ous*ly, adv.— Haz"ard*ous*ness, n.
HAZARDRYHaz"ard*ry, n.
1. Playing at hazard; gaming; gambling. [R.] Chaucer.
2. Rashness; temerity. [R.] Spenser.
HAZE Haze, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. höss gray; akin to AS. hasu, heasu, gray; or Armor. aézen, ézen, warm vapor, exhalation, zephyr.]
Defn: Light vapor or smoke in the air which more or less impedes vision, with little or no dampness; a lack of transparency in the air; hence, figuratively, obscurity; dimness. O'er the sky The silvery haze of summer drawn. Tennyson. Above the world's uncertain haze. Keble.
HAZEHaze, v. i.
Defn: To be hazy, or tick with haze. Ray.
HAZE Haze, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hazed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hazing.] [Also haze.] Etym: [Cf. Sw. haza to hamstring, fr. has hough, OD. hæssen ham.]
1. To harass by exacting unnecessary, disagreeable, or difficult work.
2. To harass or annoy by playing abusive or shameful tricks upon; to humiliate by practical jokes; — used esp. of college students; as, the sophomores hazed a freshman.
HAZEL Ha"zel, n. Etym: [OE. hasel, AS. hæsel; akin to D. hazelaar, G. hazel, OHG. hasal, hasala, Icel. hasl, Dan & Sw. hassel, L. corylus, for cosylus.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: A shrub or small tree of the genus Corylus, as the C. avellana, bearing a nut containing a kernel of a mild, farinaceous taste; the filbert. The American species are C. Americana, which produces the common hazelnut, and C. rostrata. See Filbert. Gray.
2. A miner's name for freestone. Raymond. Hazel earth, soil suitablefor the hazel; a fertile loam.— Hazel grouse (Zoöl.), a European grouse (Bonasa betulina), alliedto the American ruffed grouse.— Hazel hoe, a kind of grub hoe.— Witch hazel. See Witch-hazel, and Hamamelis.
HAZELHa"zel, a.
1. Consisting of hazels, or of the wood of the hazel; pertaining to, or derived from, the hazel; as, a hazel wand. I sit me down beside the hazel grove. Keble.
2. Of a light brown color, like the hazelnut. "Thou hast hazel eyes." Shak.
HAZELESSHaze"less, a.
Defn: Destitute of haze. Tyndall.
HAZELLYHa"zel*ly, a.
Defn: Of the color of the hazelnut; of a light brown. Mortimer.
HAZELNUTHa"zel*nut`, n. Etym: [AS. hæselhnutu.]
Defn: The nut of the hazel. Shak.
HAZELWORTHa"zel*wort`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: The asarabacca.
HAZILYHa"zi*ly, adv.
Defn: In a hazy manner; mistily; obscurely; confusedly.
HAZINESSHa"zi*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being hazy.
HAZLEHa"zle, v. t.
Defn: To make dry; to dry. [Obs.]
HAZYHa"zy, a. Etym: [From Haze, n.]
1. Thick with haze; somewhat obscured with haze; not clear or transparent. "A tender, hazy brightness." Wordsworth.
2. Obscure; confused; not clear; as, a hazy argument; a hazy intellect. Mrs. Gore.
HE He, pron. [nom. He; poss. His; obj. Him; pl. nom. They; poss. Their or Theirs (; obj. Them.] Etym: [AS. h, masc., heó, fem., hit, neut.; pl. hi, or hie, hig; akin to Ofries. hi, D. hij, OS. he, hi, G. heute to-day, Goth. himma, dat. masc., this, hina, accus. masc., and hita, accus. neut., and prob. to L. his this. sq. root183. Cf. It.]
1. The man or male being (or object personified to which the masculine gender is assigned), previously designated; a pronoun of the masculine gender, usually referring to a specified subject already indicated. Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Gen. iii. 16. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve. Deut. x. 20.
2. Any one; the man or person; — used indefinitely, and usually followed by a relative pronoun. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise. Prov. xiii. 20.
3. Man; a male; any male person; — in this sense used substantively. Chaucer. I stand to answer thee, Or any he, the proudest of thy sort. Shak.
Note: When a collective noun or a class is referred to, he is of common gender. In early English, he referred to a feminine or neuter noun, or to one in the plural, as well as to noun in the masculine singular. In composition, he denotes a male animal; as, a he-goat.
-HEAD -head, suffix.
Defn: A variant of -hood.
HEADHead, n. Etym: [OE. hed, heved, heaved, AS. heáfod; akin to D. hoofd,OHG. houbit, G. haupt, Icel. höfu, Sw. hufvud, Dan. hoved, Goth.haubip. The word does not corresponds regularly to L. caput head (cf.E. Chief, Cadet, Capital), and its origin is unknown.]
1. The anterior or superior part of an animal, containing the brain, or chief ganglia of the nervous system, the mouth, and in the higher animals, the chief sensory organs; poll; cephalon.
2. The uppermost, foremost, or most important part of an inanimate object; such a part as may be considered to resemble the head of an animal; often, also, the larger, thicker, or heavier part or extremity, in distinction from the smaller or thinner part, or from the point or edge; as, the head of a cane, a nail, a spear, an ax, a mast, a sail, a ship; that which covers and closes the top or the end of a hollow vessel; as, the head of a cask or a steam boiler.
3. The place where the head should go; as, the head of a bed, of a grave, etc.; the head of a carriage, that is, the hood which covers the head.
4. The most prominent or important member of any organized body; the chief; the leader; as, the head of a college, a school, a church, a state, and the like. "Their princes and heads." Robynson (More's Utopia). The heads of the chief sects of philosophy. Tillotson. Your head I him appoint. Milton.
5. The place or honor, or of command; the most important or foremost position; the front; as, the head of the table; the head of a column of soldiers. An army of fourscore thousand troops, with the duke Marlborough at the head of them. Addison.
6. Each one among many; an individual; — often used in a plural sense; as, a thousand head of cattle. It there be six millions of people, there are about four acres for every head. Graunt.
7. The seat of the intellect; the brain; the understanding; the mental faculties; as, a good head, that is, a good mind; it never entered his head, it did not occur to him; of his own head, of his own thought or will. Men who had lost both head and heart. Macaulay.
8. The source, fountain, spring, or beginning, as of a stream or river; as, the head of the Nile; hence, the altitude of the source, or the height of the surface, as of water, above a given place, as above an orifice at which it issues, and the pressure resulting from the height or from motion; sometimes also, the quantity in reserve; as, a mill or reservoir has a good head of water, or ten feet head; also, that part of a gulf or bay most remote from the outlet or the sea.
9. A headland; a promontory; as, Gay Head. Shak.
10. A separate part, or topic, of a discourse; a theme to be expanded; a subdivision; as, the heads of a sermon.
11. Culminating point or crisis; hence, strength; force; height. Ere foul sin, gathering head, shall break into corruption. Shak. The indisposition which has long hung upon me, is at last grown to such a head, that it must quickly make an end of me or of itself. Addison.
12. Power; armed force. My lord, my lord, the French have gathered head. Shak.
13. A headdress; a covering of the head; as, a laced head; a head of hair. Swift.
14. An ear of wheat, barley, or of one of the other small cereals.
15. (Bot.) (a) A dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies, thistles; a capitulum. (b) A dense, compact mass of leaves, as in a cabbage or a lettuce plant.
16. The antlers of a deer.
17. A rounded mass of foam which rises on a pot of beer or other effervescing liquor. Mortimer.
18. pl.
Defn: Tiles laid at the eaves of a house. Knight.
Note: Head is often used adjectively or in self-explaining combinations; as, head gear or headgear, head rest. Cf. Head, a. A buck of the first head, a male fallow deer in its fifth year, when it attains its complete set of antlers. Shak. — By the head. (Naut.) See under By. — Elevator head, Feed head, etc. See under Elevator, Feed, etc. — From head to foot, through the whole length of a man; completely; throughout. "Arm me, audacity, from head to foot." Shak. — Head and ears, with the whole person; deeply; completely; as, he was head and ears in debt or in trouble. [Colloq.] — Head fast. (Naut.) See 5th Fast. — Head kidney (Anat.), the most anterior of the three pairs of embryonic renal organs developed in most vertebrates — Head money, a capitation tax; a poll tax. Milton. — Head pence, a poll tax. [Obs.] — Head sea, a sea that meets the head of a vessel or rolls against her course. — Head and shoulders. (a) By force; violently; as, to drag one, head and shoulders. "They bring in every figure of speech, head and shoulders." Felton. (b) By the height of the head and shoulders; hence, by a great degree or space; by far; much; as, he is head and shoulders above them. — Head or tail, this side or that side; this thing or that; — a phrase used in throwing a coin to decide a choice, guestion, or stake, head being the side of the coin bearing the effigy or principal figure (or, in case there is no head or face on either side, that side which has the date on it), and tail the other side. — Neither head nor tail, neither beginning nor end; neither this thing nor that; nothing distinct or definite; — a phrase used in speaking of what is indefinite or confused; as, they made neither head nor tail of the matter. [Colloq.] — Head wind, a wind that blows in a direction opposite the vessel's course. — Out one's own head, according to one's own idea; without advice or coöperation of another. Over the head of, beyond the comprehension of. M. Arnold. — To be out of one's head, to be temporarily insane. — To come or draw to a head. See under Come, Draw. — To give (one) the head, or To give head, to let go, or to give up, control; to free from restraint; to give license. "He gave his able horse the head." Shak. "He has so long given his unruly passions their head." South. — To his head, before his face. "An uncivil answer from a son to a father, from an obliged person to a benefactor, is a greater indecency than if an enemy should storm his house or revile him to his head." Jer. Taylor. — To lay heads together, to consult; to conspire. — To lose one's head, to lose presence of mind. — To make head, or To make head against, to resist with success; to advance. — To show one's head, to appear. Shak. — To turn head, to turn the face or front. "The ravishers turn head, the fight renews." Dryden.
