• HEAL
n. 1. 901-9 obs. – spiritual health, well-being, or healing; salvation
n. 2. c950 obs. exc. Sc. – well-being, welfare, safety; prosperity
n. 3. a1000 obs. exc. Sc. – sound bodily condition; freedom from sickness; health
n. 4. c1175 obs. exc. Sc. – recovery from sickness, healing, cure
n. 5. 1691 Eng. dial. – a hidden spot; an unseen place; shelter
vb. 1. 1691 Eng. dial. – to rake up a fire; to cover a fire
vb. 2. 1695 Eng. dial. – to cover; to wrap up, to tuck up the bed-clothes
vb. 3. 1768 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to hide, to conceal; to keep secret
vb. 4. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to besmear or daub with dirt
vb. 5. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to bind a book
• HEALABLE
adj. 1570 rare – curable, remediable
• HEALD
n. 1. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – a slope, incline, declivity; a hill
n. 2. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – the act of pouring out
vb. 1. 1703 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to bend downwards or to one side; to lean, to incline, to slope
vb. 2. 1777 Eng. dial. obs. – to incline or tilt a vessel in order to pour out; to pour out
vb. 3. 1781 Eng. dial. – to rely on
vb. 4. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – of rain: to pour, to come down in torrents
vb. 5. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to heal
• HEALDING
adj. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – sloping, leaning, tilting
• HEALD TO
vb. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to incline to, to be favourable to
• HEALER
n. 1. 1825 Eng. dial. – one who hides or conceals anything; a receiver of stolen goods; a thief’s confederate
n. 2. 1884 Eng. dial. – a cover; a coverlet
• HEALFUL
adj. c1340 obs. – fraught with health, well-being, safety, salvation; wholesome, salutary
• HEALING
n. 1. 1695 Eng. dial. – a coverlet, bed-clothes
n. 2. 1853 Eng. dial. – the cover or binding of a book
• HEALING TAPE
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – a band-aid
• HEALLESS
adj. c1374 obs. – deprived of health or well-being
• HEALNESS
n. c897 obs. – welfare; salvation
• HEAL ON A PERSON
vb. 1827 Sc. – to keep anyone’s secrets, not to betray or reveal them
• HEALSOME
adj. c1375 obs. exc. Sc. – wholesome, salutary; healthful
• HEAL STICK
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a nonexistent item used as the basis of a practical joke
• HEALTH
n. 1. c1000 arch. – spiritual, moral, or mental soundness or well-being; salvation
n. 2. c1000 obs. – healing, cure
n. 3. c1250 obs. – well-being, welfare, safety; deliverance
n. 4. 1387 obs. – healthiness, wholesomeness, salubrity
• HEALTHING
n. 1. 1581 obs. rare – the furthering or imparting of health
n. 2. 1611 obs. – the drinking of healths; toasting
• HEALTHIST
n. 1640 obs. nonce word – one who is addicted to drinking healths
• HEALTH IT
vb. 1633 obs. – to drink a health or healths
• HEALTHLESS
adj. 1. 1568 rare – without health, unhealthy
adj. 2. 1650 rare – not conducive to health; unwholesome, insalubrious
• HEALTHLESSNESS
n. 1655 rare – unhealthiness, unwholesomeness
• HEALTH-OFFERING
n. 1535 obs. – peace offering
• HEALTHSOME
adj. 1. 1538 rare – bestowing health bodily, mental, or spiritual; wholesome; salutary
adj. 2. 1563 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – full of health; possessing good health; healthy
• HEALTHY AS TROUT
adj. 1891 Eng. dial. – perfectly healthy, in complete health
• HEALTHY BEAT
n. 1862 Amer. sl. – a man who would shirk and make something up
• HEAL UP
vb. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to leave off raining
• HEAM UP
vb. 1887 Eng. dial. – to save, to lay by
• HEAN
adj. c825 obs. – mean, abject, poor; humble, lowly; abased, ignoble; miserable, wretched, dejected, humiliated; of little importance, trivial
n. 1863 Eng. dial. – the handle of a knife
vb. c950 obs. – to insult, to humiliate, to debase, to lower
• HE AND HE
phr. a1300 arch. – this and that; the one and the other; both
• HE-ANE
n. 1828 Sc. – the male of any animal
• HEANLING
n. a1225 obs. – a base, abject, or humble person
• HEAP
adv. Bk1902 Sc. – in a confused state, higgledy-piggledy
n. 1. 971 – a great company, esp. of persons; a multitude
n. 2. 1806 sl. – an ugly person or thing
n. 3. 1810 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a term of reproach applied to a slovenly woman
n. 4. Bk1902 Eng. dial. obs. – a wicker basket
n. 5. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – the thigh
• HEAP AND THRATCH
phr. 1887 Eng. dial. – filled to overflowing
• HEAP-CLOUD
n. 1889 – a cumulus cloud
• HEAPED
adj. 1818 Eng. dial. – having the contents piled above the brim, not levelled
• HEAP-FLOOD
n. 1583 – a heavy sea
• HEAP-FULL
adj. 1530 obs. – full and heaped up
• HEAPING-STOCK
n. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – a stepping-stone
• HEAPLY
adv. 1552 obs. rare – in heaps
• HEAP-MEAL
adv. c897 obs. – in heaps; in large quantities or numbers
• HEAP OF BONES
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a bony or poor-looking horse or cow
• HEAP O’ NOUGHT
n. 1870 Eng. dial. – anything that is worthless, rubbish, or nonsense
• HEAPS
n. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – turnips
• HEAPY
adj. 1552 – full of or consisting of heaps
• HEAR
int. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – a sign of assent, yes
vb. 1. c893 obs. – to be subject to; to belong
vb. 2. c950 obs. – to obey
vb. 3. 1583 obs. – to be reported or spoken (well or ill) of
vb. 4. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to sound nicely
vb. 5. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to understand
• HEAR A BIRD SING
vb. 1597 – to receive private or secret information
• HEARER
n. 1535 obs. – one who hears causes; a judge
• HEAR, HEAR!
int. 1689 – an expression of approbation or ‘cheering’
• HEAR HOW THE HARROWS ARE GOING
vb. 1889 Sc. – to see how matters are progressing
• HEARING
n. 1. a1300 Eng. dial. – something heard; information, a report, rumour, news; something to talk about
n. 2. 1816 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a ‘lecture’, a scolding, reproof
n. 3. 1943 Amer. dial. – a letter; a reply
• HEARINGLESS
adj. 1398 obs. – destitute of the faculty of hearing; deaf
• HEARKEN
vb. 1. c1000 now poetic usage – to hear with attention, to give ear to a thing; to listen to; to heed; to understand, to learn by hearing
vb. 2. a1000 – to apply the ears to hear; to listen, to give ear
vb. 3. c1230 – to apply the mind to what is said; to attend, to have regard; to listen with sympathy or docility
vb. 4. 1382 obs. – to listen privily; to play the eavesdropper; to eavesdrop
vb. 5. 1523 – to seek or hear tidings; to inquire after, to ask for
vb. 6. 1580 obs. – to lie in wait; to wait
vb. 7. 1612 obs. exc. Sc. – to talk in one’s ear, to whisper
vb. 8. 1868 Eng. dial. – to be on the watch, to look out, to listen for
vb. 9. Bk1902 Sc. – to whisper
• HEARKEN BACK
vb. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – to recall
• HEARKEN DOWN
vb. 1896 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to call on, to pay a visit
• HEARKENER
n. 1. 1340 – one who listens or gives ear; a listener
n. 2. 1549 obs. – an eavesdropper; a scout
• HEARKEN IN
vb. 1. 1896 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to call on, to pay a visit
vb. 2. Bk1902 Sc. – to prompt secretly
• HEARKENING
n. 1. c1000 – listening, giving attention
n. 2. a1483 obs. – inquiry; discovery
n. 3. 1768 Sc. & Eng. dial. – encouragement
• HEARKEN ON
vb. 1851 Eng. dial. – to encourage, to urge on, to incite
• HEARKEN-OUT
n. Bk1902 Eng. dial. – a listening; a watch, look-out
• HEARKEN TO THE HINDER END
vb. 1790 Eng. dial. – to hear the end of the story, to wait and see what the end will be
• HEAR OF BOTH EARS
vb. 1705 obs. – to hear both sides, to be impartial
• HEARS
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – the ears
• HEARSE
n. 1. 1530 obs. – a dead body, a corpse
n. 2. 1601 obs. or arch. – a bier, a coffin; vaguely, a tomb, grave
n. 3. 1674 – in hunting: a hind of the second or third year
n. 4. 1931 Amer. dial. – a caboose
n. 5. 1938 Amer. dial. – a large automobile
n. 6. 1942 Amer. dial. – an ambulance
• HEARSE-LIKE
adj. 1625 – like a hearse; mournful
• HEAR-SO
n. 1639 nonce word – one who has heard so; one who knows by hearsay
• HEARST
n. 1674 – in hunting: a hind of the second or third year
• HEARSUM
adj. c900 obs. – ready to hear; obedient, compliant; dutiful, devout
vb. c900 obs. – to obey, to be obedient to; to revere
• HEART
n. 1. c825 obs. – intent, will, purpose, inclination, desire
n. 2. a1225 obs. – disposition, temperament, character
n. 3. c1500 – a man of courage or spirit
n. 4. 1523 obs. – the sole of a horse’s foot
n. 5. 1542 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – the stomach
n. 6. 1589 – the best, choicest, or most important part
n. 7. a1656 rare – kindly feeling; cordiality, heartiness
n. 8. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a loved one; a sweetheart
n. 9. 1970 Amer. dial. – a close friend
vb. 1. 1573 obs. – to supply with physical strength of stimulus
vb. 2. 1642 obs. – to utter with the heart or sincerely
• A HEART AND A HEART
n. c825 – duplicity, insincerity
• HEART AND HAND
adv. a1547 – with will and execution; readily, willingly
• HEART AND SOUL
adj. 1836 – devoted and enthusiastic
adv. 1798 – with all one’s energy and devotion; enthusiastically
• HEART ATTACK
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – love
• HEART-BEAT
n. 1. 1850 – an extremely brief space of time
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a loved one; a sweetheart
• HEART-BLOOD
n. a1240 – blood from the heart; blood shed in death, life-blood; hence, vital energy, life
• HEART-BOND
n. 1823 – a unions of hearts, betrothal
• HEART-BOUND
adj. 1. 1580 – having the heart entirely devoted to an object
adj. 2. 1616 obs. – having the heart shut up or fast-closed to a person; pitiless, hard-hearted, mean, stingy
• HEART-BREAK
adj. 1586 obs. – heartbreaking
• HEARTBREAKER
n. 1. 1663 – a curl, a love-lock
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – an attractive girl
• HEARTBURN
n. 1. c1250 obs. rare – burning of heart; fire of passion
n. 2. 1621 – rankling jealousy, discontent, or enmity
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – love
(verbs as ‘heart-burn’)
vb. 1. c1540 obs. exc. Amer. dial. – to render jealous or grudging; to make discontented, to dissatisfy
vb. 2. 1612 obs. – to treat or regard with enmity
• HEARTBURNING
n. 1824 Amer. dial. – jealousy, resentment, discontent; enmity
• HEART-BURNINGS
n. 1605 – grudges
• HEART-CERTAIN
