English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

hallmark

noun

A distinctive feature or trait that marks something as genuine or characteristic.

hallo

interjection

A greeting or shout used to attract attention (an older or British variant of "hello").

halloo

intj

Said to greet someone or to get their attention.

Halloran

name

A surname of Irish origin.

hallow

verb

To treat as sacred; to make or declare holy.

hallowdom

noun

(old) The condition of being a saint.

hallowed

adjective

Regarded as holy or deeply respected.

Halloween

noun

October 31st, a holiday marked by costumes, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treating.

halls

noun

Student housing at a university, especially in the UK ("halls of residence").

hallucinate

verb

To perceive things that are not actually present, as a result of mental state, drugs, or illness.

hallucination

noun

A false perception of something that isn't really there, often caused by illness, drugs, or extreme stress.

hallucinatory

adj

Involving hallucinations, or likely to cause them.

hallucinaut

noun

(informal) Someone who is having hallucinations.

hallucinogen

noun

A drug or other substance that causes hallucinations.

hallucinogenic

adjective

Causing hallucinations.

hallucinosis

noun

A condition in which someone experiences hallucinations.

hallway

noun

A corridor connecting rooms inside a building.

hally

name

A rare spelling variant of Hallie, diminutive of the female given name Harriet.

halo

noun

A circle of light shown around the head of a holy figure in art.

halogen

noun

In chemistry, a halogen is any element from group 17 of the periodic table, a group that includes fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine and tennessine.

haloperidol

noun

A man-made drug used medically to treat psychotic conditions.

halse

verb

(old) To put your arms around someone; to hug them.

halsen

verb

(old) To foretell or promise something.

Halsey

name

A surname of Old English origin.

Halstead

name

An English surname, and the name of towns in Essex and Kent, England, and Kansas, United States.

halt

verb

To stop moving or operating, or to cause something to stop.

halter

noun

A rope or strap fitted around an animal's head, used to lead or restrain it.

haltere

noun

A tiny club-shaped organ found in pairs on certain two-winged insects, beaten quickly in flight to help them keep balance.

halva

noun

A dense sweet confection usually made from crushed sesame seeds and honey, eaten traditionally across South Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

halve

verb

To cut something down to half its original size or amount.

halved

adjective

Cut or divided into two equal parts.

ham

noun

Meat from the thigh of a pig, cured or cooked for eating.

Hama

name

A city on the Orontes River in western Syria, known for its ancient wooden waterwheels.

hamada

noun

A flat, rocky desert plateau where wind has stripped away sand and loose soil, leaving bare rock or gravel.

Haman

name

A biblical figure, the Persian vizier in the Book of Esther who plotted to destroy the Jews of ancient Persia.

Hamas

name

A Palestinian Islamist political and militant organization that controls the Gaza Strip.

Hamburg

name

The second-largest city in Germany and one of its constituent states, a major port on the Elbe River.

hamburger

noun

A sandwich made of a cooked ground-meat patty served in a round bun, often with toppings.

Hamid

name

A masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "praiseworthy."

Hamill

name

A surname of Irish origin, notably borne by actor Mark Hamill.

Hamilton

noun

A common surname of Scottish origin, also used as a male given name; also the name of several cities and towns around the world, most famously in New Zealand, Ontario (Canada), and Bermuda.

Hamish

noun

A Scottish male given name, an anglicized version of the Gaelic name Seumas.

hamlet

noun

A very small settlement, smaller than a village, often just a cluster of houses without its own church or local government.

Hamm

noun

A surname, originally describing someone who lived on flat land near a river, or referring to the German city of Hamm in North Rhine-Westphalia.

hammer

noun

A hand tool with a heavy head, used for driving nails, breaking things apart, or shaping metal.

hammered

adjective

Shaped or marked by repeated blows of a hammer, giving a dented, textured surface.

hammerhead

noun

A shark with a flattened, hammer-shaped head and eyes set at the outer edges.

hammering

noun

The act or sound of striking something repeatedly with a hammer.

hammerkop

noun

A southern African bird, Scopus umbretta, in the Scopidae family and related to herons.

