Word family noun head heading overhead header headship adjective overhead heady headless headed verb head behead adverb overhead
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishheadhead1 /hed/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 top of body [countable]HBHBODY the top part of your body that has your face at the front and is supported by your neck He kissed the top of her head. Alan fell asleep as soon as he put his head on the pillow. They dived head first into the water. She was dressed in black from head to toe (=over all her body). He still has a full head of hair (=has all his hair, even though he is getting rather old).2 mind [countable]MIND your mind or mental ability The problem only exists inside his head.do something in your head (=calculate something mentally) I can’t do those figures in my head. Use your head to work out the answer.come into/pop into your head Jackie said the first thing that came into her head.get something into your head (=understand something) ‘It’s over, Jake, ’ she said. ‘Try and get that into your head.’take/get it into your head (to do something) (=decide to do something, especially something stupid) At about two in the morning, Alan took it into his head to go for a swim.get/put something out of your head (=stop thinking or worrying about something) Try to put it out of your head for the time being.put something into somebody’s head (=make someone think or believe something) What’s put that idea into her head?get your head round something British English (=be able to understand something) I just can’t get my head round what’s been going on here.3 calm/sensible a) keep your head to remain calm and sensible in a difficult or frightening situation We need a candidate who can keep his or her head even when clients get aggressive.keep a clear/cool/calm head Get to sleep early tonight – you’ll need to keep a clear head tomorrow at the trial. b) lose your head to become unable to behave calmly or sensibly in a difficult or frightening situation You’ll be OK as long as you don’t lose your head and forget he’s the real enemy. c) have your head screwed on (straight/right) informal to be sensible and able to deal with difficult situations He wondered what Gemma thought about it all. She seemed to have her head screwed on.4 person in charge [countable] a) a leader or person in charge of a group or organizationhead of You should discuss the matter with your head of department. A meeting of Commonwealth heads of state will be held next month.head waiter/chef/gardener etc (=the person in charge of a group of waiters etc) b) (also head teacher) British English the person in charge of a school SYN principal American English From now on all violent incidents should be reported directly to the head. → crowned head, head boy, head girl, headmaster, headmistress5 front/leading position [singular] the front or the most important position(at) the head of something Jenny marched proudly at the head of the procession. At the head of the table (=the place where the most important person sits) sat the senior partners.at something’s/somebody’s head The band of soldiers marched into the yard, their defeated captain at their head.6 crazy [countable usually singular] used in particular phrases to talk about someone being crazy or very stupid People going out in conditions like this need their heads examined.be off your head British English You must be off your head if you think that. If I walk in looking like that, they’ll think I’m not right in the head. 7 → a head/per head8 river/valley [countable usually singular] the place where a river, valley etc begins9 → come to a head10 flower/plant [countable] the top of a plant where its flowers or leaves grow She was outside cutting the dead heads off the roses.head of a head of lettuce11 height/distance [singular] the length of a head, used to measure height or distance She saw her father, a head above the rest of the crowd.by a (short) head (=used to say that a horse won or lost a race but only by a small amount)12 → heads13 → laugh/shout/scream etc your head off14 → have a good/fine/thick etc head of hair15 → get/put your head down16 → keep your head down17 → as soon as your head hits the pillow18 → be out of/off your head19 → go to somebody’s head20 tool [countable usually singular] the wide end of a long narrow tool or piece of equipment21 → put your heads together22 → go over somebody’s head23 → can’t make head or/nor tail of something24 → have your head in the clouds25 → have a (good) head for figures/facts/business etc26 → head for heights27 → a big head28 → keep your head above water29 → be/stand head and shoulders above somebody30 → hold up your head31 → be (like) banging/bashing etc your head against a brick wall32 → bang/knock somebody’s heads together33 → bite/snap somebody’s head off34 → turn/stand something on its head35 → give somebody their head36 → be/fall head over heels in love37 → heads will roll38 → on your own head be it39 → do your head in40 → be/get in over your head41 → be over your head in debt42 → go head to head with somebody43 → heads up!44 beer [countable]DFD the layer of small white bubbles on the top of a glass of beer 45 electronics [countable]TCR a piece of equipment that changes information on something magnetic, such as a recording tape or computer hard disk, into electrical messages that electronic equipment can use46 → head of cattle/sheep etc47 → head of water/steam48 → get/build up a head of steam49 landSG [singular] British English a high area of land that sticks out into the sea – used in names Beachy Head50 infection [countable]MI the centre of a swollen spot on your skin51 → give (somebody) head → bury your head in the sand at bury(8), → knock something on the head at knock1(16), → off the top of your head at top1(18), → somebody can do something standing on their head at stand1(40), → turn somebody’s head at turn1(17), → two heads are better than one at two(8)COLLOCATIONSverbsturn your headJohn turned his head to look at the boy.shake your head (=move it from side to side, especially to show disagreement)‘It’s too much, ’ he said, shaking his head.nod your head (=move it up and down, especially to show agreement)The audience nodded their heads enthusiastically.somebody’s head hurts/aches/throbsHer head was throbbing and she needed to lie down.raise/lift your head (=look up)Tom raised his head to listen, then went back to his book.bow/bend/lower your head (=look down)He bowed his head and tried not not to look at her.hang your head (=look down, especially because you are ashamed)She hung her head, not sure how to reply.scratch your head (=especially because you do not understand something)He scratched his head and started looking through the drawers again.cock your head (=hold your head at an angle)The big dog cocked his head to one side and raised his ears.adjectivesbareThe sun beat down on her bare head.baldHis bald head shone with sweat.somebody’s blonde/dark/grey etc head (=with blonde etc hair)I saw my son’s blond head sticking out from the car window.head + NOUNhead injuryWearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injuries. Examples from the Corpus
head• a head of lettuce• The copper head moved and Theda's hand dropped.• Professor Calder is the department head.• Every head had to turn simultaneously.• It is coarse and irregular, involves the face, head, and extremities, and is accentuated by movements.• the former head of MI5, the British intelligence service• Keep arms hanging, head down and neck and shoulders relaxed.• She's so quiet - you never quite know what's going on inside her head.• He turned his head to kiss her.• Hwang is head of the local Communist Party, and is also a farmer.• It turns time on its head.• I didn't struggle a lot, but one of them pushed my head right down, my arms were pulled right back.• Dan's head was full of big ideas.• Troy's head is just full of ideas.• Collins suffered severe head injuries in the accident.• a shower head• I picked up a hammer and hit the head of the nail as hard as I could.• In view of what you said, did you consider the use of night sticks on the heads of demonstrators hospitable?• According to Rice, the head of the planning committee, the project is 25% completed.• She's the head of research and development.• There was a hole in the pipe, no bigger than the head of a matchstick.get your head round something• They can't get their head round the notion of patient-centred medicine, basically.head waiter/chef/gardener etc• He was a head waiter during the war.• It was then left in the hands of head gardener Ken Vaughn, who ran it single-handedly for 30 years.• He was previously head chef at Turner's restaurant, London.• Led by the head waiter around a crowded bar we emerged into a restaurant with a breathtaking interior.• This was served buffet style from huge urns by the head chef.• The head waiter already has my name memorized.• The head waiter made a servile fuss when they arrived and begged permission for a photograph to be taken for publicity purposes.• Harry Dodson demonstrates the skills of a Victorian head gardener. at something’s/somebody’s head• But he was already swinging the case at the Advocate's head.• She reached one arm back and grabbed the rope while Amy fairly clawed at the head.• Out on the court, her three assistants are directing the drills, each at the head of a line of players.• The marshal was right when he waved his yellow flag and pointed his finger at his head.• Two men sat at its head, their faces reflected in the gleaming surface.• Miss Male and Heather were still watching the little scene at the head of the table.• Hughes held the stick aloft, a coil of silver at its head.not right in the head• Satirists are often not right in the head.dead heads• There was no one about except Miss Lofthouse taking the dead heads off the daffodils in the churchyard by the War Memorial. by a (short) head• Beaten by a short head possibly, but decimated, no.• The program could also be controlled by a head or eye movement.• The losers were disrupted by a head injury to prop Seamus Foley, who was forced off in the first half.• The issues that are negotiated by heads of government are essentially unresolvable or they would never have reached the highest level.• They walk and are passed by head to head contact.