H
624
H,h
H, h /eɪtʃ/ pl. H's, h's n [C;U] the 8th letter of the English alphabet → see also AITCH, H-BOMB
ha /ha:/ interj (used as a shout of surprise, interest etc) → see also AHA, HA-HA
Häagen Dazs /ˌhɑːɡən ˈdɑːs/ trademark a BRAND (=type) of ice cream known for its rich and creamy taste, and for using expensive INGREDIENTS
ha·be·as cor·pus /ˌheɪbiəs ˈkɔːpəs||-ˈkɔːr-/ n [U] law Lat (protection against unlimited imprisonment without charges, given by) the right of someone in prison to appear in a court of law so that the court can decide whether they should stay in prison: She applied for a writ of habeas corpus. (=a written order for someone to appear in court for this purpose)
hab·er·dash·er /ˈhæbədæʃər ||-bər-/ n old-fash or tech 1 BrE a shopkeeper who sells pins, sewing thread, and other small things used in dressmaking 2 AmE a shopkeeper who sells men's clothing, especially hats, GLOVES etc
hab·er·dash·er·y /ˈhæbədæʃəri||-bər-/ n [C;U] old-fash or tech (the goods sold in) a haberdasher's shop or a haberdasher's department in a department store
hab·it /ˈhæbɪt/ n 1 [C;U] a tendency to behave in a particular way or do particular things, especially regularly and repeatedly over a long period: She has an annoying habit of biting her fingernails. | I smoke only out of/from habit; I wish I could break the habit. | Cigarettes are habit-forming. (=make you want to keep smoking them) | I'm not in the habit of lending money (=I don't usually do it) but I'll make an exception in this case. | You can borrow some money this time, but don't make a habit of it. | bad habits | eating habits 2 [C] a special set of clothes, especially that worn by MONKS and NUNS
Compare habit, custom, practice, and convention. A habit usually means something which is done regularly by a single person: He has an annoying habit of biting his nails. A custom usually means something which has been done for a long time by a whole society: the custom of giving presents at Christmas. Practice can mean custom but often with a derogatory meaning: the practice of eating one's enemies. It can also mean the usual way of doing things in business, law etc: The normal practice in this company is to send the bill as soon as the job is done. The conventions of a society are its generally accepted standards of behaviour: As a matter of convention people attending funerals wear dark clothes.
hab·it·a·ble /ˈhæbɪtəbəl/ adj fml good enough to be lived in: Their damp draughty house was scarcely habitable. → opposite UNINHABITABLE
hab·i·tat /ˈhæbɪtæt/ n [C;U] the natural home of a plant or animal: The polar bear's habitat is the icy wastes of the Arctic. | I prefer to see animals in their natural habitat rather than in zoos.
Habitat trademark a company that makes furniture, plates, pans, and many other things for the home, which it sells in its stores in many UK cities. Habitat products are known for being attractively designed and practical, and they are popular especially with MIDDLE-CLASS people. → see also CONRAN, SIR TERENCE
hab·i·ta·tion /ˌhæbɪˈteɪʃən/ n fml 1 [U] the act of living in a place: This dilapidated old house is unfit for human habitation. 2 [C] a house or place to live in
ha·bit·u·al /həˈbɪtʃuəl/ adj fml 1 [A] usual; customary: her habitual rudeness/greeting 2 done as a habit or doing something from habit: He's a habitual coffee drinker – he gets through about ten cups a day. →-ly adv: habitually late
ha·bit·u·ate /həˈbɪtʃueɪt/ v
habituate sbdy. to sthg. phr v [T often pass.] fml to allow (oneself) to get used to: to become habituated to a drug | [+v-ing] Over the centuries, these animals have become habituated to living in such a dry environment.