HEADHead, a.
Defn: Principal; chief; leading; first; as, the head master of a school; the head man of a tribe; a head chorister; a head cook.
HEADHead, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Headed; p. pr. & vb. n. Heading.]
1. To be at the head of; to put one's self at the head of; to lead; to direct; to act as leader to; as, to head an army, an expedition, or a riot. Dryden.
2. To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head; as, to head a nail. Spenser.
3. To behead; to decapitate. [Obs.] Shak.
4. To cut off the top of; to lop off; as, to head trees.
5. To go in front of; to get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose; hence, to check or restrain; as, to head a drove of cattle; to head a person; the wind heads a ship.
6. To set on the head; as, to head a cask. To head off, to intercept; to get before; as, an officer heads off a thief who is escaping. — To head up, to close, as a cask or barrel, by fitting a head to.
HEADHead, v. i.
1. To originate; to spring; to have its A broad river, that heads in the great Blue Ridge. Adair.
2. To go or point in a certain direction; to tend; as, how does the ship head
3. To form a head; as, this kind of cabbage heads early.
HEADACHEHead"ache`, n.
Defn: Pain in the head; ceph "Headaches and shivering fits."Macaulay.
HEADACHYHead"ach`y, a.
Defn: Afflicted with headache. [Colloq.]
HEADBANDHead"band`, n.
1. A fillet; a band for the head. "The headbands and the tablets." Is. iii. 20.
2. The band at each end of the back of a book.
HEADBOARDHead"board`, n.
Defn: A board or boarding which marks or forms the head of anything; as, the headboard of a bed; the headboard of a grave.
HEADBOROUGH; HEADBORROWHead"bor*ough, Head"bor*row n.
1. The chief of a frankpledge, tithing, or decennary, consisting of ten families; — called also borsholder, boroughhead, boroughholder, and sometimes tithingman. See Borsholder. [Eng.] Blackstone.
2. (Modern Law)
Defn: A petty constable. [Eng.]
HEAD-CHEESEHead"-cheese, n.
Defn: A dish made of portions of the head, or head and feet, of swine, cut up fine, seasoned, and pressed into a cheeselike mass.
HEADDRESSHead"dress`, n.
1. A covering or ornament for the head; a headtire. Among birds the males very often appear in a most beautiful headdress, whether it be a crest, a comb, a tuft of feathers, or a natural little plume. Addison.
2. A manner of dressing the hair or of adorning it, whether with or without a veil, ribbons, combs, etc.
HEADEDHead"ed, a.
1. Furnished with a head (commonly as denoting intellectual faculties); — used in composition; as, clear-headed, long-headed, thick-headed; a many-headed monster.
2. Formed into a head; as, a headed cabbage.
HEADERHead"er, n.
1. One who, or that which, heads nails, rivets, etc., esp. a machine for heading.
2. One who heads a movement, a party, or a mob; head; chief; leader. [R.]
3. (Arch.) (a) A brick or stone laid with its shorter face or head in the surface of the wall. (b) In framing, the piece of timber fitted between two trimmers, and supported by them, and carrying the ends of the tailpieces.
4. A reaper for wheat, that cuts off the heads only.
5. A fall or plunge headforemost, as while riding a bicycle, or in bathing; as, to take a header. [Colloq.]
HEADFIRST; HEADFOREMOSTHead`first", Head`fore"most`, adv.
Defn: With the head foremost.