adj. 1818 – thoroughly certain or sure
• HEARTED
adj. 1. 1388 obs. – sagacious, wise, prudent
adj. 2. 1538 obs. – full of heart, spirited, courageous
• HEAR-TELL
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – rumour
vb. 1834 Eng. dial. – (as ‘hear tell’) to hear, to be informed, to learn by word of mouth
• HEAR TELL OF
vb. 1941 Amer. dial. – to tolerate, to consider
• HEARTEN
vb. 1. 1586 obs. – to strengthen with food or nourishment
vb. 2. 1594 obs. – to fertilize with manure
vb. 3. 1615 obs. – to strengthen, to help on, to further, to promote
vb. 4. 1697 obs. – to supply liquor with stimulant quality
• HEARTEN UP
vb. 1590 – to animate, to cheer up
• HEARTER
n. c1550 obs. rare – one who heartens or encourages; an abettor
• HEART FLUTTER
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a loved one; a sweetheart
• HEARTH
n. 1340 obs. rare – hearing
• HEAR THE BAD NEWS
vb. 1930s sl. – to be killed
• HEAR THE OWL HOOT
vb. 1936 Amer. Western sl. – to have many and varied experiences
• HEAR THE OWLS HOOT
vb. 1921 Amer. Western sl. – travel by night, esp. as a fugitive
• HEARTH-FELLOW
n. 1895 – a fireside companion
• HEARTH-STEAD
n. c1475 – the place of a hearth; fireside; hence, homestead
• HEARTH-WARMING
n. 1830 – a merrymaking to ‘handsel’ a new house; a house-warming
• HEARTIKIN
n. 1540 obs. – a term of endearment
• HEARTING
n. c1250 – the imparting of courage; encouragement, animation, cheer
• HEART INTEREST
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a loved one; a sweetheart
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – love
• HEARTIST
n. a1625 obs. nonce word – a fencer who can pierce the heart
• HEARTLESS
adj. 1. c1330 – destitute of courage, enthusiasm, or energy; spiritless; disheartened, dejected
adj. 2. 1382 obs. – without understanding; foolish
adj. 3. 1657 – of food or drink; without stimulating or sustaining power
• HEARTLESSLY
adv. 1. 1611 obs. – foolishly
adv. 2. 1629 obs. – without spirit, dejectedly, gloomily
• HEARTLESSNESS
n. 1591 obs. – lack of energy or spirit, dejection
• HEART LESSON
n. 1932 Amer. dial. – a lesson memorized or learned ‘by heart’
• HEARTLINESS
n. 1435 obs. rare – cordiality, heartiness, sincerity, friendly feeling
• HEARTLY
adj. 1. 1340-70 obs. – courageous, spirited
adj. 2. 1340-70 obs. – proceeding from or seated in the heart; expressive of real feeling; earnest, genuine, sincere
adj. 3. c1385 obs. – showing genuine friendliness or warmth of affection, cordial, affectionate, kindly
adj. 5. a1400 obs. – vigorous, severe, sore
adv. 1. a1225 obs. – with the heart; earnestly, sincerely; cordially; heartily
adv. 2. a1300 obs. – with courage or spirit; courageously; vigorously, with might and main
adv. 3. 1589 obs. – with good appetite
• HEART-MAD
adj. c1938 Amer. dial. – very angry
• HEART-NUT
n. 1568 obs. – the cashew nut
• HEART OF ADAMANT
n. 1582 – the quality of being unmovable, inflexible, or unsusceptible to even strong emotions, esp. of sympathy or affection
• HEART OF BUTTER
n. 1703 – a soft person who yields easily
• HEART OF HEARTS
n. 1602 – one’s most inmost heart of feelings
• HEART OF OAK
n. 1609 – a stout, courageous spirit; a man of courage or valour; a man of sterling quality, capable of resistance or endurance
• HEART OF STONE
n. 1382 – an obdurate or unemotional nature
• HEART-QUAKE
n. 1561 – sudden and violent emotion, as of terror, delight, etc.; a trembling of the heart; fearfulness
• HEART-QUALM
n. 1. c1621 – an attack of palpitation of faintness of heart
n. 2. 1673 – sudden and violent emotion, as of terror, delight, etc.
