gulag (gu:´läg', -læg') •n. 1 a prison or forced-labor camp, esp. for political prisoners, as in the Soviet Union 2 any place or situation regarded as like such a prison [after The Gulag Archipelago by A. Solzhenitsyn < Russ acronym for G(lavnoe) u(pravlenie ispravitel'no-trudovykh) lag(erei), Chief Administration of Corrective Labor Camps]

gular (gyu:´lэr) •adj. of or on the throat [< L gula, throat (see GULLET) + -AR]

gulch (gûlch) •n. a steep-walled valley cut by a swift stream; deep, narrow ravine [prob. < dial., to swallow greedily < ME gulchen, of echoic orig.]

gulden (gul´dэn) pl. -dens •n.or -den GUILDER [MDu, short for gulden florijn, golden florin]

gules (gyu:lz) •n. Heraldry the color red: indicated in engravings by parallel vertical lines [ME goules < OFr, gules, red-dyed ermine, orig. pl. of goule, the mouth < L gula, throat: see GULLET]

gulf (gûlf) •n. 1 a large area of ocean, larger than a bay, reaching into land 2 a wide, deep chasm or abyss 3 a wide or impassable gap or separation; cleavage 4 an eddy that draws objects down; whirlpool •vt. to swallow up; engulf [ME goulf < OFr golfe < It golfo < LGr kolphos, for Gr kolpos, a fold, bosom, gulf, prob. < IE *kwolpos < base *kwel-, to turn > Ger wölben, to arch]

Gulf States States on the Gulf of Mexico; Fla., Ala., Miss., La., & Tex.

Gulf Stream warm ocean current flowing from the Gulf of Mexico along the E coast of the U.S., and turning east at the Grand Banks toward Europe: c. 50 mi. (80 km) wide

Gulfport (gûlf´pört') seaport in S Miss., on the Gulf of Mexico: pop. 41,000

gulfweed (gûlf´wi:d') •n. a brown algae (genus Sargassum) with berrylike air sacs, found floating in the Gulf Stream, Pacific Ocean, etc. 2 SARGASSUM

gulfy (gûl´fi:) •adj. full of whirlpools

gull¹ (gûl) pl. gulls •n.or gull any of various shorebirds of a worldwide family (Laridae), with large wings, slender legs, webbed feet, a strong, hooked bill, and feathers of chiefly white and gray [ME < Celt, as in Cornish gullan, Welsh gwylan, Bret gwelan]

gull² (gûl) •n. a person easily cheated or tricked; dupe •vt. to cheat or trick; dupe [ME gulle, silly fellow, lit., unfledged bird < gul, yellow < ON gulr, akin to goll, GOLD]

Gullah (gûl´э) •n. 1 any of a group of former slaves and their descendants living on the Sea Islands and in adjacent isolated coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia 2 the English creole spoken by the Gullahs, containing vocabulary and grammatical features from various West African languages 3 loosely, any variety of black speech of coastal South Carolina or Georgia [after ? Gola (Gula), tribal group in Liberia, or < ? Ngola, tribal group in the Hamba basin in Angola]

gullet (gûl´эt) •n. 1 the tube leading from the mouth to the stomach; esophagus 2 the throat or neck 3 any depression or channel like a gullet, as a water gully [ME golet < OFr goulet, throat, narrow passage, dim. of goule < L gula, throat < IE base *gel-, to swallow > OE ceole, Ger kehle, throat]

gullible (gûl´э bэl) •adj. easily cheated or tricked; credulous Also [Rare] gul´la·ble gul'li·bil´i·ty •n. gul´li·bly •adv. [GULL², vt. + -IBLE]

Gulliver's Travels (gûl´э vэrz) a political and social satire (1726) by Jonathan Swift, in the form of a narrative of the voyages of Lemuel Gulliver to four imaginary lands, Lilliput, Brobdingnag, Laputa, and the land of the Houyhnhnms

gully¹ (gûl´i:) pl. -lies •n. a channel or hollow worn by running water; small, narrow ravine •vt. -lied, -ly·ing to make a gully or gullies in [altered < ME golet, water channel, orig., GULLET]

gully² (gûl´i:, gul´i:) pl. -lies •n. [Brit.] a large knife [< ?]

gulosity (gyu: läs´э ti:) •n. [Now Rare] greediness [LL gulositas < gulosus, gluttonous < gula, GULLET]

gulp (gûlp) •vt. 1 to swallow hastily, greedily, or in large amounts 2 to choke back as if swallowing; repress (a sob, etc.) •vi. to catch the breath in or as in swallowing a large amount •n. 1 the act of gulping 2 the amount swallowed at one time gulp´er •n. gulp´ing·ly •adv. Etymology [ME gulpen, prob. < Du gulpen, to gulp down, akin to OE gielpan: see YELP]

gum ammoniac AMMONIAC

gum arabic a gum obtained from several African acacias (esp. Acacia senegal), used in medicine and candy, for stabilizing emulsions, etc. [after L gummi Arabicum]

gum elemi ELEMI

gum resin a mixture of gum and resin, given off by certain trees and plants

gum tree any of various trees that yield gum, as the sweet gum, tupelo, eucalyptus, etc.

gum¹ (gûm) •n. 1 a sticky, colloidal carbohydrate found in certain trees and plants, which dries into an uncrystallized, brittle mass that dissolves or swells in water 2 any similar plant secretion, as resin 3 any plant gum processed for use in industry, art, etc. 4 a) an adhesive, as on the back of a postage stamp b) any of various sticky or viscous substances or deposits 5 a) GUM TREE b) the wood of a gum tree 6 [Now Rare] a) pure rubber Æ b) [pl.] rubber overshoes Æ 7 CHEWING GUM Æ 8 [Dial.] a hollowed gum log used as a trough, etc. •vt. gummed, gum´ming to coat, unite, or stiffen with gum •vi. 1 to secrete or form gum 2 to become sticky or clogged by gum! [Colloq.] by God! A euphemism Æ gum up [Slang] to put out of working order; cause to go awry [ME gomme < OFr < LL gumma < L gummi, cummi < Gr kommi < Egypt qmyt]

gum² (gûm; esp. formerly, gu:m) •n. [often pl.] the firm flesh covering the jaws on the inside of the mouth and surrounding the base of the teeth Æ gummed, gum´ming •vt. to bite or chew with toothless gums Æ beat one's gums [Slang] to talk much and idly [ME gome < OE goma, akin to Ger gaumen, roof of the mouth < IE base *ghēu-, *ghōu-, to yawn, gape > Gr chaos]

gumbo (gûm´bou) •n. 1 OKRA (senses 1 & 2) 2 a soup thickened with unripe okra pods, usually made with tomatoes, vegetables, and chicken, ham, or seafood 3 a fine, silty soil of the Western prairies, which becomes sticky and nonporous when wet: also gumbo soil 4 [often G-] a French patois spoken by Creoles and blacks in Louisiana and the French West Indies [< Bantu name for okra]

gumboil (gûm´boil') •n. a small abscess on the gum associated with tooth decay, but not with pyorrhea or cold sores

gumboot (gûm´bu:t') •n. [Chiefly Brit.] a high rubber boot

gumdrop (gûm´dräp') •n. a small piece of candy of a firm, jellylike consistency, made of sweetened gum arabic or gelatin, usually colored and flavored, and covered with sugar

gumma (gûm´э) pl. gum´mas or gum´ma·ta (-э tэ) •n. a soft, rubbery tumor occurring in various organs or tissues, esp. in the late stages of syphilis gum´ma·tous •adj. [ModL < L gummi, GUM¹]

gummite (gûm´ait') •n. a yellowish or reddish-brown mineral containing uranium and having a gumlike appearance [so named (1868) by J. D. DANA < L gummi, GUM¹ + -ITE¹]

gummosis (gû mou´sis) •n. the giving off of gummy substances as a result of cell degeneration: a characteristic of certain plant diseases, esp. of stone fruits [ModL < L gummi, GUM¹ + -OSIS]

gummous (gûm´эs) •adj. of or like gum [L gummosus]

gummy (gûm´i:) -mi·er, -mi·est •adj. 1 having the nature of gum; sticky; viscid 2 covered with or containing gum 3 yielding gum gum´mi·ness •n.

gumption (gûmp´shэn) •n. [Colloq.] 1 orig., shrewdness in practical matters; common sense 2 courage and initiative; enterprise and boldness: the current sense [< Scot dial. < ? ME gome, attention (< ON gaumr), with playful Latinate suffix]

gumshoe (gûm´shu:') •n. 1 a) a rubber overshoe b) [pl.] sneakers 2 [Slang] a detective •vi. -shoed', -shoe'ing [Slang] to sneak or go about quietly, as a detective; act with stealth [GUM¹ (rubber) + SHOE]

gumwood (gûm´wud') •n. the wood of a gum tree

gun (gûn) •n. 1 a weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is discharged by the force of an explosive; specif., a) technically, a heavy weapon with a relatively long barrel fixed in a mount, as a cannon or machine gun b) a rifle Æ c) popularly, a pistol or revolver 2 any similar device not discharged by an explosive {an air gun} 3 a discharge of a gun in signaling or saluting 4 anything like a gun in shape or use Æ 5 [Slang] GUNMAN (sense 1) 6 [Slang] the throttle of an engine •vi. gunned, gun´ning to shoot or hunt with a gun; go shooting or hunting •vt. Æ 1 [Colloq.] to shoot (a person) 2 [Slang] to advance the throttle of (an engine) so as to increase the speed big gun [Slang] 1 an important and influential person 2 a high-ranking military officer Æ give it the gun [Slang] to cause something to start or gain speed [from the resemblance of early airplane accelerators to the trigger of a gun] go great guns [Slang] to act with speed and efficiency Æ gun for 1 to hunt for with a gun 2 to look for in order to shoot or harm 3 [Slang] to try to get; seek jump the gun [Colloq.] 1 to begin a race before the signal has been given 2 to begin anything before the proper time spike someone's guns to frustrate or defeat someone stick to one's guns [Colloq.] to hold one's position under attack; not withdraw or retreat; be firm under the gun [Colloq.] in a tense, demanding situation or threatened state, often one involving a deadline [ME gunne, gonne, contr. < gonnilde, a 14th-c. cannon < ON Gunnhildr, fem. name (< gunnr, older form of guthr, war + hildr, battle)]

gun dog a dog, as a pointer, setter, or hound, trained to help a hunter by finding or retrieving game

gun moll [Old Slang] the mistress or female accomplice of a GUNMAN (sense 1)

gun room 1 on British warships, the junior officers' quarters; orig., the quarters of the gunner and his mates 2 a room for displaying a collection of guns

gunboat (-bout') •n. 1 a small armed ship of shallow draft 2 [pl.] [Slang] shoes; esp., a pair of large shoes

gunboat diplomacy the use or threatened use of limited military force in place of conventional diplomatic negotiations

guncotton (-kät'ªn) •n. nitrocellulose in a highly nitrated form, used as an explosive substance and propellant

gunfight (-fait') •n. a fight between persons using pistols or revolvers Æ gun´fight'er •n.

gunfire (-fair') •n. 1 the firing of a gun or guns 2 the use of firearms or artillery, as distinguished from other military tactics

gunflint (-flint') •n. a piece of flint in the hammer of a flintlock, for striking a spark to set off the charge

gung-ho (gûŋ´hou´) •adj. [Colloq.] enthusiastic, cooperative, enterprising, etc. in an unrestrained, often naive way [Chin, kung-ho, lit., work together: slogan of Lt. Col. E. F. Carlson's Marine Raiders in World War II]

gunite (gûn´ait') •n. a concrete mixture sprayed under pressure over steel reinforcements, as in making swimming pools [< GUN + -ITE¹]

gunk (gûŋk) •n. [Slang] any oily, viscous, or thick, messy substance gunk´y •adj. [< ? G(OO) + (J)UNK¹]

gunkhole (-houl') •n. a small, sheltered cove for anchoring small watercraft •vi. -holed', -hol´ing to make a series of short pleasure trips by boat, as from island to island [< ?]

gunlock (gûn´läk') •n. in some old guns, the mechanism by which the charge is set off

gunman (-mэn) pl. -men (-mэn) •n. Æ 1 a man armed with a gun, esp. an armed gangster or hired killer 2 a man skilled in the use of a gun

gunmetal (-met´ªl) •n. 1 a kind of bronze formerly used for making cannons 2 any metal or alloy treated to resemble tarnished gunmetal 3 the dark gray color of tarnished gunmetal: also gunmetal gray •adj. dark gray

Gunnar (gun´när') Norse Legend the brother of Gudrun and husband of Brynhild [ON Gunnarr < gunnr: see GUN]

gunnel¹ (gûn´эl) •n. any of a family (Pholidae) of elongated percoid fishes of northern seas [< ?]

gunnel² (gûn´эl) •n. GUNWALE

gunner (gûn´эr) •n. 1 a soldier, sailor, etc. who fires or helps fire an artillery piece 2 a naval warrant officer whose specialty is guns, missiles, torpedoes, etc. and related equipment 3 a hunter who uses a gun [ME gonner < gonne, GUN]

gunnery (gûn´эr i:) •n. 1 heavy guns 2 the science of making and using heavy guns and projectiles

gunnery sergeant U.S. Marine Corps a noncommissioned officer ranking above a staff sergeant and below a master sergeant or first sergeant

gunny (gûn´i:) pl. -nies •n. 1 a coarse, heavy fabric of jute or hemp, used for sacks 2 GUNNYSACK [Hindi gōnī, gunny bag < Sans, a sack]

gunnysack (-sæk') •n. a sack or bag made of gunny: sometimes gun´ny·bag' (-bæg')

gunplay (gûn´plei') •n. an exchange of gunshots, as between gunmen and police

gunpoint (-point') •n. the muzzle of a gun: chiefly in at gunpoint, under threat of being shot with a gun at close range

gunpowder (-pau'dэr) •n. 1 an explosive powder, esp. a blackish mixture of sulfur, potassium nitrate, and charcoal, used as a charge in cartridges, shells, etc., for blasting, in fireworks, etc. 2 GUNPOWDER TEA

