English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

honourable

adj

The British spelling of honorable — deserving respect for good, fair, or moral conduct.

honoured

adj

Shown great respect, or made to feel proud and grateful for special recognition.

hoo

pron

A dialect or archaic form of "she" or "he," used in some regional English speech as a gender-neutral third-person pronoun.

hooch

noun

Alcohol, especially cheap, homemade, or illegally produced liquor.

hoochie

noun

A slang, often disparaging term for a woman seen as dressing or behaving in an overtly sexual way.

hood

noun

A loose covering for the head, often part of a jacket or coat.

hooded

adj

Wearing, fitted with, or shaped like a hood.

hoodie

noun

A sweatshirt with a built-in hood, often with a large front pocket.

hoodlum

noun

A violent or lawless young troublemaker; a small-time thug.

hoodoo

noun

A folk-magic tradition developed by enslaved and later free African Americans, blending African spiritual practices with other influences.

hooey

noun

Nonsense; foolish or dishonest talk.

hoof

noun

The hard covering on the foot of animals such as horses, cattle, and deer.

hook

noun

A curved piece of metal or other material used to catch, hold, or hang something.

hookah

noun

A water pipe with a long flexible tube, traditionally used for smoking flavoured tobacco.

Hooke

name

An English surname, notably borne by scientist Robert Hooke; also the name of a village in Dorset, England.

hooked

adj

Curved like a hook.

hooker

noun

Rugby: the player in the front row of the scrum who hooks the ball back with their foot.

hooking

noun

The act of catching, fastening, or connecting something with a hook.

Hooks

name

An English surname.

hookup

noun

A connection between devices, systems, or people.

hooky

noun

Unauthorized absence from school or work, as in "play hooky."

hooligan

noun

A violent or destructive troublemaker, especially one acting as part of a rowdy group.

hooliganism

noun

Violent, destructive, or rowdy behaviour typical of hooligans.

hoon

noun

Australian/NZ slang for someone who drives fast, loudly, or recklessly.

hoop

noun

A circular band of metal, wood, plastic, or similar material.

hooper

noun

Someone who performs tricks with a hula hoop.

hoopla

noun

Excited fuss, commotion, or hype surrounding an event.

hoops

noun

Informal name for the sport of basketball.

hooray

intj

An exclamation of joy, approval, or triumph.

hoot

noun

The low, mournful call of an owl.

Hooten

name

An English surname.

hooter

noun

British informal: a car horn, or a siren/whistle that signals the start or end of work.

hooters

noun

Crude slang for a woman's breasts.

hootie

interjection

Used only in the exclamation "hootie hoo," a shout of excitement or triumph.

hooting

noun

The act or sound of hooting, as an owl calling or a crowd jeering.

Hoover

noun

British informal: a vacuum cleaner, regardless of brand.

hop

noun

A short jump, especially on one leg or foot.

hope

verb

To want something to happen and believe it might.

hopeful

adj

Feeling or expressing hope; expecting a good outcome.

hopefully

adv

In a way that shows hope.

hopeless

adj

Without hope; expecting nothing good to happen.

hopelessly

adv

In a way that shows no hope, or to a degree beyond repair.

hopelessness

noun

A complete lack of hope; despair.

Hopi

noun

A member of a Native American people of northeastern Arizona.

hoping

verb

Present participle of hope: wishing for or expecting something good.

hopped

verb

Past tense of hop: jumped on one leg, or moved with small bounding jumps.

hopper

noun

A funnel-shaped container that holds material and releases it from the bottom, used in machines, silos, and drainpipes.

hopping

noun

The action of jumping on one leg or with small bounds.

hoppy

adj

Having a strong taste of hops.

hops

noun

The flowers of the hop plant, used to flavour and preserve beer.

hopscotch

noun

A children's game of hopping through a pattern of numbered squares chalked on the ground.

hora

noun

A circle dance traditional in the Balkans, Israel, and Jewish culture worldwide.

Horace

name

A male given name of Latin origin, notably borne by the Roman poet Horace.

Horatio

name

A male given name of Latin origin, notably borne by the character in Shakespeare's Hamlet.

horde

noun

A large, often unruly crowd of people.

hori

noun

Informal New Zealand term for a Māori person.

horizon

noun

The line in the distance where the sky appears to meet the land or sea.

horizontal

adj

Level and flat; parallel to the ground rather than upright.

horizontally

adv

In a flat, level direction or position.

hormonal

adj

Relating to hormones.

hormone

noun

A chemical made by one part of the body and carried in the blood to affect another part.

hormones

noun

Plural of hormone; often used loosely to mean hormone treatment or hormonal changes.

horn

noun

A hard, pointed growth on the head of certain animals, such as cattle, goats, or rhinos.

hornblower

noun

Someone (or something) that blows a horn, especially as a signal or in music.

Horne

name

A surname.

horned

adj

Having horns.

horner

noun

A craftsman who works with animal horn to make objects.

hornet

noun

A large, aggressive wasp with a painful sting.

horny

adj

Informal: sexually aroused.

horoscope

noun

A forecast of a person's character or future based on the position of the stars and planets at their birth.