HEADFISHHead`fish", n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The sunfish (Mola).
HEAD GEAR; HEADGEARHead" gear`, or; Head"gear` (, n.
1. Headdress.
2. Apparatus above ground at the mouth of a mine or deep well.
HEAD-HUNTERHead"-hunt`er, n.
Defn: A member of any tribe or race of savages who have the custom ofdecapitating human beings and preserving their heads as trophies. TheDyaks of Borneo are the most noted head-hunters.— Head"-hunt`ing, n.
HEADILYHead"i*ly, adv.
Defn: In a heady or rash manner; hastily; rashly; obstinately.
HEADINESSHead"i*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being heady.
HEADINGHead"ing, n.
1. The act or state of one who, or that which, heads; formation of a head.
2. That which stands at the head; title; as, the heading of a paper.
3. Material for the heads of casks, barrels, etc.
4. (Mining.)
Defn: A gallery, drift, or adit in a mine; also, the end of a drift or gallery; the vein above a drift.
5. (sewing)
Defn: The extension of a line ruffling above the line of stitch.
6. (Masonry)
Defn: That end of a stone or brick which is presented outward. Knight. Heading course (Arch.), a course consisting only of headers. See Header, n. 3 (a). — Heading joint. (a) (Carp.) A joint, as of two or more boards, etc., at right angles to the grain of the wood. (b) (Masonry) A joint between two roussoirs in the same course.
HEADLANDHead"land, n.
1. A cape; a promontory; a point of land projecting into the sea or other expanse of water. "Sow the headland with wheat." Shak.
2. A ridge or strip of unplowed at the ends of furrows, or near a fence. Tusser.
HEADLESSHead"less, a. Etym: [AS. heáfodleás.]
1. Having no head; beheaded; as, a headless body, neck, or carcass.
2. Destitute of a chief or leader. Sir W. Raleigh.
3. Destitute of understanding or prudence; foolish; rash; obstinate.[Obs.]Witless headiness in judging or headless hardiness in condemning.Spenser.
HEADLIGHTHead"light`, n. (Engin.)
Defn: A light, with a powerful reflector, placed at the head of a locomotive, or in front of it, to throw light on the track at night, or in going through a dark tunnel.
HEADLINEHead"line`, n.
1. (Print.)
Defn: The line at the head or top of a page.
2. (Naut.)
Defn: See Headrope.
HEADLONGHead"long`, adv. Etym: [OE. hedling, hevedlynge; prob. confused withE. long, a. & adv.]
1. With the head foremost; as, to fall headlong. Acts i. 18.
2. Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation.
3. Hastily; without delay or respite.
HEADLONGHead"long, a.
1. Rash; precipitate; as, headlong folly.
2. Steep; precipitous. [Poetic] Like a tower upon a headlong rock. Byron.
HEAD-LUGGEDHead"-lugged`, a.
Defn: Lugged or dragged by the head. [R.] "The head-lugged bear."Shak.
HEADMANHead"man`, n.; pl. Headmen. Etym: [AS. heáfodman.]
Defn: A head or leading man, especially of a village community.
HEADMOLD SHOT; HEADMOULD SHOTHead"mold" shot", Head"mould` shot". (Med.)
Defn: An old name for the condition of the skull, in which the bones ride, or are shot, over each other at the sutures. Dunglison.
HEADMOSTHead"most`, a.
Defn: Most advanced; most forward; as, the headmost ship in a fleet.
HEADNOTEHead"note`, n.
Defn: A note at the head of a page or chapter; in law reports, an abstract of a case, showing the principles involved and the opinion of the court.
HEADPANHead"pan`, n. Etym: [AS. heáfodpanne.]
Defn: The brainpan. [Obs.]
HEADPIECEHead"piece`, n.
1. Head. In his headpiece he felt a sore pain. Spenser.
2. A cap of defense; especially, an open one, as distinguished from the closed helmet of the Middle Ages.
3. Understanding; mental faculty. Eumenes had the best headpiece of all Alexander's captains. Prideaux.
4. An engraved ornament at the head of a chapter, or of a page.
HEADQUARTERSHead"quar`ters, n. pl. Etym: [but sometimes used as a n. sing.]
Defn: The quarters or place of residence of any chief officer, as the general in command of an army, or the head of a police force; the place from which orders or instructions are issued; hence, the center of authority or order. The brain, which is the headquarters, or office, of intelligence. Collier.
HEADRACEHead"race`, n.
Defn: See Race, a water course.
HEADROOMHead"room`, n. (Arch.)