Gunpowder Plot the unsuccessful plot (1605) to blow up King James I of England and both Houses of Parliament

gunpowder tea Chinese green tea whose leaves are rolled into pellets

gunrunning (-rûn´iŋ) •n. the smuggling of guns and ammunition into a country gun´run'ner •n.

guns and butter a symbol for the economic policy of a government insofar as spending is allocated for either military or social purposes

gunsel (gûn´sэl) •n. [Slang] 1 a catamite 2 GUNMAN (sense 1) [infl. by GUN] [orig., boy (with implication of perversion), prob. < Yidd gendzl, gosling < MHG gensel, dim. of gans, GOOSE]

gunship (gûn´ship') •n. Æ a heavily armed helicopter used to support ground troops and assault enemy ground forces

gunshot (-shät') •n. 1 a) shot fired from a gun b) the shooting of a gun 2 the range of a gun •adj. caused by a shot from a gun {a gunshot wound} [ME gunnes shott]

gun-shy (-shai') •adj. 1 easily frightened at the firing of a gun {a gun-shy dog} 2 frightened, wary, mistrustful, etc., as because of a previous experience gun´-shy'ness •n.

gunslinger (-sliŋ'эr) •n. [Slang] GUNMAN (sense 1)

gunsmith (-smiθ') •n. a person who makes or repairs small guns

gunstock (-stäk') •n. STOCK (n. 8e)

Gunter's chain (gûn´tэrz) a surveyor's chain 66 feet (20.12 m) in length: it consists of 100 links, each 7.92 inches (20.12 cm) long [after E. Gunter (1581-1626), Eng mathematician who invented it]

Gunther (gun´tэr) in the Nibelungenlied, a king of Burgundy and husband of Brunhild [Ger < Gmc *gund-, *gunt-, war (> ON gunnr, guthr) + *har- (> OE here), army]

Guntur (gun tur´) city in Andhra Pradesh, SE India, in the Kistna River delta: pop. 367,000

gunwale (gûn´эl) •n. the upper edge of the side of a ship or boat [LME gonne walle (see GUN & WALE¹): first applied to bulwarks supporting a ship's guns]

guppy (gûp´i:) pl. -pies •n. a small, freshwater livebearer fish (Poecilia reticulata) native to Barbados, Trinidad, and Venezuela: it is often kept in aquariums because of its bright colors and easy care [after R. J. L. Guppy, of Trinidad, who first provided specimens for the British Museum]

gurge (gørj) •n. [Now Rare] a whirlpool [L gurges: see GORGE]

gurgitation (gør'jэ tei´shэn) •n. [Now Rare] a whirling or surging, as of liquid [< pp. LL gurgitare, to flood < L gurges, whirlpool: see GORGE]

gurgle (gør´gэl) -gled, -gling •vi. 1 to flow with a bubbling or rippling sound, as water from a narrow-necked bottle 2 to make such a sound in the throat, as a contented baby does •vt. to utter with a gurgling sound •n. the act or sound of gurgling [prob. echoic orig., as in Ger gurgeln, or ? akin to It gorgogliare < L gurgulio, gullet]

gurglet (gør´glэt) •n. var. of GOGLET [Port gorgoleta]

Gurkha (gur´kä') •n. a member of a people living in the mountains of Nepal, famous as soldiers

gurnard (gør´nэrd) pl. -nards or -nard •n. 1 FLYING GURNARD 2 SEA ROBIN [ME < OFr gornart < grogner, to grunt (< L grunnire): from grunting when caught: see GRUNT, n. 2]

gurney (gør´ni:) pl. -neys •n. a stretcher or cot on wheels, used in hospitals to move patients [< ?]

gurry (gør´i:) •n. fish offal, as from a fish cannery [< ?]

guru (gu:´ru:', gur´u:'; also gu ru:´, gэ-) •n. 1 in Hinduism, one's personal spiritual advisor or teacher 2 any leader highly regarded by a group of followers: sometimes used derisively Etymology [Hindi guru < Sans guruh, venerable, orig. heavy < IE *gweru- < base *gwer- > GRAVE¹]

gush (gûsh) •vi. 1 to flow out suddenly and plentifully; pour out; spout 2 to have a sudden, plentiful flow of blood, tears, etc. 3 to express oneself with exaggerated enthusiasm or feeling; talk or write effusively •vt. to cause to flow out suddenly and plentifully •n. 1 a sudden, plentiful outflow 2 gushing talk or writing gush´ing •adj. gush´ing·ly •adv. [ME guschen, prob. akin to ON gjosa, to gush & gustr, GUST¹]

gusher (gûsh´эr) •n. 1 a person who gushes Æ 2 an oil well from which oil spouts without being pumped

gushy (gûsh´i:) gush´i·er, gush´i·est •adj. given to or characterized by gush; effusive gush´i·ly •adv. gush´i·ness •n.

gusset (gûs´it) •n. 1 a piece of chain mail or a metal plate protecting the opening of a joint in a suit of armor 2 a triangular or diamond-shaped piece inserted in a garment, glove, etc. to make it stronger or roomier 3 a brace, usually triangular, for reinforcing a corner or angle in the framework of a structure •vt. to furnish with a gusset [ME guschet < OFr gousset]

gussy or gussie (gûs´i:) -sied, -sy·ing •vt., vi. [Slang] to dress (up) or decorate in a fine or showy way [after Gussie, nickname for AUGUSTA]

gust¹ (gûst) •n. 1 a sudden, strong rush of air or wind 2 a sudden burst of rain, smoke, fire, sound, etc. 3 an outburst of laughter, rage, etc. •vi. to blow in gusts SYN. WIND² [ON gustr, gust, blast < gjosa, to gush, break out < IE *gheus- < base *Gheu-, to pour > GUT, L fundere]

gust² (gûst) •n. [Archaic] 1 taste; relish; flavor; savor 2 enjoyment or appreciation •vt. [Scot.] to taste or relish gust´a·ble •adj., n. [ME guste < L gustus: see GUSTO]

Gustaf V (gus´täf) 1858-1950; king of Sweden (1907-50): also called Gustav (or Gustavus)

Gustaf VI (Adolf) 1882-1973; king of Sweden (1950-73): also called Gustav (or Gustavus) VI

gustation (gэs tei´shэn) •n. 1 the act of tasting 2 the sense of taste [L gustatio < pp. of gustare, to taste < gustus, a taste: see GUSTO]

gustatory (gûs´tэ tör'i:) •adj. of or having to do with tasting or the sense of taste Also gus´ta·tive (-tiv) or gus'ta·to´ri·al (-tör´i: эl) [< L gustatus, pp. (see GUSTATION) + -ORY]