Horowitz

name

A surname of German and Yiddish origin.

horrendous

adj

Extremely unpleasant, shocking, or bad.

horrible

adj

Causing horror; extremely unpleasant or shocking.

horribly

adv

In a horrible or very unpleasant way; badly.

horrid

adj

Very unpleasant, nasty, or unkind.

horrific

adj

Causing horror; extremely frightening or shocking.

horrified

adj

Feeling shock and horror.

horrifying

adj

Causing horror; extremely frightening.

horror

noun

A strong feeling of fear, shock, or disgust.

horse

noun

A large hoofed mammal with a mane and tail, long domesticated for riding, pulling loads, and farm work.

horseback

adverb

Riding on the back of a horse.

horseman

noun

A man who rides a horse, especially one who does so skillfully.

horseplay

noun

Rough, boisterous play or messing around, sometimes leading to accidental injury.

horsepower

noun

A unit for measuring the power of an engine, roughly equal to 746 watts.

horseradish

noun

A plant grown for its sharp, pungent root.

horseshit

noun

Vulgar slang for nonsense or lies; a coarse synonym of "bullshit."

horseshoe

noun

A U-shaped metal shoe nailed to a horse's hoof for protection.

horseshoes

noun

A game in which players toss horseshoes at a metal stake to score points.

Horsey

name

An English surname, also the name of a village in Norfolk, England.

horsing

noun

The gerund form of "horse" used in playful or rough activity, as in "horsing around."

horst

noun

In geology, a raised block of the Earth's crust sitting between two faults.

Hortense

name

A feminine given name of French origin, also the name of a small community in Georgia, United States.

Horton

name

An English habitational surname, also the name of numerous villages in England and towns across the United States and Australia.

Horus

name

The ancient Egyptian falcon-headed god of the sky, sun, war, and kingship.

Horvath

name

A Hungarian surname meaning "Croatian."

hosanna

interjection

A shout of praise or joyful worship, especially in Christian and Jewish religious tradition.

hose

noun

A flexible tube used to carry water or other liquid.

hosed

adjective

Informal: ruined, broken, or in serious trouble.

Hoskins

name

An English surname, also the name of small communities in Nebraska and Oregon.

hospice

noun

A facility or program providing comfort-focused care for people who are terminally ill, rather than treatment aimed at a cure.

hospitable

adjective

Warm and generous toward guests or visitors.

hospital

noun

A medical facility where sick or injured people receive treatment, often including surgery and overnight care.

hospitalised

adjective

Admitted to a hospital for treatment.

hospitality

noun

Friendly, generous treatment of guests or visitors.

hospitalization

noun

The act or period of being treated as a patient in a hospital.

hospitalized

adjective

Admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Hoss

name

A surname, also familiar as the nickname of a character on the television show Bonanza.

host

noun

A person who welcomes and entertains guests, or who runs an event.

hostage

noun

A person held captive to force someone else to do, or not do, something.

hostel

noun

Cheap, shared lodging for travelers, often with dormitory-style rooms.

hostess

noun

A woman who welcomes and entertains guests, or who runs an event.

hostile

adjective

Unfriendly or aggressive, like an enemy.

hostilities

noun

Acts of war or armed conflict.

hostility

noun

Unfriendly or aggressive feelings or behavior.

hosting

noun

The act of running and maintaining a website or computer service for someone else.

hot

adj

Having or giving off a high temperature.

Hotaru

name

A Japanese feminine given name meaning "firefly."

hotbed

noun

A place or situation where something, especially something undesirable, develops quickly and intensely.

hotch

verb

To jerk or jiggle irregularly, moving up and down in short, uneven motions.

Hotchkiss

name

An English surname, also the name of a town in Colorado, United States.

hothead

noun

Someone who loses their temper easily or is quick to pick a fight.

hotheaded

adj

Easily angered or overexcited; prone to acting rashly.

hothouse

noun

A heated greenhouse used for growing plants that need warmth.

hotline

noun

A dedicated phone line staffed to give immediate help or advice.

hotness

noun

The state or quality of being hot.

hots

noun

Strong physical or sexual attraction toward someone (used with "the" and "for").

hotshot

noun

Someone considered highly skilled or successful in their field, often said with a hint of sarcasm.

hotter

noun

Someone who steals a vehicle to joyride in it.

hottie

noun

A physically attractive person.

Hou

name

A Chinese surname, also the name of a town near Xi'an, China.

Houdini

noun

A skilled escape artist, or someone who slips out of tricky situations.

Houlihan

noun

A lasso throw used in rodeo and roping in which the loop is cast with a downward, sweeping motion.

hound

noun

A dog, especially a breed bred for hunting by scent or sight.

hounding

noun

Relentless, persistent pursuit or harassment.

hour

noun

A unit of time equal to sixty minutes, one twenty-fourth of a day.

hourglass

noun

A timekeeping device with two glass bulbs joined by a narrow neck, through which sand trickles from top to bottom.

hourly

adj

Happening once every hour.

house

noun

A building where people live, typically a single family.

houseboat

noun

A boat fitted out as a permanent or semi-permanent home.

houseboy

noun

A young male servant employed to do domestic work in a household.

housed

adj

Provided with, enclosed in, or covered by a house or shelter.

houseguest

noun

Someone staying overnight or longer as a visitor in another person's home.

household

noun

All the people who live together in one home, including family and any live-in staff.

housekeeper

noun

Someone employed to manage the cleaning and upkeep of a home, hotel, or institution.

housekeeping

noun

The tasks of cleaning and maintaining a home, or the staff who do this in a hotel or institution.

housemaid

noun

A woman employed to clean and maintain a household.

houseman

noun

A male domestic servant or retainer.

housewarming

noun

A party held to celebrate moving into a new home.

housewife

noun

A woman whose main role is managing the home rather than working outside it.

housework

noun

Domestic chores such as cleaning, laundry, and cooking.