• HEART RAVE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a loved one; a sweetheart
• HEART-RENDING
adj. a1687 – terribly distressing
n. 1854 – terrible distress; mental anguish; torment
• HEART-ROOT
n. 1. c1200 obs. – the depth or bottom of the heart; the seat of the deepest emotion or most genuine feelings
n. 2. 1522 obs. – a sweetheart; a beloved or loved one
• HEART-ROOTS
n. c1200 obs. – the depth or bottom of the heart; the seat of the deepest emotion or most genuine feelings
• HEARTS ALIVE!
int. 1899 Eng. dial. – an expression of astonishment
• HEART’S ATTORNEY
n. 1707 – the tongue
• HEART’S-BLOOD
n. a1723 – blood from the heart; blood shed in death, life-blood; hence, vital energy, life
• HEART-SCALD
n. 1. 1629 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – disagreeable sensation, disgust, aversion
n. 2. 1629 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – heartburn
n. 3. 1813 Sc. – trouble, vexation, injury
• HEARTS-EASE
n. 1. M17 sl. – a measure of gin
n. 2. a1700 sl. – a twenty-shilling piece
• HEART-SICK
adj. 1526 – depressed and despondent, esp. through ‘hope deferred’ or continued trouble
• HEART-SIDE
n. 1580 obs. – the left side
• HEARTSOME
adj. 1. 1567 obs. – courageous, spirited, bold
adj. 2. 1596 chiefly Sc. – encouraging, inspiring, cheering the heart; emotionally uplifting or comforting
adj. 3. c1600 chiefly Sc. – full of joy or mirth, merry, cheerful, lively, light-hearted, joyous; pleasant, genial
• HEARTSOMELY
adv. 1732 Sc. – cheerily, merrily, joyously, blithely
• HEART-SORE
adj. 1591 – broken-hearted
n. c1100 – pain or grief of heart, broken-heartedness
• HEART-SPOON
n. a1728 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – the pit of the stomach; the navel or midriff
• HEART-STARTER
n. 1960s Aust. sl. – the first alcoholic drink of the day
• HEART-STRICKEN
adj. 1797 rare – deeply affected
• HEART-STRIKE
vb. a1637 rare – to affect intensely; to make a deep impression upon the feelings of
• HEART-STRINGS
n. 1596 – the most intense feelings or emotions; the deepest affections; the heart
• HEART STROKE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – love
• HEART-STRUCK
adj. 1605 obs. – keenly affecting or distressing the heart
• HEART-THIRLED
adj. 1886 Sc. – bound by the affections
• HEART-THROB
n. 1910s sl. – someone of either sex who thrills the heart; a lover, esp. used of film stars and other entertainers; a sexually attractive male entertainer
• HEART THROBS
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – love
• HEART-TO-HEART
adj. L19 sl. – intimate
n. 1910s sl., orig. US – an intimate talk
• HEART-WARM
adj. 1787 – warm-hearted, genuinely affectionate
• HEART-WHOLE
adj. 1. 1470-85 – having the spirits or courage unimpaired; undismayed; stoical
adj. 2. 1600 – having the affections free, with the heart unengaged; free from the power of love
adj. 3. 1684 – whole-hearted; free from hypocrisy or affectation; sincere, genuine
adj. 4. 1811 – thorough, thorough-paced, unmitigated
• HEARTY
adj. 1. c1380 obs. – courageous, bold
adj. 2. 1382 obs. rare – possessed of understanding; wise, prudent, sagacious
adj. 3. 1479 – heartfelt, genuine, sincere
adj. 4. a1639 obs. – of disease: violent, severe
adj. 5. 1818 Sc. – tipsy
n. 1. 1839 – a hearty fellow; a brave, vigorous, or energetic man
n. 2. M19 sl. – strong drink
• HEASCEN
vb. 1. c1000 obs. – to mock, to deride, to taunt
vb. 2. c1000 obs. – to rail, to utter taunts
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Updated: February 26, 2023
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