Gustavus (gэs tei´vэs, gэs tä´vэs) 1 name of six kings of Sweden 2 Gustavus I (born Gustavus Eriksson Vasa) 1496-1560; king of Sweden (1523-60) 3 Gustavus II (born Gustavus Adolphus) 1594-1632; king of Sweden (1611-32): grandson of Gustavus I 4 Gustavus III 1746-92; king of Sweden (1711-92) 5 Gustavus IV 1778-1837; king of Sweden (1792-1809); deposed: son of Gustavus III See also GUSTAF V & GUSTAF VI (ADOLF)

gusto (gûs´tou) •n. 1 taste; liking 2 keen enjoyment; enthusiastic appreciation; zest; relish 3 great vigor or liveliness 4 [Archaic] artistic style [It & Sp < L gustus, taste < IE base *Geus-, to enjoy, taste > CHOOSE]

gusty (gûs´ti:) gust´i·er, gust´i·est •adj. 1 characterized by gusts of air or wind 2 characterized by sudden bursts or outbursts gust´i·ly •adv. gust´i·ness •n.

gut (gût) •n. 1 a) [pl.] the bowels; entrails b) the stomach or belly (now often regarded as an indelicate usage) 2 all or part of the alimentary canal, esp. the intestine 3 tough cord made from animal intestines, used for violin strings, surgical sutures, etc.; catgut 4 the little bag of silk removed from a silkworm before it has spun its cocoon: made into strong cord for use in fishing tackle 5 a narrow passage or gully, as of a stream or path 6 [pl.] [Colloq.] the basic, inner or deeper parts 7 [pl.] [Colloq.] a) daring, courage, perseverance, vigor, etc. b) impudence; effrontery c) power or force •vt. gut´ted, gut´ting 1 to remove the intestines from; eviscerate 2 to destroy the interior of, as by fire •adj. [Slang] 1 urgent and basic or fundamental {the gut issues of a campaign} 2 easy; simple {a gut course in college} hate someone's guts [Slang] to hate someone intensely [ME < OE guttas, pl. < base of geotan, to pour: for IE base see GUST¹]

gutbucket (gût´bûk'it) •adj. designating or of a raucous, unsophisticated style of playing jazz [orig., a bucket for food or drink for chain-gang laborers; later used for a pail circulated to collect contributions for beer or food, esp. for itinerant musicians; then, a saloon where such musicians played]

Gutenberg (gu:t´ªn børg'), Jo·hann (you´hän) (born Johannes Gensfleisch) c. 1400-68; Ger. printer: reputedly the first European to print with movable type

Guthrie (gûθ´ri:), Woodrow Wilson (called Woody) 1912-67; U.S. folk singer, guitarist, & composer

gutless (gût´lis) •adj. [Colloq.] lacking courage, daring, perseverance, etc. gut´less·ness •n. [see GUT, n. 7]

gutsy (gût´si:) guts´i·er, guts´i·est •adj. [Colloq.] full of guts; daring, courageous, forceful, plucky, etc.

gutta (gût´э) pl. gut´tae •n. 1 Pharmacy a liquid drop 2 any of a series of small, droplike ornaments on a Doric entablature [ME, drop of gum < L]

gutta-percha (gût'э pør´chэ) •n. a rubberlike gum produced from the latex of various SE Asian trees (esp. genera Palaquium and Payena) of the sapodilla family and used in electric insulation, dentistry, golf balls, etc. [< Malay < getah, tree sap, latex + ? perca, rag, strip of cloth (so called because sold in strips): form infl. by L gutta, a drop]

guttate (gût´eit') •adj. 1 in the form of drops 2 spotted, as with drops [L guttatus < gutta, a drop]

gutter (gût´эr) •n. 1 a trough or channel along or under the eaves of a roof, to carry off rain water 2 a narrow channel along the side of a road or street, to carry off water, as to a sewer 3 a place or state of living characterized by filth, poverty, squalor, etc. 4 a channel or groove like a gutter, as the groove on either side of a bowling alley 5 the adjoining inner margins of two facing pages in a book, magazine, etc. •vt. to furnish with gutters; make gutters in •vi. 1 to flow in a stream 2 to melt rapidly so that the wax runs down the side in channels: said of a candle [ME gotere < OFr gutiere < L gutta, a drop]

guttersnipe (-snaip') •n. a child of the slums who spends most of his time in the streets: contemptuous term applied to anyone regarded as having the manners, morals, etc. of the gutter [orig. (Brit dial.), the common snipe, which picks food out of gutters]

guttural (gût´эr эl) •adj. 1 of the throat 2 a) loosely, produced in the throat; harsh, rasping, etc. (said of sounds) b) characterized by such sounds {a guttural language} 3 articulated with the back of the tongue close to or touching the soft palate, as the (g) in gum; velar •n. 1 a sound produced in this way 2 a symbol representing such a sound The term is now seldom used by phoneticians gut´tur·al·ly •adv. gut´tur·al·ness •n. [L guttur, throat < IE *gut-, *gutr, throat < base *gēu-, to curve > COD¹]

gutturalize (gût´эr эl aiz') -ized', -iz'ing •vt. 1 to pronounce gutturally 2 to give a guttural sound to; velarize gut'tur·al·i·za´tion •n. [prec. + -IZE]

gutty (gût´i:) -ti·er, -ti·est •adj. [Colloq.] var. of GUTSY

guv (gûv) slang var. of GOVERNOR (esp. senses 1b & 3) •n.

Guy (gai; Fr gi:) a masculine name: equiv. It. & Sp. Guido [Fr Gui, Guy, lit., leader: see GUY¹]

Guy Fawkes Day in England, a day (Nov. 5) commemorating the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot: celebrated with fireworks, guys, etc.

guy¹ (gai) •n. a rope, chain, or rod attached to something to steady or guide it •vt. to guide or steady with a guy [ME gie < OFr guie, a guide < guier < guider: see GUIDE]

guy² (gai) •n. 1 in England, an effigy of Guy Fawkes displayed and burned on Guy Fawkes Day 2 [Brit.] a person whose appearance or dress is odd Æ 3 [Slang] a) a man or boy; fellow b) any person •vt. [Colloq.] to make fun of; ridicule; josh; tease [after Guy FAWKES]

Guyana (gai æn´э, -än´э) country in NE South America: formerly a British colony, it became independent & a member of the Commonwealth (1966): 83,000 sq. mi. (214,969 sq. km); pop. 965,000; cap. Georgetown Guy·a·nese (gai'э ni:z´) •adj., n.

Guyenne (güi: yen´) historical region of SW France, roughly corresponding to earlier Aquitaine

guyot (gi:´ou', gi: ou´) •n. a flat-topped, steeply rising seamount; tablemount [after A. H. Guyot (1807-84), U.S. geologist]

guzzle (gûz´эl) -zled, -zling •vi., vt. to drink (or, rarely, eat) greedily or immoderately guz´zler •n. [< ? OFr gosillier < gosier, throat < Gaul geusiae, throat]

gv gravimetric volume

GVW gross vehicle weight

Gwalior (gwä´li: ör') city in Madhya Pradesh, NC India: pop. 560,000

Gwendoline (gwen´dªl эn) a feminine name: dim. Gwen; var. Gwendolyn [< Celt: see GUINEVERE]

Gwent (gwent) county of SE Wales, on the Severn estuary: 531 sq. mi. (1,376 sq. km); pop. 440,000

Gwinnett (gwi net´), But·ton (bût´эn) c. 1735-77; Am. patriot, born in England: signer of the Declaration of Independence

Gwyn or Gwynne (gwin), Nell (born Eleanor Gwyn) 1650-87; Eng. actress: mistress of Charles II

Gwynedd (gwin´эð) county of NW Wales, on the Irish Sea & St. George's Channel: 1,493 sq. mi. (3,868 sq. km); pop. 232,000

Gyandzha (gyän´jэ) city in NC Azerbaijan, in Transcaucasia: pop. 261,000

gybe (jaib) gybed, gyb´ing •n., vi., vt. alt. sp. of JIBE¹

gym (jim) •n. [Colloq.] 1 short for GYMNASIUM Æ 2 PHYSICAL EDUCATION

gym shoe SNEAKER (sense 2)

gymkhana (jim kä´nэ) •n. 1 a place where athletic contests or games are held 2 any of various contests involving skills, as in horseback riding, automobile racing, etc. [Anglo-Ind, altered (by analogy with GYMNASIUM) < Hindustani gend-khāna, racket court < gend, ball + khāna, court, place]

gymnasiarch (jim nei´zi: ärk') •n. in ancient Greece, an official who supervised athletic games, contests, and schools [L gymnasiarchus < Gr gymnasiarchos < gymnasion, GYMNASIUM + -archos, -ARCH]

gymnasiast (for 1 gim nä´zi: æst', -næz´i:-, -nei´zi:-; also, -æst; for 2 jim nei´zi: æst') •n. 1 a student in a Gymnasium 2 a gymnast

gymnasium (for 1 jim nei´zi: эm; for 2 gim nä´zi: um', güm-; gim næz´i: эm) pl. -si·ums or -si·a (-э) •n. 1 a room or building equipped for physical training and athletic games and sports 2 [G-] in Germany and some other European countries, a secondary school for students preparing to enter a university [L < Gr gymnasion, place for exercising < gymnazein, to train naked < gymnos, naked, stripped < IE base *nogw- > NAKED, L nudus]

gymnast (jim´næst') •n. an expert in gymnastics [Gr gymnastēs, trainer of athletes]

gymnastic (jim næs´tik) •adj. of or having to do with gymnastics gym·nas´ti·cal·ly •adv. [L gymnasticus < Gr gymnastikos < gymnazein: see GYMNASIUM]

gymnastics (-tiks) •n.pl. [with sing. v.] a sport combining tumbling and acrobatic feats, usually done with apparatus such as the parallel bars, the balance beam, etc. [< prec.]

gymno- (jim´nou, -nэ) combining form naked, stripped, bare {gymnosperm} Also, before a vowel, gymn- [< Gr gymnos, naked: see GYMNASIUM]

gymnosophist (jim näs´э fist) •n. a member of an ancient Hindu sect of ascetics who wore little or no clothing [ME genosophis < L gymnosophistae, pl. < Gr gymnosophistai: see GYMNO- & SOPHIST]

gymnosperm (jim´nou spørm', -nэ-) •n. any of a large division (Pinophyta) of seed plants having the ovules borne on open scales, usually in cones, and usually lacking true vessels in the woody tissue, including seed ferns, cycads, conifers, and the ginkgo: see ANGIOSPERM gym'no·sper´mous •adj. gym´no·sper'my (-i:) •n. [ModL gymnospermus < Gr gymnospermos: see GYMNO- & -SPERM]

gyn- (jin, gin; jain, gain) combining form GYNO-: used before a vowel

gynaeceum (jin'i: si:´эm, jai'ni:-) pl. -ce´a (-э) •n. 1 in ancient Greek and Roman houses, the section of rooms set apart for women 2 GYNOECIUM Etymology [L < Gr gynaikeion < gynaikeios, of women, feminine < gynē, a woman: see GYNO-]

gynaeco- (see pronun. at GYNECO-) combining form GYNECO-

gynandromorph (ji næn´drou mörf', jai-; -drэ-) •n. an abnormal organism whose physical features are a mixture of male and female characteristics gy·nan'dro·mor´phic or gy·nan'dro·mor´phous •adj. gy·nan'dro·mor´phism or gy·nan´dro·mor'phy •n. [< Gr gynandros (see GYNANDROUS) + -MORPH]

gynandrous (ji næn´drэs, jai-) •adj. 1 Bot. having the stamen and pistil united in one column, as in the orchids 2 characterized by hermaphroditism [Gr gynandros, of doubtful sex < gynē, a woman (see GYNO-) + anēr (gen. andros), a man]

gynarchy (jin´эr ki:, jai´nэr-) pl. -arch'ies •n. GYNECOCRACY [GYN- + -ARCHY]

gyneco- (jin´i kou', jin´э-; gin´-; -kэ; jai´ni-, gai´-; -nэ-) combining form woman, female {gynecocracy} Also, before a vowel, gyn·ec- [Gr gynaiko- < gynē, a woman: see GYNO-]

gynecocracy (jin'i käk´rэ si:, jai'ni-) pl. -cies •n. government by a woman or women [Gr gynaikokratia: see GYNECO- & -CRACY]

gynecoid (jin´i koid', jai´ni-) •adj. of or characteristic of a woman or women; female [GYNEC(O)- + -OID]

gynecology (gai'ni käl´э ji:; jin'i-, jai'ni-) •n. the branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of the diseases of the female reproductive system, including the breasts gy'ne·co·log´ic (-kou läj´ik, -kэ-) or gy'ne·co·log´i·cal •adj. gy'ne·col´o·gist •n. [GYNECO- + -LOGY]

gynecomastia (gai'ni kou mæs´ti: э; jai'ni-, jin'i-) •n. a condition of overdevelopment of a male's breasts [< GYNECO- + Gr mastos, breast]

gynephobia (jin'э fou´bi:´э, jai'nэ-) •n. an abnormal fear of women [< Gr gynē (see GYNO-) + -PHOBIA]

gyniatrics (jin'i: æ´triks, jai'ni:-; gai'ni:-) •n.pl. the branch of medicine dealing with the treatment of women's diseases [< fol. + -IATRICS]

gyno- (jin´ou, gin´ou, -э; jai´nou, gai´nou, -nэ) combining form 1 woman or female 2 female reproductive organ, ovary, pistil {gynophore} [< Gr gynē, woman < IE *gwenā > QUEEN]

gynoecium (ji ni:´si: эm, jai-) pl. -ci·a (-э) •n. the female organ or organs of a flower; pistil or pistils; the carpels, collectively [ModL, altered (after Gr oikos, house) < L gynaeceum < LGr gynaikeion < Gr gynaikeios, feminine < gynē: see GYNO-]

gynophore (jin´э för', jai´nэ-) •n. a stalk bearing the gynoecium above the petals and stamens gyn'o·phor´ic •adj. [GYNO- + -PHORE]

