H

(77 words)

hail

noun

[ U ] small, hard balls of ice that fall from the sky like rain

verb

CALL

[ T ] formal to call someone in order to attract their attention:

ICE

[ I ] If it hails, small, hard balls of ice fall from the sky like rain.

hail sb/sth as sth

to praise a person or an achievement by comparing them to someone or something very good:

with your bare hands

without using any type of tool or weapon:

on hand / to hand

near to someone or something, and ready to help or be used if necessary:

at the hands of sb

If you suffer at the hands of someone, they hurt you or treat you badly:

get/lay/put your hands on sth

informal

to find something:

in hand

being worked on or dealt with now:

the upper hand

noun [ S ]

If you have the upper hand, you have more power than anyone else and so have control:

free hand

noun [ S ]

the right or authority to do anything you consider necessary:

have your hands full

to be so busy that you do not have time to do anything else:

take the law into your own hands

to do something illegal and often violent in order to punish someone because you know the law will not punish that person:

have (got) to hand it to sb

If you say you have (got) to hand it to someone you mean that they have been very successful or skilful:

handle

verb

[ T ] to pick something up and touch, hold, or move it with your hands:

handsome

adjective

[ before noun ] large in amount:

handy

adjective

useful or convenient:

hang

verb

[ I ] hung, hung to stay in the air:

get the hang of sth

informal
​
to learn how to do something, especially if it is not obvious or simple:

the hard way

If you learn something the hard way, you learn from unpleasant experiences rather than by being taught:

give sb a hard time

informal

to make things difficult or unpleasant for someone:

harmony

noun

[ C or U ] a pleasant musical sound made by different notes being played or sung at the same time:

haul

verb [ T ]

to pull something heavy slowly and with difficulty:

noun [ C ]

a usually large amount of something that has been stolen or is illegal:

have (got) to do sth

used to say that something must be true:

have it in for sb

informal

to be determined to harm or criticize someone:

hazardous

adjective

dangerous:

keep a cool head

to stay calm in a difficult situation:

keep your head above water

to just be able to manage, especially when you have financial difficulties:

laugh, shout, scream, etc. your head off

informal
​
to laugh, shout, scream, etc. very noisily and for a long time:

head

noun

[ S ] the top part or beginning of something:

healthy

adjective

successful and strong:

heap

noun [ C ]

an untidy pile or mass of things:

heaps

noun [ plural ], adverb informal

a lot:

at heart

used to say what someone is really like:

take sth to heart

If you take criticism or advice to heart, you think about it seriously, often because it upsets you:

lose heart

to stop believing that you can succeed:

change of heart

If you have a change of heart, you change your opinion or the way you feel about something:

heavy

adjective

Heavy machines or vehicles that are very large and powerful:

the height of sth

the time when a situation or event is strongest or most full of activity:

heir

noun

[ C ] a person who will legally receive money, property, or a title from another person, especially an older member of the same family, when that other person dies:

hell of a / helluva

informal

extremely, or extremely big:

like hell

informal

very much:

heritage

noun [ U ]

features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, or buildings, that were created in the past and still have historical importance:

hierarchy

noun [ C ]

a system in which people or things are arranged according to their importance:

high

adjective

not thinking or behaving normally because of taking drugs:

think/speak highly of sb

to admire or say admiring things about someone:

high-profile

adjective [ before noun ]

attracting a lot of attention and interest from the public and newspapers, television, etc.:

hinder

verb [ T ]

to limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something:

hint

noun

[ C usually singular ] a very small amount of something:

hit

verb

[ T ] If an idea or thought hits you, you suddenly think of it:

hold off

to not do something immediately:

hold onto sb/sth

to hold something or someone firmly with your hands or your arms:

hollow

adjective

EMPTY

having a hole or empty space inside:

NOT SINCERE

(of situations, feelings, or words) without value, or not true or sincere:

ring/sound hollow

If something someone says rings hollow, it does not sound true or sincere.

homelessness

noun [ U ]

hop

verb

[ I ] to jump on one foot or to move about in this way:

[ I ] If a small animal, bird, or insect hops, it moves by jumping on all or two of its feet at the same time:

hopeful

adjective

giving hope:

hopelessly

adverb

extremely, or in a way that makes you lose hope:

horizon

noun [ S ]

the line at the farthest place that you can see, where the sky seems to touch the land or sea:

horn

noun

[ C ] a curved metal musical instrument that is narrow at the end you blow into and much wider at the other end

horrified

adjective

very shocked:

horrifying

adjective

very shocking:

host

noun

[ C ] female also hostess a person who introduces guests and performers, especially on television or radio:

hostage

noun [ C ]

someone who is taken as a prisoner by an enemy in order to force the other people involved to do what the enemy wants:

hostility

noun

[ U ] an occasion when someone is unfriendly or shows that they do not like something:

[ U ] an occasion when someone shows that they do not agree with or like something

house

noun

[ C ] the people watching a performance, especially in a theatre:

verb [ T ]

to give a person or animal a place to live, or to provide space for something:

however

adverb

in whatever way:

humanitarian

adjective, noun [ C ]

(a person who is) involved in or connected with improving people’s lives and reducing suffering:

humanity

noun

KINDNESS

[ U ] understanding and kindness towards other people:

BEING HUMAN

[ U ] the condition of being human:

humble

adjective

not proud or not believing that you are important:

humiliated

adjective

If someone is humiliated, they have has been made to feel ashamed or stupid:

humiliating

adjective

making you feel ashamed or stupid:

humility

noun [ U ]

the quality of not being proud because you are aware of your bad qualities:

humour

noun

[ C or U ] formal the state of your feelings:

hungry

adjective

having a strong wish or desire for something:

hygienic

adjective

clean, especially in order to prevent disease:

hypocrisy

noun [ U ] disapproving

a situation in which someone pretends to believe something that they do not really believe, or that is the opposite of what they do or say at another time:

hypocritical

adjective disapproving

saying that you have particular moral beliefs but behaving in a way that shows these are not sincere:

hypothesis

noun [ C ]

an idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved: