**heir apparent**
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member of the same family, when that person dies: *The king's eldest son is the heir to the throne. | the birth of a son and heir (= first son)*
**,heir ap'parent** *n pl.* **heirs apparent** [(**to**)] the heir whose right to receive the family property or title cannot be taken away until he dies: *the heir apparent to the throne | (fig.) the heir apparent to the party leadership* $\rightarrow$ compare HEIR PRESUMPTIVE
**heir·ess** /'eər$\text{ı}$s, 'eəres/ *n* a female heir, especially to great wealth
> **CULTURAL NOTE** People sometimes make jokes about men dreaming of marrying wealthy heiresses, and popular newspapers often have stories about unmarried wealthy heiresses and the men they are seen with: *He hopes to marry a rich heiress and stop working.*
**heir·loom** /'eəlu:m∥'eər-/ *n* a valuable object that has been passed on by older members of a family to younger ones over many years or even several centuries: *I wouldn't sell that vase. It's an heirloom.*
**,heir pre'sumptive** *n pl.* **heirs presumptive** [(**to**)] an heir whose right to a title or property can be taken away if someone else with a stronger right is born $\rightarrow$ compare HEIR APPARENT
**Hei·sen·berg, Wer·ner** /'haız$\text{ə}$nb$\text{ɜ}$:g∥-b$\text{ɜ}$:rg 've$\text{ə}$n$\text{ə}$ $\| 've$\text{ə}$r-/ (1901–76) a German PHYSICIST who studied the behaviour of atoms, and won a Nobel prize. He is best known for developing the UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE.
**Heis·man Tro·phy** /'haısm$\text{ə}$n ,tr$\text{ə}$ufi/ also **,Heisman Me'morial ,Trophy** *formal* — *n* a prize given each year to the best college football player in the US
**heist** /haıst/ *n BrE infml* an act of stealing something, usually of great value; a ROBBERY or BURGLARY —**heist** *v* [T] *Somebody heisted \$50,000 from the safe over the weekend.*
**He-ji·ra, the** /'hed$\text{ʒ}$ır$\text{ə}$, h$\text{ı}$'d$\text{ʒ}$aır$\text{ə}$/ the HEGIRA
**held** /held/ *past tense & participle of* HOLD
**Hel·en of Troy** / ,hel$\text{ə}$n $\text{ə}$v 'tr$\text{ɔ}$ı/ in ancient Greek stories, the wife of MENELAUS, the king of SPARTA. Helen was famous for her great beauty, and she is often mentioned in literature as a typical example of a very beautiful woman. When Helen's LOVER PARIS took her away to Troy with him, he caused the TROJAN WAR. The phrase 'the face that launched a thousand ships' is often used about her, since the Greeks sailed to Troy to bring her back. $\rightarrow$ see also ILIAD
**hel·i·cop·ter** /'hel$\text{ı}$k$\text{ɒ}$pt$\text{ə}$r∥-k$\text{ɑ}$:p-/ also **whirlybird** *AmE infml* — *n* a type of aircraft which is made to fly by a set of large fast-turning metal blades fixed on its top, and which can land and take off in a small space
**he·li·o·graph** /'hi:li$\text{ə}$gr$\text{ɑ}$:f∥-gr$\text{æ}$f/ *n* an instrument which sends messages by directing flashes of sunlight with a mirror
**he·li·o·trope** /'hi:li$\text{ə}$tr$\text{ə}$up, 'he-∥-hı:-/ *n* **1** [C] a type of garden plant with purplish flowers which turn towards the sun **2** [U] the colour of this flower
**hel·i·port** /'hel$\text{ı}$p$\text{ɔ}$:t∥-p$\text{ɔ}$:rt/ *n* a usually small airport for helicopters
**he·li·um** /'hi:li$\text{ə}$m/ *n* [U] a gas that is a simple substance (ELEMENT) that is lighter than air, will not burn, and is used in AIRSHIPS and some kinds of lights
**he·lix** /'hi:l$\text{ı}$ks/ *n tech* something with the form of a SPIRAL
**he'll** /$\text{ı}$l, hil; *strong* hi:l/ *short for* **1** he will **2** he shall
**hell** /hel/ *n* **1** [U] (*often cap.*) (especially in the Christian and Muslim religions) a place where the souls of the DAMNED (bad people) are said to be punished after death
> **CULTURAL NOTE** Hell is thought of as a dark place that is deep under the ground and full of fire, where Satan and his followers live, and where people who have been bad during their lives burn forever. $\rightarrow$ see Cultural Note at DEVIL and HEAVEN
**2** [S:U] a state or experience of great suffering: *The troops at the front went through hell. | The new airport has made our lives hell because of the continual noise. | Central London was sheer hell on the Saturday before Christmas.* **3** [(the) S;U] *slang* (a swear word, used in anger or to give force to an expression): *What the hell's that thing on your head? | That's a hell of a price to pay for a shirt. | a hell of a lot of money | He's got a hell of a cheek coming in here and expecting us to do his work. | 'Are you going to do his work?' 'The hell I am!' (= No, certainly not.) | If you don't like it, you can go to hell! | Oh hell - I've missed the last train!* $\rightarrow$ see also HELLUVA **4 all hell broke loose** a sudden noisy disorder broke out **5 come hell or high water** in spite of whatever difficulties may happen: *They were determined to finish the job, come hell or high water.* **6 for the hell of it** *infml* just for fun and for no other reason: *We decided to go swimming at midnight just for the hell of it.* **7 give someone hell** *infml* to treat or speak to someone very angrily or severely: *My father was in bed when I came in late, but he gave me hell next morning.* **8 hell for leather** *infml, especially BrE* very fast; used of movement by people: *I was half an hour late for work, and I cycled hell for leather down the hill.* **9 Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned** *quote* a slightly changed phrase from a poem by William Congreve, used when saying how cruel women can be when they have been hurt or upset by a man **10 hell's bells** *infml* (an expression of surprise) **11 Hell on earth** a very unpleasant situation or way of life **12 hell to pay** slang serious trouble or punishment: *There'll be hell to pay if the boss finds out about this.* **13 like a bat out of hell** *infml* extremely quickly: *I ran out of there like a bat out of hell!* **14 like hell** *infml* **a)** (used after the phrase) very much: *We worked like hell to finish the job.* **b)** (used before the phrase) not at all so: *'Did he pay for the meal?' 'Like hell he did! I had to pay for it myself!'* **15 play hell with** *infml* to cause disorder or confusion to: *The sudden cold weather played hell with the weekend sports programme.* **16 when hell freezes over** *infml* never (because hell is believed to be hot with fire and will never freeze) **17 catch hell** *AmE* spoken to be blamed or punished for doing something: *If the contractors do something wrong, I'm the one who catches hell. | We'll catch hell for sure if we play badly and miss our goals again on Saturday.* **18 be shot/blown to hell** spoken if something you have owned, worked on etc for a long time is completely lost or ruined: *'Thirty-five years shot to hell,' William said this morning, as he looked at the wreckage of the house that burned to the ground last night. | If what Hector said is true, then my theory is blown to hell.* **19 to hell with sbdy./sth.** spoken used in order to say that you do not care about someone or something any more: *So that's your philosophy of life - to hell with anyone else's feelings, as long as you get what you want. | I decided I would be frank, say directly what I wanted, and to hell with it.*
**,hell-'bent** *adj* [F+**on**] *infml* completely determined to do something, without considering possible dangers: *She's hell-bent on climbing that mountain.*
**hell·cat** /'helk$\text{æ}$t/ *n* a fierce hot-tempered woman
**Hel·lene** /'heli:n/ *n fml* a Greek, especially an ancient Greek
**Hel·len·ic** /he'len$\text{ı}$k/ *adj* connected with the history, literature, art etc of the ancient Greeks during the period from the 8th century BC to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC
**Hel·le·nis·tic** / ,hel$\text{ə}$'n$\text{ı}$st$\text{ı}$k/ *adj* connected with the history, literature, art etc of ancient Greece and the eastern Mediterranean. The centre of the Hellenistic world was Alexandria in Egypt, and the Hellenistic period continued until about 30 BC, when Egypt became part of the Roman Empire.
**Hel·ler, Joseph** /'hel$\text{ə}$r/ (1923–1999) a US writer whose book *Catch-22* is considered by many people to be one of the best ANTI-WAR novels ever written. Heller's books are known for their dark humour and they typically criticize organizations, especially military organizations, that affect or control ordinary people's lives. His other novels include *Good as Gold* and *God Knows*.
**Hel·les·pont, the** /'hel$\text{ı}$sp$\text{ɒ}$nt∥-p$\text{ɑ}$:nt/ a former name for the Dardanelles
**hell·hole** /'helh$\text{ə}$ul/ *n* a place in which conditions for humans are extremely bad
**hell·ish** /'hel$\text{ı}$$\int$/ *adj* **1** *infml* very bad or unpleasant: *hellish weather | I've had a hellish day at work.* **2** of or like HELL —**~ly** *adv*: *a hellishly difficult exam*
**Hell·man, Lil·li·an** /'helm$\text{ə}$n, 'l$\text{ı}$li$\text{ə}$n/ (1905–84) a US writer of plays, known especially for *The Children's Hour* and