-gynous (ji nэs, jэ-) combining form forming adjectives 1 woman or female {polygynous} 2 having female organs or pistils as specified {monogynous, androgynous} [ModL -gynus < Gr -gynos < gynē, woman: see GYNO-]

-gyny (ji ni:, jэ-) combining form forming nouns 1 the state of having or relating to a (specified) number of women or females at a time {monogyny} 2 the state of being located in a (specified) relation to the female organ of a plant

Györ (dyöř) city in NW Hungary: pop. 129,000

gyp¹ (jip) •n. [Colloq.] 1 an act of cheating; swindle; fraud 2 a swindler: also gyp´per or gyp´ster •vt., vi. gypped, gyp´ping [Colloq.] to swindle; cheat [prob. < GYPSY]

gyp² (jip) •n. [Brit.] a male servant at a college, esp. at Cambridge [< ? obs. gippo, a scullion < Fr jupeau, a jacket, jerkin < jupe < Ar jubba, a long outer garment]

gypseous (jip´si: эs) •adj. 1 like gypsum 2 containing or consisting of gypsum [ME gipseous < LL gypseus < L gypsum]

gypsiferous (jip sif´эr эs) •adj. containing or yielding gypsum [< GYPSUM + -I- + -FEROUS]

gypsophila (jip säf´i lэ) •n. any of a genus (Gypsophila) of plants of the pink family, bearing clusters of small white or pink flowers with a delicate fragrance; baby's breath [ModL: see GYPSUM & -PHIL]

gypsum (jip´sэm) •n. a hydrated sulfate of calcium, CaSO4·2H2O, found in sedimentary rocks and used for making plaster of Paris, in treating soil, etc. [ME < L < Gr gypsos, chalk, gypsum < Sem]

gypsum board (or wallboard) PLASTERBOARD

Gypsy (jip´si:) pl. -sies •n. 1 [also g-] a member of a wandering Caucasoid people with dark skin and black hair, found throughout the world and believed to have originated in India: they are known as musicians, fortunetellers, etc. 2 ROMANY (sense 2) 3 [g-] a person whose appearance or habits are like those of a Gypsy 4 [g-] a dancer in the chorus of a musical show •adj. 1 [also g-] of or like a Gypsy or Gypsies 2 [g-] [Colloq.] unlicensed or nonunion {a gypsy plumber} •vi. -sied, -sy·ing [g-] [Rare] to wander or live like a Gypsy [earlier gypcien, short for Egipcien, Egyptian: orig. thought to have come from Egypt]

gypsy cab [Colloq.] an unlicensed taxicab operated by an independent driver who may respond to calls from customers but may not solicit them by cruising

gypsy moth a European moth (Lymantria dispar), brownish (males) or whitish (females), now common in the E U.S.: its larvae feed on leaves, doing much damage to forest and shade trees

gyral (jai´rэl) •adj. 1 moving in a circular or spiral path; gyratory 2 of a gyrus [< GYRE + -AL]

gyrate (jai´reit') -rat'ed, -rat'ing •vi. to move in a circular or spiral path; rotate or revolve on an axis; whirl •adj. spiral, coiled, circular, or convoluted gy´ra'tor •n. gy´ra·to'ry (-rэ tör'i:) •adj. [< L gyratus, pp. of gyrare, to turn, whirl < gyrus < Gr gyros, a circle < IE *guros < base *gēu-, gū-, to bend, arch > COD², COP¹]

gyration (jai rei´shэn) •n. 1 the act of gyrating; circular or spiral motion 2 something gyrate, as a whorl

gyre (jair) •n. [Old Poet.] 1 a circular or spiral motion; whirl; revolution 2 a circular or spiral form; ring or vortex •vi., vt. gyred, gyr´ing [Old Poet.] to whirl [L gyrus < Gr gyros, a circle: see GYRATE]

gyrene (jai ri:n´) •n. [Slang] a member of the U.S. Marine Corps [< ? cf. Am. Speech, Vol. XXXVII, No. 3, Oct., 1962]

gyrfalcon (jør´föl'kэn, -fö'kэn; -fæl'-) •n. a large, fierce, strong falcon (Falco rusticolus) of the arctic regions [ME gerfaucoun < OFr girfaucon < Frank *gerfalko < *ger (OHG gir, hawk), lit., greedy (one) < IE base *Ghī, *Ghe- > GAPE + *falko, FALCON]

gyro- (jai´rou, -rэ) combining form 1 gyrating {gyroscope} 2 gyroscope {gyrocompass} Also, before a vowel, gyr- [< Gr gyros, a circle: see GYRATE]

gyro horizon ARTIFICIAL HORIZON (sense 1)

gyro¹ (jai´rou') •n. short for: 1 GYROSCOPE 2 GYROCOMPASS

gyro² (yir´ou, hyir´ou; jir´ou, zhir´ou; also jai´rou') pl. -ros •n. 1 layers of lamb or lamb and beef roasted, as on a vertical spit, and sliced 2 a sandwich made of this, often with pita bread Also gy·ros (yir´ös) [< ModGr gyros, a circle (from rotating meat on a spit), wrongly taken as a pl.]

gyrocompass (-kûm'pэs) •n. a compass consisting of a motor-operated gyroscope whose rotating axis, kept in a horizontal plane, takes a position parallel to the axis of the earth's rotation and thus points to the geographical north pole instead of to the magnetic pole

gyromagnetic (jai'rou mæg net´ik) •adj. of or pertaining to the magnetic properties of rotating charged particles

gyropilot (jai´rou pai'lэt) •n. AUTOMATIC PILOT

gyroplane (jai´rou plein') •n. any aircraft having wings that rotate about a vertical or nearly vertical axis, as the autogiro or helicopter [GYRO- + PLANE²]

gyroscope (jai´rou skoup', -rэ-) •n. a wheel mounted in a set of rings so that its axis of rotation is free to turn in any direction: when the wheel is spun rapidly, it will keep the original direction of its rotation axis no matter which way the ring is turned: gyroscopes are used in gyrocompasses and to keep moving ships, airplanes, etc. level gy'ro·scop´ic (-skäp´ik) •adj. gy'ro·scop´i·cal·ly •adv. [GYRO- + -SCOPE]

gyrose (jai´rous') •adj. Bot. marked with wavy lines or convolutions [< GYRE + -OSE²]

gyrostabilizer (jai'rou stei´bэ lai'zэr) •n. a device consisting of a gyroscope spinning in a vertical plane, used to stabilize the side-to-side rolling of a ship, spacecraft, etc.

gyrus (jai´rэs) pl. -ri' (-rai') •n. Anat. a convoluted ridge or fold between fissures, or sulci, of the cortex of the brain [ModL < L: see GYRE]

gyve (jaiv) gyved, gyv´ing •n., vt. [Archaic] fetter; shackle [ME give < Anglo-Fr gyves, pl. < ?]

