head */*/*/

I UK [hed] / US noun
Word forms "head":
singular head plural heads

1) [countable] the top part of your body that has your brain, eyes, mouth etc in it

a bruise on the side of her head

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Collocations:
Verbs frequently used with head as the object ▪  bend, bow, cock, duck, incline, lift, lower, nod, shake, tilt, toss, turn

2) [countable] your mind and thoughts

A thought suddenly came into my head.

I don't want to put any ideas into your head.

in/inside your head:

He did the sums quickly in his head.

She did not speak the words, but instead whispered them inside her head.

3) [countable] the leader or most important person in a group

The ceremony was attended by heads of government from eleven countries.

a) British the teacher in charge of a school. The American word is principal.

b) [only before noun] used for describing the most important person in a particular organization, group etc

the head waiter

4) [countable] the top or front part of something

head of:

We walked straight to the head of the queue.

a) the end of a bed where you put your head

b) the end of a table where the most important person sits

c) the top part of a long thin object such as a nail, that is a different shape from or wider than the rest of it

5) [uncountable] the white bubbles on the top of a glass of beer

6) [countable] the beginning of a river, where the water comes from

7) [countable] the top of a drum

8) [plural] used as a way of counting farm animals

300 head of cattle

9) [countable] the white centre of a spot on your skin

10) heads

[plural] the side of a coin that has a picture of a head on it. The other side is tails

I'll toss a coin. You choose heads or tails.

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a/per head — for each person

The meal cost £20 per head.

bang/knock/hit (someone's) heads together — informal to speak angrily to people so that they will stop arguing

be/get in over your head — to be or become involved in a situation in which you do not have the necessary skills, knowledge, or money to succeed

Inexperienced investors may indeed have been in over their heads.

cannot make head nor/or tail of something — informal used for saying that you cannot understand something at all

come/bring something to a head — informal if a situation comes to a head, or if you bring it to a head, it suddenly becomes worse

Everything came to a head last week when two of the teachers resigned.

get up/build up/work up a head of steam — to start to become active and successful

This week the campaign finally started building up a head of steam.

get it into/through your head (that) — informal to understand and accept something

Why can't you get it into your head that we're just friends?

get someone/something out of your head — informal to stop thinking about someone or something

I can't get the pictures of those starving children out of my head.

get/take it into your head to do something — informal to decide to do something, and be determined to do it even if other people do not like it

have a big/swollen head — informal to believe that you are very intelligent, important etc

have a (good) head for heights — British to not feel afraid when you stand on a high place and look down

have a (good) head for figures/business etc — to be good at doing calculations with numbers/at doing things relating to business etc

have your head (screwed) on right — informal to be able to make sensible decisions

head and shoulders above the rest/others — informal much better than all the others

laugh/shout/scream your head off — informal to laugh, shout etc very loudly

I bet Nigel's sitting at home now laughing his head off.

like banging/hitting your head against a brick wall — used for describing an annoying situation in which nothing you do seems to produce any results

on your (own) head be it — spoken used for warning someone that if they do something, they will have to take responsibility for it and suffer the results of it

stand/turn something on its head — informal to make someone think in a completely new way about something

Einstein's theories stood the mathematical world on its head.

- be off your head

- be out of your head

- a clear head

- do someone's head in

- from head to toe

- get your head round something

- give someone head

- give someone their head

- go over someone's head

- go to someone's head

- have a good head on your shoulders

- have your head in the clouds

- head of hair

- head over heels

- heads up

- heads will roll

- keep your head above water

- keep your head down

- need your head examined

- put something out of your head

- put your heads together

See:

bite I, bury, hang I, hold I, knock I, lose, nod I, shake I, top I, turn I, turn I, use I

II UK [hed] / US verb
Word forms "head":
present tense I/you/we/they head he/she/it heads present participle heading past tense headed past participle headed

1) [intransitive] to go in a particular direction

be headed:

Where are you headed?

head for/towards/through etc:

We decided to head for home.

She headed towards the library.

head north/south/east/west:

They headed north, across the desert.

2) head or head up

[transitive] to be in control of a group or an organization

Lord Justice Scott will head the inquiry.

You will work with the management team headed by Miles Broughton.

3) [transitive] to be at the top of a list

London heads the list of the most popular tourist cities.

4) [transitive] to be at the front of a line of people

The mayor will head the procession through the town centre.

5) [transitive, usually passive] to put a title at the top of a piece of writing

The information sheet was headed "Medical Insurance".

6) [transitive] to hit the ball with your head in the game of football

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be heading/headed for something — if you are heading or headed for something, it is likely to happen to you soon

It appears that the rebels are heading for victory.

I think Sam's headed for a nervous breakdown.

Phrasal verbs:

- head off

- head up