Defn: See Headway, 2.
HEADROPEHead"rope`, n. (Naut.)
Defn: That part of a boltrope which is sewed to the upper edge or head of a sail.
HEADSAILHead"sail`, n. (Naut.)
Defn: Any sail set forward of the foremast. Totten.
HEADSHAKEHead`shake`, n.
Defn: A significant shake of the head, commonly as a signal of denial. Shak.
HEADSHIPHead"ship, n.
Defn: Authority or dignity; chief place.
HEADSMANHeads"man, n; pl. Headsmen (.
Defn: An executioner who cuts off heads. Dryden.
HEADSPRINGHead"spring`, n.
Defn: Fountain; source.The headspring of our belief. Stapleton.
HEADSTALLHead"stall`, n.
Defn: That part of a bridle or halter which encompasses the head.Shak.
HEADSTOCKHead"stock`, n. (Mach.)
Defn: A part (usually separate from the bed or frame) for supporting some of the principal working parts of a machine; as: (a) The part of a lathe that holds the revolving spindle and its attachments; — also called poppet head, the opposite corresponding part being called a tailstock. (b) The part of a planing machine that supports the cutter, etc.
HEADSTONEHead"stone`, n.
1. The principal stone in a foundation; the chief or corner stone. Ps. cxviii. 22.
2. The stone at the head of a grave.
HEADSTRONGHead"strong`, a.
1. Not easily restrained; ungovernable; obstinate; stubborn. Not let headstrong boy my will control. Dryden.
2. Directed by ungovernable will, or proceeding from obstinacy. Dryden.
Syn. — Violent; obstinate; ungovernable; unratable; stubborn; unruly; venturesome; heady.
HEADSTRONGNESSHead"strong`ness, n.
Defn: Obstinacy. [R.] Gayton.
HEADTIREHead"tire`, n.
1. A headdress. "A headtire of fine linen." 1 Edras iii. 6.
2. The manner of dressing the head, as at a particular time and place.
HEADWATERHead"wa`ter, n.
Defn: The source and upper part of a stream; — commonly used in the plural; as, the headwaters of the Missouri.
HEADWAYHead"way`, n.
1. The progress made by a ship in motion; hence, progress or success of any kind.
2. (Arch.)
Defn: Clear space under an arch, girder, and the like, sufficient to allow of easy passing underneath.
HEADWORKHead"work`, n.
Defn: Mental labor.
HEADYHead"y, a. Etym: [From Head.]
1. Willful; rash; precipitate; hurried on by will or passion; ungovernable. All the talent required is to be hot, to be heady, — to be violent on one side or the other. Sir W. Temple.
2. Apt to affect the head; intoxicating; strong. The liquor is too heady. Dryden.
3. Violent; impetuous. "A heady currance." Shak.
HEALHeal, v. t. Etym: [See Hele.]
Defn: To cover, as a roof, with tiles, slate, lead, or the like.[Obs.]
HEALHeal, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Healed; p. pr. & vb. n. Healing.] Etym:[OE. helen, hælen, AS. hælan, fr. hal hale, sound, whole; akin to OS.helian, D. heelen, G. heilen, Goth. hailjan. See Whole.]
1. To make hale, sound, or whole; to cure of a disease, wound, or other derangement; to restore to soundness or health. Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. Matt. viii. 8.
2. To remove or subdue; to cause to pass away; to cure; — said of a disease or a wound. I will heal their backsliding. Hos. xiv. 4.
3. To restore to original purity or integrity. Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters. 2 Kings ii. 21.
4. To reconcile, as a breach or difference; to make whole; to free from guilt; as, to heal dissensions.
HEALHeal, v. i.
Defn: To grow sound; to return to a sound state; as, the limb heals,or the wound heals; — sometimes with up or over; as, it will healup, or over.Those wounds heal ill that men do give themselves. Shak.
HEALHeal, n. Etym: [AS. h, h. See Heal, v. t.]
Defn: Health. [Obs.] Chaucer.
HEALABLEHeal"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being healed.
HEALALLHeal"all`, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A common herb of the Mint family (Brunela vulgaris), destitute of active properties, but anciently thought a panacea.
HEALDHeald, n. Etym: [CF. Heddle.]
Defn: A heddle. Ure.
HEALERHeal"er (hel"er), n.
Defn: One who, or that which, heals.
HEALFULHeal"ful, a.
Defn: Tending or serving to heal; healing. [Obs.] Ecclus. xv. 3.
HEALINGHeal"ing, a.