• Not until the final strides did Cherokee Run edge ahead, and he prevailed by a head. 1993.headhead2 ●●● S2 W2 verb 1 go towards (also be headed) [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]GO to go or travel towards a particular place, especially in a deliberate wayhead for/towards/back etc The ship was heading for Cuba. It’s about time we were heading home.head north/south etc We headed south towards the capital. Where are you guys headed?2 → be heading3 be in charge (also head up) [transitive]IN CHARGE OF to be in charge of a team, government, organization etc David was asked to head up the technical team. an interim government headed by the former prime minister4 at top [transitive] a) FIRSTFRONTto be at the top of a list or group of people or things The movie heads the list of Oscar nominations. b) be headedTOP if a page is headed with a particular name, title, image etc, it has it on the top The page was headed ‘Expenses’. officially-headed writing paper5 at front [transitive]FRONT to be at the front of a line of people a procession headed by the Queen6 football [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition]DSF to hit the ball with your head, especially in football → head off→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
head• They hear that there is a bull market to ride, and they do not care which direction the bull is headed.• At one stage she had suggested that he leave for a vacation and she stayed being, heading a Regency Council.• Levy headed an investigation into the fund mismanagement.• It is headed by a managing director.• The program is headed by an expert in teaching gifted and talented children.• The march was headed by the Reverend Martin Luther King.• Most single-parent families are headed by women.• His teammates were long gone, headed home to celebrate the biggest victory of their pro careers.• Jean and those guys, it seems like this organization is heading in the right direction.• This helped them to gain height and get power when heading the ball.• For Cranmer, who headed the party of Reform for the next twenty years, the task seemed hardly begun.• The commission was headed up by Barry Kerr.• Heading up the investigation into the crash is Officer Frank Foyle.head north/south etc• The houses begin to thicken as the highway heads south.• The way moves cast, and then doubles back, labyrinth-like, to head north and up the stairs.• Others retire and head south for the sun.• Are the prices of homes in your area heading north or south in 1996?• It swung north, then headed south, then back north, then east-east!-then back south.• In it, a miner who has been made redundant heads south to Helsinki and falls in love.• Our alternative is to head north, to the coast.-head-head /hed/ suffix [in nouns] 1 TOPthe top of something the pithead (=the top of a coal mine) a letterhead (=a name and address printed at the top of a letter)2 BEGINNINGthe place where something begins a fountainheadFrom Longman Business Dictionaryheadhead1 /hed/ noun [countable]1JOBthe leader or person in charge of a group, organization, or part of an organizationhead ofThe head of each division is responsible for its operating performance.Stone was head of corporate finance at Coopers & Lybrand.Work is divided into different areas and is supervised by section heads.2JOB head receptionist/trader/cashier etc the most senior RECEPTIONIST etcAny cash received must be double-checked by the head receptionist.3COMMERCE have a (good) business head to be able to make sensible and PROFITABLE business decisions4COMMERCE a head/per head for each personA conference for 70 people will work out at around £30 a head per day.Expenditure per head on training had been growing rapidly.5head on if you deal with a problem head on, you deal with it in a very brave and direct wayThe issue has to be tackled head on. 6COMMERCE head on if two companies compete head on, they each try to be successful selling the same product or serviceInstead of trying to compete head on with stores like Our Price and HMV, he moved down-market, stocking cheaper CDs and tapes.7have/be given a head start to have an advantage that helps you to be successfulhave/be given a head start overBanks will have a head start over their non-banking rivals in selling products in this new market.8keep your head above water to only just manage to keep your company in business or live on the income you earnThese are savings that defence companies have to make to keep their heads above water.9go over somebody’s head disapproving if you go over the head of your BOSS (=the person who you normally take orders from at work), you ask his or her boss something instead of asking him or her directlyMy boss was angry because I went over his head to the department manager.10heads will roll spoken used to say that someone will lose their job or be punished for a mistake they have madeheadhead2 verb1[transitive] (also head up) to be in charge of a group, an organization, or part of an organizationShe heads a building company.2be headed if a page is headed with a particular word or sentence, it has it at the topThe three columns are headed ‘budget’, ‘actual’ and ‘variance’.3head north/south informalFINANCE if a share price, currency etc heads north, it rises in value. If it heads south, it falls in valueRight now, the rouble is heading south. → head down → head something → off → head up→ See Verb tableOrigin head1 Old English heafod 