Hammers

noun

Plural of hammer.

Hammersley

noun

An English surname, originally taken from a place name meaning a woodland clearing.

hammersmith

noun

A district in west London, part of the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.

Hammett

noun

A surname, notably borne by American crime writer Dashiell Hammett.

hammock

noun

A hanging bed made of fabric or netting, suspended between two points and used for lying down or sleeping.

Hammond

noun

An English surname, also used as a given name and as the name of several towns, most notably Hammond, Indiana.

hammy

adjective

Overly theatrical or exaggerated in performance; hammy acting.

hamper

noun

A large basket with a lid, used to carry or store items such as laundry or food.

hampered

adj

Held back or slowed down, as though tied up.

hampering

noun

Something that gets in the way; an obstacle.

Hampshire

noun

A county in southern England.

Hampstead

noun

An affluent, leafy area of north London, historically associated with writers and artists.

Hampton

noun

A surname and place name found in England, Canada, Australia, and the United States, generally derived from Old English words meaning "farm by a river bend" or "home town."

Hamptons

noun

(usually "the Hamptons") A cluster of affluent towns and villages on the eastern end of Long Island, New York, popular as a summer retreat for wealthy New Yorkers.

hamster

noun

A small, short-tailed rodent with cheek pouches, often kept as a pet.

hamstring

noun

Any of the large tendons or muscles at the back of the thigh, behind the knee.

hamza

noun

A symbol in the Arabic writing system that represents a glottal stop, written as a standalone letter or above/below other letters.

han

noun

A deep, culturally specific feeling of sorrow, resentment, and unresolved grief in Korean identity.

Hana

noun

A small town on the island of Maui, Hawaii, known for its remote coastal setting.

Hanako

noun

A Japanese female given name.

hand

noun

The part of the body at the end of the arm, used for grasping and manipulating objects.

Handa

noun

A city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

handbag

noun

A small bag, usually carried by women, used to hold personal items such as a wallet, keys, and makeup.

handbagging

noun

(informal) A harsh telling-off or piece of criticism.

handbags

interjection

(British, informal, humorous) Said when a heated argument or petty squabble is more show than substance; roughly "calm down."

handball

noun

A team sport in which players throw and bounce a ball, trying to score by throwing it into the opposing goal.

handbill

noun

(old) A curved blade used for cutting back plants.

handbook

noun

A concise reference book covering a particular subject, meant to be kept close at hand.

handbrake

noun

A hand-operated brake in a vehicle, used mainly to keep it stationary when parked.

handbreadth

noun

(old) A measurement equal to the width of a hand.

handcar

noun

A small railway vehicle moved along the track by pumping a hand lever.

handcarried

adj

Held and carried by hand.

handcart

noun

A cart designed to be pulled or pushed by hand (as opposed to with a beast of burden.)

handcraft

noun

A subject that is studied mainly through practical testing and watching what happens.

handcrafted

adjective

Made carefully by hand rather than by machine or mass production.

handcuff

noun

One of a pair of metal rings, usually joined by a chain, used to restrain a person's wrists.

handcuffs

noun

A pair of metal restraints joined together, locked around a person's wrists.

handed

adjective

Having a specified number or kind of hands, especially used in compounds like left-handed or right-handed.