Defn: Tending to cure; soothing; mollifying; as, the healing art; a healing salve; healing words. Here healing dews and balms abound. Keble.
HEALINGLYHeal"ing*ly, adv.
Defn: So as to heal or cure.
HEALTHHealth, n. Etym: [OE. helthe, AS. hhal hale, sound, whole. SeeWhole.]
1. The state of being hale, sound, or whole, in body, mind, or soul; especially, the state of being free from physical disease or pain. There is no health in us. Book of Common Prayer. Though health may be enjoyed without gratitude, it can not be sported with without loss, or regained by courage. Buckminster.
2. A wish of health and happiness, as in pledging a person in a toast. "Come, love and health to all." Shak. Bill of health. See under Bill. — Health lift, a machine for exercise, so arranged that a person lifts an increasing weight, or moves a spring of increasing tension, in such a manner that most of the muscles of the body are brought into gradual action; — also called lifting machine. — Health officer, one charged with the enforcement of the sanitary laws of a port or other place. — To drink a health. See under Drink.
HEALTHFULHealth"ful, a.
1. Full of health; free from illness or disease; well; whole; sound; healthy; as, a healthful body or mind; a healthful plant.
2. Serving to promote health of body or mind; wholesome; salubrious; salutary; as, a healthful air, diet. The healthful Spirit of thy grace. Book of Common Prayer.
3. Indicating, characterized by, or resulting from, health or soundness; as, a healthful condition. A mind . . . healthful and so well-proportioned. Macaulay.
4. Well-disposed; favorable. [R.] Gave healthful welcome to their shipwrecked guests. Shak.
HEALTHFULLYHealth"ful*ly, adv.
Defn: In health; wholesomely.
HEALTHFULNESSHealth"ful*ness, n.
Defn: The state of being healthful.
HEALTHILYHealth"i*ly, adv.
Defn: In a healthy manner.
HEALTHINESSHealth"i*ness, n.
Defn: The state of being healthy or healthful; freedom from disease.
HEALTHLESSHealth"less, n.
1. Without health, whether of body or mind; in firm. "A healthless or old age." Jer. Taylor.
2. Not conducive to health; unwholesome. [R.]
HEALTHLESSNESSHealth"less*ness, n.
Defn: The state of being health
HEALTHSOMEHealth"some, a.
Defn: Wholesome; salubrious. [R.] "Healthsome air." Shak.
HEALTHWARDHealth"ward, a. & adv.
Defn: In the direction of health; as, a healthward tendency.
HEALTHYHealth"y, a. [Compar. Healthier; superl. Healthiest.]
1. Being in a state of health; enjoying health; hale; sound; free from disease; as, a healthy chid; a healthy plant. His mind was now in a firm and healthy state. Macaulay.
2. Evincing health; as, a healthy pulse; a healthy complexion.
3. Conducive to health; wholesome; salubrious; salutary; as, a healthy exercise; a healthy climate.
Syn. — Vigorous; sound; hale; salubrious; healthful; wholesome; salutary.
HEAM Heam, n. Etym: [Cf. AS. cidhamma womb, OD. hamme afterbirth, LG. hamen.]
Defn: The afterbirth or secundines of a beast.
HEAPHeap, n. Etym: [OE. heep, heap, heap, multitude, AS. heáp; akin toOS. h, D. hoop, OHG. houf, h, G. haufe, haufen, Sw. hop, Dan. hob.,Icel. h troop, flock, Russ. kupa heap, crowd, Lith. kaupas. Cf. Hope,in Forlorn hope.]
1. A crowd; a throng; a multitude or great number of persons. [NowLow or Humorous]The wisdom of a heap of learned men. Chaucer.A heap of vassals and slaves. Bacon.He had heaps of friends. W.Black.
2. A great number or large quantity of things not placed in a pile.[Now Low or Humorous]A vast heap, both of places of scripture and quotations. Bp. Burnet.I have noticed a heap of things in my life. R. L. Stevenson.
3. A pile or mass; a collection of things laid in a body, or thrown together so as to form an elevation; as, a heap of earth or stones. Huge heaps of slain around the body rise. Dryden.
HEAPHeap, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heaped; p. pr. & vb. n. Heaping.] Etym:[AS. heápian.]
1. To collect in great quantity; to amass; to lay up; to accumulate; — usually with up; as, to heap up treasures. Though he heap up silver as the dust. Job. xxvii. 16.
2. To throw or lay in a heap; to make a heap of; to pile; as, to heap stones; — often with up; as, to heap up earth; or with on; as, to heap on wood or coal.