H abbrev. 1 harbor 2 hard 3 hardness 4 height 5 Physics a) henry b) the horizontal component of terrestrial magnetism 6 [Slang] heroin 7 high 8 Baseball hit(s) 9 hot (on water faucets) 10 hour(s) 11 hundred(s) 12 husband 13 Chem. symbol for hydrogen Also, for 2-4, 5b, 7, 8, 10, & 12, h H Anthrop. HOMO¹

h or H (eich) pl. h's, H's •n. 1 the eighth letter of the English alphabet: from the Greek eta, a borrowing from the Phoenician 2 any of the speech sounds that this letter represents, as, in English, the (h) in hat 3 a type or impression for H or h 4 the eighth in a sequence or group 5 an object shaped like H •adj. 1 of H or h 2 eighth in a sequence or group 3 shaped like H

h.a. in this year [L hoc anno]

h.c. for the sake of honor [L honoris causa]

H.J. here lies [L hic jacet]

Ha Chem. symbol for hahnium ha abbrev. hectare(s) ha (hä) •interj. an exclamation variously expressing wonder, surprise, anger, triumph, etc.: repeated (ha-ha), it may indicate laughter, derision, etc. •n. the sound of this exclamation or of a laugh [echoic]

Haakon VII (hö´kun) 1872-1957; king of Norway (1905-57)

Haarlem (här´lэm) city in NW Netherlands: capital of North Holland province: pop. 152,000

Haarlemmermeer (här´lэ mэr mer') city in NW Netherlands, on the site of a former lake: pop. 85,000

Habakkuk (hæb´э kûk', hэ bæk´эk) Bible 1 a Hebrew prophet of c. 7th cent. B.C. 2 the book containing his prophecies: abbrev. Hab or Hb [Heb Habhaqqūq, prob. < hābaq, to embrace]

Habana (ä bä´nä), (La) Sp. name of HAVANA

habanera (hä'bэ ner´э; Sp ä´bä nei´řä) •n. 1 a slow Cuban dance similar to the tango 2 the music for this [Sp, lit., of Habana, Havana]

habeas corpus (hei'bi: эs kör´pэs) Law any of various writs ordering a person to be brought before a court; specif., a writ requiring that a detained person be brought before a court to decide the legality of the detention or imprisonment In full habeas corpus ad sub·ji·ci·en·dum (æd' sûb jis'i: en´dэm) [ME < L, (that) you have the body]

Haber (hä´bэř), Fritz 1868-1934; Ger chemist

haberdasher (hæb´эr dæsh'эr; often hæb´э dæsh'-) •n. 1 a person whose work or business is selling men's furnishings, such as hats, shirts, neckties, and gloves 2 [Brit.] a dealer in various small articles, such as ribbons, thread, and needles Etymology [ME haberdashere, prob. < Anglo-Fr hapertas, kind of cloth]

haberdashery (-dæsh'эr i:) pl. -er·ies •n. 1 things sold by a haberdasher 2 a haberdasher's shop [ME haberdasshrie]

habergeon (hæb´эr jэn) •n. 1 a short, high-necked jacket of mail, usually sleeveless 2 HAUBERK [ME habergoun < OFr haubergeon, dim. of hauberc: see HAUBERK]

Habermas (hä´bэr mäs), Jur·gen (yüř´gэn) 1929- ; Ger. philosopher & sociologist

habile (hæb´il) •adj. [Now Rare] able; skillful; handy; clever [ME habil < OFr habile < L habilis < base of habere: see HABIT]

habiliment (hэ bil´э mэnt) •n. 1 [usually pl.] clothing; dress; attire 2 [pl.] furnishings or equipment; trappings [MFr habillement < habiller, to clothe, make fit < habile: see HABILE]

habilitate (hэ bil´э teit') -tat'ed, -tat'ing •vt. 1 to clothe; equip; outfit 2 [Archaic] to train; make capable 3 Mining to provide (a mine) with the capital and equipment needed to work it ha·bil'i·ta´tion •n. ha·bil'i·ta´tive •adj. [< ML habilitatus, pp. of habilitare, to make suitable < L habilis: see HABILE]

habit (hæb´it) •n. 1 [Obs.] costume; dress 2 a particular costume showing rank, status, etc.; specif., a) a distinctive religious costume {a monk's habit} b) a costume worn for certain occasions {a riding habit} 3 habitual or characteristic condition of mind or body; disposition 4 a) a thing done often and hence, usually, done easily; practice; custom b) a pattern of action that is acquired and has become so automatic that it is difficult to break 5 a tendency to perform a certain action or behave in a certain way; usual way of doing 6 an addiction, esp. to narcotics 7 Biol. the tendency of a plant or animal to grow in a certain way; characteristic growth {a twining habit} •vt. 1 to dress; clothe 2 [Archaic] to inhabit SYN.—habit refers to an act repeated so often by an individual that it has become automatic with him [his habit of tugging at his ear in perplexity]; practice also implies the regular repetition of an act but does not suggest that it is automatic [the practice of reading in bed]; custom applies to any act or procedure carried on by tradition and often enforced by social disapproval of any violation [the custom of dressing for dinner]; usage refers to custom or practice that has become sanctioned through being long established [usage is the only authority in language]; wont is a literary or somewhat archaic equivalent for practice [it was his wont to rise early] [ME < OFr < L habitus, condition, appearance, dress < pp. of habere, to have, hold < IE base *ghabh-, to grasp, take > GIVE]

habitable (hæb´it э bэl) •adj. that can be inhabited; fit to be lived in hab'it·a·bil´i·ty •n. hab´it·a·bly •adv. [ME < OFr < L habitabilis < habitare, to have possession of, inhabit: see HABIT & -ABLE]

habitant (for 1 hæb´i tэnt; for 2 hæb´i tänt' or å bi: täñ´) •n. 1 an inhabitant; resident 2 a farmer in Louisiana or Canada of French descent: also ha·bi·tan (å bi: täñ´) [Fr < L habitans, prp.: see HABITABLE]

habitat (hæb´i tæt') •n. 1 the region where a plant or animal naturally grows or lives; native environment 2 the place where a person or thing is ordinarily found Etymology [L, it inhabits: see HABITABLE]

habitation (hæb'i tei´shэn) •n. 1 the act of inhabiting; occupancy 2 a place in which to live; dwelling; home 3 a colony or settlement [ME habitacioun < OFr habitacion < L habitatio: see HABITABLE]

habit-forming (hæb´it förm'iŋ) •adj. resulting in the formation of a habit or in addiction

habitual (hэ bich´u: эl) •adj. 1 formed or acquired by continual use; done by habit or fixed as a habit; customary 2 being or doing a certain thing by habit; steady; inveterate {a habitual smoker} 3 much seen, done, or used; usual; frequent SYN. USUAL ha·bit´u·al·ly •adv. ha·bit´u·al·ness •n. [ML habitualis, of habit or dress: see HABIT]

habituate (hэ bich´u: eit') -at'ed, -at'ing •vt. 1 to make used (to); accustom: often used reflexively {to habituate oneself to the cold} Æ 2 [Archaic] to frequent •vi. to cause addiction ha·bit'u·a´tion •n. [< LL habituatus, pp. of habituare, to bring into a condition or habit of the body < L habitus: see HABIT]

habitude (hæb´i tu:d', -tyu:d') •n. 1 habitual or characteristic condition of mind or body; disposition 2 usual way of doing something; custom [ME abitude < MFr habitude < L habitudo, condition, habit: see HABIT]

habitué (hэ bich'u: ei´, hэ bich´u: ei'; Fr å bi: tü ei´) •n. a person who frequents a certain place or places {a habitué of nightclubs} [Fr < pp. of habituer, to accustom < LL habituare: see HABITUATE]

habitus (hæb´i tэs) pl. -tus (-tэs) •n. 1 HABIT (n. 5 & 7) 2 general physical appearance and body build, sometimes related to a predisposition to certain diseases [ModL < L, HABIT]

haboob (hэ bu:b´) •n. a violent sandstorm, as in the Sudan or SW U.S.