ha·bit·u·é /həˈbɪtʃueɪ/ n [(of)] fml a regular attender: a habitué of the nightclub
Habs·burg /ˈhæpsbɜːɡ||-bɜːrɡ/ → see HAPSBURG
ha·ci·en·da /ˌhæsiˈendə/ n Sp (the main house of) a large farm in Spanish-speaking countries
hack¹ /hæk/ v 1 [+adv/prep; T+obj+adv/prep] to cut (up), especially roughly, violently, or in uneven pieces: She hacked away at the frozen ice, trying to make a hole. | They hacked their way through the jungle. | One of the police officers was hacked to death by the mob. 2 [T] slang to bear: I've been doing this job for years but I just can't hack it anymore. —hack n [(at)] He made a hack at the log.
hack² n 1 derog a writer who does a lot of poor quality work, especially writing stories or newspaper articles: Fleet Street hacks | hack journalism 2 derog, especially BrE an unimportant politician who is concerned mainly with party matters: The meeting was attended by the usual old party hacks. 3 an old tired horse 4 a light horse for riding 5 BrE a ride on horseback 6 AmE infml a taxi
hack³ v [i;T+obj+adv/prep] BrE to ride (a horse) at an ordinary speed along roads or through the country
hack·er /ˈhækər/ n infml someone who is able to use or change the information in other people's computer systems without their knowledge or permission —hacking n [U] :
hacking 'cough n a repeated, often painful, cough with a rough unpleasant sound
hack·les /ˈhæklz/ n [P] 1 the long feathers or hairs on the back of the neck of certain birds and animals, which stand up straight in times of danger 2 make someone's hackles rise to make someone feel very angry: His insensitive remarks about foreigners made her hackles rise. | I could feel my hackles rising as I watched the President being interviewed on TV.
Hack·ney /ˈhækni/ a BOROUGH of East London known for being a rather poor area and for having a LEFT-WING local council
'hackney carriage n 1 a horse-drawn carriage used for hire, especially formerly 2 also hackney cab /ˌ...ˈ.../ — fml or tech a taxi
hack·neyed /ˈhæknid/ adj derog (of a phrase, statement etc) meaningless because used and repeated too often; TRITE: hackneyed phrases/remarks
hack·saw /ˈhæksɔː/ n a tool (SAW) that has a fine-toothed blade and is used especially for cutting metal
had /d, əd, hæd; strong hæd/ 1 past tense & participle of HAVE → see NOT (USAGE) 2 be had /hæd/ infml to be tricked or made a fool of: I've been had! Those eggs I bought are all bad!
had·dock /ˈhædək/ n pl. haddock a common fish found in northern seas, used as food
Ha·des /ˈheɪdiːz/ n [U] 1 the land of the dead in the stories of ancient Greece. It is also called the UNDERWORLD HELL¹. 2 in Greek MYTHOLOGY, the god of the Underworld He is also called PLUTO.
hadj /hædʒ/ n a HAJ
had·ji /ˈhædʒi/ n a HAJJI
had·n't /ˈhædnt/ short for had not: If I hadn't seen it myself, I'd never have believed it.
Ha·dri·an's Wall /ˌheɪdriənz ˈwɔːl/ a stone wall which the Roman EMPEROR Hadrian ordered to be built across the north of England in 122 AD from the east coast to the west in order to defend Roman Britain from attack by northern tribes such as the PICTS. Part of the wall and some of the FORTS built along it can still be seen.
hae·mo·glo·bin BrE || hemoglobin AmE /ˌhiːməˈɡləbɪn ||ˈhiːməɡloʊbɪn/ n [U] a red colouring matter in the blood which contains iron and carries oxygen
hae·mo·phil·i·a BrE || hemophilia AmE /ˌhiːməˈfɪliə/ n [U] med a serious disease in which the blood is unable to CLOT The disease affects only males, but is carried by females. It is treatable in some cases.
hae·mo·phil·i·ac BrE || hemophiliac AmE /ˌhiːməˈfɪliæk/ n a person suffering from haemophilia