3. To form or round into a heap, as in measuring; to fill (a measure) more than even full.
HEAPERHeap"er, n.
Defn: One who heaps, piles, or amasses.
HEAPYHeap"y, a.
Defn: Lying in heaps. Gay.
HEARHear (, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Heard; p. pr. & vb. n. Hearing.] Etym:[OE. heren, AS,. hiéran, hran, hran; akin to OS. h, OFries. hera,hora, D. hooren, OHG. h, G. hören, Icel. heyra, Sw: höra, Dan. hore,Goth. hausjan, and perh. to Gr. acoustic. Cf. Hark, Hearken.]
1. To perceive by the ear; to apprehend or take cognizance of by the ear; as, to hear sounds; to hear a voice; to hear one call. Lay thine ear close to the ground, and list if thou canst hear the tread of travelers. Shak. He had been heard to utter an ominous growl. Macaulay.
2. To give audience or attention to; to listen to; to heed; to accept the doctrines or advice of; to obey; to examine; to try in a judicial court; as, to hear a recitation; to hear a class; the case will be heard to-morrow.
3. To attend, or be present at, as hearer or worshiper; as, to hear a concert; to hear Mass.
4. To give attention to as a teacher or judge. Thy matters are good and right, but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 2 Sam. xv. 3. I beseech your honor to hear me one single word. Shak.
5. To accede to the demand or wishes of; to listen to and answerfavorably; to favor.I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice. Ps. cxvi. 1.They think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Matt.vi. 7.Hear him. See Remark, under Hear, v. i.— To hear a bird sing, to receive private communication. [Colloq.]Shak.— To hear say, to hear one say; to learn by common report; toreceive by rumor. [Colloq.]
HEARHear, v. i.
1. To have the sense or faculty of perceiving sound. "The Hearing ear." Prov. xx. 12.
2. To use the power of perceiving sound; to perceive or apprehend by the ear; to attend; to listen. So spake our mother Eve, and Adam heard, Well pleased, but answered not. Milton.
3. To be informed by oral communication; to be told; to receive information by report or by letter. I have heard, sir, of such a man. Shak. I must hear from thee every day in the hour. Shak. To hear ill, to be blamed. [Obs.] Not only within his own camp, but also now at Rome, he heard ill for his temporizing and slow proceedings. Holland. — To hear well, to be praised. [Obs.]
Note: Hear, or Hear him, is often used in the imperative, especially in the course of a speech in English assemblies, to call attention to the words of the speaker. Hear him, . . . a cry indicative, according to the tone, of admiration, acquiescence, indignation, or derision. Macaulay.
HEARDHeard,
Defn: imp. & p. p. of Hear.
HEARERHear"er, n.
Defn: One who hears; an auditor.
HEARINGHear"ing, n.
1. The act or power of perceiving sound; perception of sound; the faculty or sense by which sound is perceived; as, my hearing is good. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear. Job xlii. 5.
Note: Hearing in a special sensation, produced by stimEar.
2. Attention to what is delivered; opportunity to be heard; audience; as, I could not obtain a hearing.
3. A listening to facts and evidence, for the sake of adjudication; a session of a court for considering proofs and determining issues. His last offenses to us Shall have judicious hearing. Shak. Another hearing before some other court. Dryden.
Note: Hearing, as applied to equity cases, means the same thing that the word trial does at law. Abbot.
4. Extent within which sound may be heard; sound; earshot. "She's notwithin hearing." Shak.They laid him by the pleasant shore, And in the hearing of the wave.Tennyson.
HEARKEN Heark"en, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Hearkened; p. pr. & vb. n. Hearkening.] Etym: [OE. hercnen, hercnien, AS. hercnian, heorcnian, fr. hiéran, h, to hear; akin to OD. harcken, horcken, LG. harken, horken, G. horchen. See Hear, and cf. Hark..]
1. To listen; to lend the ear; to attend to what is uttered; to give heed; to hear, in order to obey or comply. The Furies hearken, and their snakes uncurl. Dryden. Hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you. Deut. iv. 1.
2. To inquire; to seek information. [Obs.] "Hearken after their offense." Shak.
Syn.— To attend; listen; hear; heed. See Attend, v. i.
HEARKENHeark"en, v. t.
1. To hear by listening. [Archaic] [She] hearkened now and then Some little whispering and soft groaning sound. Spenser.
2. To give heed to; to hear attentively. [Archaic]The King of Naples . . . hearkens my brother's suit. Shak.To hearken out, to search out. [Obs.]If you find none, you must hearken out a vein and buy. B. Johnson.
