"head" Definition

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Each one among many; an individual; -- often used in a plural sense; as, a thousand head of cattle.

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.

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.

A headland; a promontory; as, Gay Head.

A separate part, or topic, of a discourse; a theme to be expanded; a subdivision; as, the heads of a sermon.

Culminating point or crisis; hence, strength; force; height.

Power; armed force.

A headdress; a covering of the head; as, a laced head; a head of hair.

An ear of wheat, barley, or of one of the other small cereals.

A dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies, thistles; a capitulum.

A dense, compact mass of leaves, as in a cabbage or a lettuce plant.

The antlers of a deer.

A rounded mass of foam which rises on a pot of beer or other effervescing liquor.

Tiles laid at the eaves of a house.

Principal; chief; leading; first; as, the head master of a school; the head man of a tribe; a head chorister; a head cook.

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.

To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head; as, to head a nail.

To behead; to decapitate.

To cut off the top of; to lop off; as, to head trees.

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.

To set on the head; as, to head a cask.

To originate; to spring; to have its source, as a river.

To go or point in a certain direction; to tend; as, how does the ship head?

To form a head; as, this kind of cabbage heads early.

1 upper part of the human body, or foremost or upper part of an animal''s body, containing the brain, mouth, and sense-organs. 2 a seat of intellect (use your head). B mental aptitude or tolerance (a good head for business; no head for heights). 3 thing like a head in form or position, esp.: a the operative part of a tool. B the top of a nail. C the leaves or flowers at the top of a stem. D foam on the top of a glass of beer etc. 4 a person in charge, esp. The principal teacher of a school. B position of command. 5 front part of a queue etc. 6 upper end of a table or bed etc. 7 top or highest part of a page, stairs, etc. 8 a individual person as a unit (£10 per head). B (pl. Same) individual animal as a unit (20 head). 9 a side of a coin bearing the image of a head. B (usu. In pl.) This as a choice when tossing a coin. 10 a source of a river etc. B end of a lake at which a river enters it. 11 height or length of a head as a measure. 12 part of a machine in contact with or very close to what is being worked on, esp.: a the part of a tape recorder that touches the moving tape and converts signals. B the part of a record-player that holds the playing cartridge and stylus. 13 (usu. In phr. Come to a head) climax, crisis. 14 a confined body of water or steam in an engine etc. B pressure exerted by this. 15 promontory (esp. In place-names) (beachy head). 16 heading or headline. 17 fully developed top of a boil etc. 18 colloq. Headache. 19 (attrib.) Chief, principal. v. 1 be at the head or front of. 2 be in charge of. 3 provide with a head or heading. 4 (often foll. By for) face, move, or direct in a specified direction (is heading for trouble). 5 hit (a ball etc.) With the head. above (or over) one''s head beyond one''s understanding. Come to a head reach a crisis. Get it into one''s head (foll. By that) 1 adopt a mistaken idea. 2 form a definite plan. Give a person his (or her) head allow a person to act freely. Go to one''s head 1 make one slightly drunk. 2 make one conceited. Head off 1 get ahead of so as to intercept and turn aside. 2 forestall. Keep (or lose) one''s head remain (or fail to remain) calm. Off one''s head slang crazy. Off the top of one''s head colloq. Impromptu. On one''s (or one''s own) head as one''s own responsibility. Out of one''s head slang crazy. Over one''s head 1 beyond one''s understanding. 2 without one''s rightful knowledge or involvement, esp. Of action taken by a subordinate consulting one''s own superior. 3 with disregard for one''s own (stronger) claim (was promoted over my head). Put heads together consult together. Take it into one''s head (foll. By that + clause or to + infin.) Decide, esp. Impetuously. Turn a person''s head make a person conceited. [old english]

1 upper part of the human body, or foremost or upper part of an animal''s body, containing the brain, mouth, and sense-organs. 2 a seat of intellect (use your head). B mental aptitude or tolerance (a good head for business; no head for heights). 3 thing like a head in form or position, esp.: a the operative part of a tool. B the top of a nail. C the leaves or flowers at the top of a stem. D foam on the top of a glass of beer etc. 4 a person in charge, esp. The principal teacher of a school. B position of command. 5 front part of a queue etc. 6 upper end of a table or bed etc. 7 top or highest part of a page, stairs, etc. 8 a individual person as a unit (£10 per head). B (pl. Same) individual animal as a unit (20 head). 9 a side of a coin bearing the image of a head. B (usu. In pl.) This as a choice when tossing a coin. 10 a source of a river etc. B end of a lake at which a river enters it. 11 height or length of a head as a measure. 12 part of a machine in contact with or very close to what is being worked on, esp.: a the part of a tape recorder that touches the moving tape and converts signals. B the part of a record-player that holds the playing cartridge and stylus. 13 (usu. In phr. Come to a head) climax, crisis. 14 a confined body of water or steam in an engine etc. B pressure exerted by this. 15 promontory (esp. In place-names) (beachy head). 16 heading or headline. 17 fully developed top of a boil etc. 18 colloq. Headache. 19 (attrib.) Chief, principal. v. 1 be at the head or front of. 2 be in charge of. 3 provide with a head or heading. 4 (often foll. By for) face, move, or direct in a specified direction (is heading for trouble). 5 hit (a ball etc.) With the head. above (or over) one''s head beyond one''s understanding. Come to a head reach a crisis. Get it into one''s head (foll. By that) 1 adopt a mistaken idea. 2 form a definite plan. Give a person his (or her) head allow a person to act freely. Go to one''s head 1 make one slightly drunk. 2 make one conceited. Head off 1 get ahead of so as to intercept and turn aside. 2 forestall. Keep (or lose) one''s head remain (or fail to remain) calm. Off one''s head slang crazy. Off the top of one''s head colloq. Impromptu. On one''s (or one''s own) head as one''s own responsibility. Out of one''s head slang crazy. Over one''s head 1 beyond one''s understanding.