Handel

noun

A German surname, most famously borne by composer George Frideric Handel.

handfast

noun

A firm grip on someone or something, or the power to keep them under control.

handful

noun

The amount that fits in one hand, or a small number of something.

handgun

noun

A firearm small enough to be held and fired with one hand, such as a pistol or revolver.

handicap

noun

A physical or mental condition that limits a person's abilities.

handicapped

adj

Having a physical or mental disability.

handicraft

noun

Work or a trade that needs skilful use of the hands.

handicraftsman

noun

Someone, usually a man, who works at a skilled hand trade.

handily

adv

In a skilful and convenient way.

handiness

noun

The quality of being useful, convenient, or skilful with your hands.

handing

noun

The act of passing something to someone with the hand.

handiwork

noun

Something made or done by a particular person, especially with their hands.

handkerchief

noun

A small square of cloth carried for wiping the nose, face, or hands.

handle

noun

The part of an object that is designed to be gripped by hand.

handleable

adj

Able to be picked up or dealt with.

handlebar

noun

The bar used to steer a bicycle, motorbike, or similar vehicle using the hands.

handled

adj

Fitted with a handle or handles.

handler

noun

A person who trains, controls, or works closely with an animal or person in their care.

handless

adj

Having no hands.

handling

noun

The way something is managed, dealt with, or physically handled.

handlock

noun

A lock that you operate using your hand.

handly

adj

Useful and convenient, or skilful with the hands.

handmade

adj

Made by hand rather than by machine.

handout

noun

A printed sheet of information given out, especially in a class or meeting.

handover

noun

The transfer of control, power, or responsibility from one person or group to another.

handpicked

adj

Chosen carefully and deliberately, often by a specific person.

handprint

noun

A mark left on a surface by pressing a hand against it.

handrail

noun

A rail fixed along a staircase, ramp, or walkway that people hold onto for support.

handsaw

noun

A saw small enough to be used with one hand.

handset

noun

The part of a telephone that you hold to talk and listen.

handshake

noun

The act of grasping and shaking someone's hand as a greeting or to seal an agreement.

handshaking

noun

A greeting in which two people clasp and shake each other's hands.

handshoe

name

A surname of German origin.

handsome

adj

Good-looking, especially describing a man's attractive face or build.

handsomely

adv

Generously; in a way that gives more than expected.

handstand

noun

A move in which a person balances upside down on their hands.

handsy

adj

Inclined to touch other people inappropriately or without invitation.

handwork

noun

Work made by hand rather than by machine.

handwrit

noun

Text that is written by hand rather than printed.

handwriting

noun

Writing done by hand rather than typed or printed.

handwritten

adj

Written by hand rather than typed or printed.

handy

adj

Convenient and useful; easy to use.

handygripes

noun

A tight grip with the hand, or a struggle at close range.

handyman

noun

A person who does small repairs and odd jobs, especially around the house.

hang

verb

To attach something at the top so it hangs down freely, or to be suspended in this way.

hang out

verb

To spend time somewhere in a relaxed way, with no particular purpose, usually with other people.

hangar

noun

A large building used to store or repair aircraft.

hangbird

noun

A Baltimore oriole, a bird that hangs its nest from a tree branch.

hanged

verb

Past tense of "hang" used specifically for execution by the neck.

hanger

noun

A shaped piece of wood, plastic, or wire used to hang clothes on.

hanging

adj

Suspended or dangling from something.

hangman

noun

A person whose job is to execute people by hanging.

hangnail

noun

A small, loose strip of skin or nail tissue that sticks out from the side of a fingernail or toenail.

hangout

noun

A place where people like to spend time casually and informally.

hangover

noun

The headache, nausea, and other unpleasant effects felt after drinking too much alcohol.

hangworthy

adj

Deserving to be executed by hanging.

Hangzhou

name

A city in eastern China, the capital of Zhejiang province and a former imperial capital.

Hani

noun

A member of an ethnic group living mainly in Yunnan, China, and parts of Vietnam and Laos.

hanja

noun

A writing system using Han characters that was once used for Korean, especially in older texts.

Hank

noun

A coiled loop or bundle of yarn, twine, or rope.

hanker

verb

To have a strong wish for something.

hankering

noun

A strong craving or longing for something.

hankey

name

The name of a town in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa, named after the Rev. William Alers Hankey.