HEARKENERHeark"en*er, n.
Defn: One who hearkens; a listener.
HEARSALHear"sal, n.
Defn: Rehearsal. [Obs.] Spenser.
HEARSAYHear"say`, n.
Defn: Report; rumor; fame; common talk; something heard from another. Much of the obloquy that has so long rested on the memory of our great national poet originated in frivolous hearsays of his life and conversation. Prof. Wilson. Hearsay evidence (Law), that species of testimony which consists in a a narration by one person of matters told him by another. It is, with a few exceptions, inadmissible as testimony. Abbott.
HEARSEHearse, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]
Defn: A hind in the year of its age. [Eng.] Wright.
HEARSEHearse, n. Etym: [See Herse.]
1. A framework of wood or metal placed over the coffin or tomb of a deceased person, and covered with a pall; also, a temporary canopy bearing wax lights and set up in a church, under which the coffin was placed during the funeral ceremonies. [Obs.] Oxf. Gloss.
2. A grave, coffin, tomb, or sepulchral monument. [Archaic]"Underneath this marble hearse." B. Johnson.Beside the hearse a fruitful palm tree grows. FairfaxWho lies beneath this sculptured hearse. Longfellow.
3. A bier or handbarrow for conveying the dead to the grave. [Obs.] Set down, set down your honorable load, It honor may be shrouded in a hearse. Shak.
4. A carriage specially adapted or used for conveying the dead to the grave.
HEARSEHearse, v. t.
Defn: To inclose in a hearse; to entomb. [Obs.] "Would she were hearsed at my foot." Shak.
HEARSECLOTHHearse"cloth`, n.
Defn: A cloth for covering a coffin when on a bier; a pall. Bp.Sanderson.
HEARSELIKEHearse"like", a.
Defn: Suitable to a funeral. If you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearselike airs as carols. Bacon.
HEART Heart, n. Etym: [OE. harte, herte, heorte, AS. heorte; akin to OS. herta, OFies. hirte, D. hart, OHG. herza, G. herz, Icel. hjarta, Sw. hjerta, Goth. haírt, Lith. szirdis, Russ. serdtse, Ir. cridhe, L. cor, Gr. Accord, Discord, Cordial, 4th Core, Courage.]
1. (Anat.)
Defn: A hollow, muscular organ, which, by contracting rhythmically, keeps up the circulation of the blood. Why does my blood thus muster to my heart! Shak.
Note: In adult mammals and birds, the heart is four-chambered, the right auricle and ventricle being completely separated from the left auricle and ventricle; and the blood flows from the systematic veins to the right auricle, thence to the right ventricle, from which it is forced to the lungs, then returned to the left auricle, thence passes to the left ventricle, from which it is driven into the systematic arteries. See Illust. under Aorta. In fishes there are but one auricle and one ventricle, the blood being pumped from the ventricle through the gills to the system, and thence returned to the auricle. In most amphibians and reptiles, the separation of the auricles is partial or complete, and in reptiles the ventricles also are separated more or less completely. The so-called lymph hearts, found in many amphibians, reptiles, and birds, are contractile sacs, which pump the lymph into the veins.
2. The seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, and the like; rarely, the seat of the understanding or will; — usually in a good sense, when no epithet is expressed; the better or lovelier part of our nature; the spring of all our actions and purposes; the seat of moral life and character; the moral affections and character itself; the individual disposition and character; as, a good, tender, loving, bad, hard, or selfish heart. Hearts are dust, hearts' loves remain. Emerson.
3. The nearest the middle or center; the part most hidden and within; the inmost or most essential part of any body or system; the source of life and motion in any organization; the chief or vital portion; the center of activity, or of energetic or efficient action; as, the heart of a country, of a tree, etc. Exploits done in the heart of France. Shak. Peace subsisting at the heart Of endless agitation. Wordsworth.
4. Courage; courageous purpose; spirit. Eve, recovering heart, replied. Milton. The expelled nations take heart, and when they fly from one country invade another. Sir W. Temple.
5. Vigorous and efficient activity; power of fertile production; condition of the soil, whether good or bad. That the spent earth may gather heart again. Dryden.
6. That which resembles a heart in shape; especially, a roundish or oval figure or object having an obtuse point at one end, and at the other a corresponding indentation, — used as a symbol or representative of the heart.
7. One of a series of playing cards, distinguished by the figure or figures of a heart; as, hearts are trumps.