Habsburg (hæps´børg'; Ger häps´bu:řkh) alt sp. of HAPSBURG

haček (hä´chek) •n. a mark (ˇ) used over certain consonant letters in the orthography of some languages to indicate a specific sound, or used in certain systems of symbols for representing speech sounds

hacendado (hä'sen dä´dou) pl. -dos the owner or manager of a HACIENDA Also ha·ci·en·da·do (hä'si: en dä´dou) •n.

Hachioji (häch´i: ou´ji:) city in SE central Honshu, Japan: pop. 405,000

hachure (for n. hæ shur´, hæsh´yur', or hæsh´ur'; for v. hæ shur´) •n. any of a series of short parallel lines used, esp. in map making, to represent a sloping or elevated surface •vt. -chured´, -chur´ing to show by, or shade with, hachures Etymology [Fr < OFr hacher, to chop < hache, ax < Frank *hapja, sickle < IE base *(s)kep- > SHAFT, L capo, capon, Gr koptein, to chop]

hacienda (hä'si: en´dэ, hæs'i:-; Sp ä syэn´dä') •n. in Spanish America, a) a large estate, ranch, or plantation b) the main dwelling on any of these [Sp < OSp facienda, employment, estate < L, things to be done < facere: see DO¹]

hack¹ (hæk) •vt. 1 a) to chop or cut crudely, roughly, or irregularly, as with a hatchet b) to shape, trim, damage, etc. with or as with rough, sweeping strokes 2 to break up (land) as with a hoe or mattock Æ 3 [Slang] to deal with or carry out successfully Æ 4 Basketball to foul by striking the arm of (an opponent who has the ball) with the hand or arm 5 Rugby to foul by kicking (an opponent) on the shins •vi. 1 to make rough or irregular cuts 2 to give harsh, dry coughs Æ 3 Basketball to hack an opponent •n. 1 a tool for cutting or hacking, as an ax, hoe, mattock, etc. 2 a slash, gash, or notch made by a sharp implement 3 a hacking blow 4 a harsh, dry cough Æ hack around [Colloq.] to engage in aimless activity; spend time idly Æ hack it [Slang] to carry out or manage something successfully [ME hacken < OE haccian, akin to Ger hacken < IE base *keg-, peg, hook > HOOK, HATCHEL]

hack² (hæk) •n. 1 a) a horse for hire b) a horse for all sorts of work c) a saddle horse d) an old, worn-out horse 2 a person hired to do routine, often dull, writing; literary drudge Æ 3 a worker for a political party, usually holding office through patronage and serving devotedly and unquestioningly 4 a carriage or coach for hire 5 [Colloq.] a) a taxicab b) a hackman or cabdriver •vt. 1 to employ as a hack 2 to hire out (a horse, etc.) 3 to wear out or make stale by constant use •vi. 1 [Brit.] to jog along on a horse Æ 2 [Colloq.] to drive a taxicab 3 Comput. to be a HACKER (sense 3) •adj. 1 employed as a hack {a hack writer} 2 done by a hack {hack work} 3 stale; trite; hackneyed {hack writing} [contr. < HACKNEY]

hack³ (hæk) •n. a grating or rack for drying cheese or fish, holding food for cattle, etc. •vt. to place on a hack for drying [orig., board on which a falcon's meat was put, var. of HATCH²]

hackamore (hæk´э mör') •n. [West] a rope or rawhide halter with a headstall, used in breaking horses [altered < Sp jáquima, halter < Ar shakīma]

hackberry (hæk´ber'i:) pl. -ries •n. Æ 1 any of a genus (Celtis) of American trees of the elm family, with a small fruit resembling a cherry Æ 2 its fruit or its wood [< Scand, as in Dan hæggebær, Norw haggebär, ON heggr: for IE base see HEDGE]

hackbut (hæk´bût') •n. a kind of harquebus [Fr haquebut < obs. Du hakebus < hake, haak, HOOK + bus, a gun, gun barrel, lit., box: so named from method of support during firing]

Hackensack (hæk´n sæk') city in NE N.J.: pop. 37,000 [< Du < AmInd (Delaware) name]

hacker (-эr) •n. 1 a person who hacks (see HACK¹) 2 an unskilled golfer, tennis player, etc. 3 a talented amateur user of computers, specif. one who attempts to gain unauthorized access to files in various systems

hackie (hæk´i:) •n. [Colloq.] a taxicab driver

hacking jacket (hæk´iŋ) a jacket worn by horseback riders, usually with slanting pockets and side or rear vents [< HACK², vi. 1]

hackle¹ (hæk´эl) •n. 1 a comblike instrument for separating the fibers of flax, hemp, etc. 2 a) any of the long, slender feathers at the neck of a rooster, peacock, pigeon, etc. b) such feathers, collectively 3 Fishing a) a tuft of feathers from a rooster's neck, used in making artificial flies b) a fly made with a hackle 4 [pl.] the hairs on a dog's neck and back that bristle, as when the dog is ready to fight •vt. -led, -ling 1 to separate the fibers of (flax, hemp, etc.) with a hackle 2 [Rare] to supply (a fishing fly) with a hackle get one's hackles up to become tense with anger; bristle [ME hechele (akin to Ger hechel) < OE *hæcel < IE base *keg-, a peg, hook > HACK¹, HOOK: senses 2, 3, & 4, prob. infl. by dial. hackle, bird's plumage, animal's skin < OE hacele]

hackle² (hæk´эl) -led, -ling •vt., vi. to cut roughly; hack; mangle [freq. of HACK¹]

hackman (hæk´mэn) pl. -men (-mэn) •n. the driver of a hack or carriage for hire

hackmatack (hæk´mэ tæk') •n. 1 TAMARACK 2 BALSAM POPLAR 3 the wood of these trees [< AmInd (Algonquian)]

hackney (hæk´ni:) pl. -neys •n. 1 a horse for ordinary driving or riding 2 a carriage for hire 3 [Obs.] a drudge •adj. [Obs.] 1 hired out 2 trite; commonplace •vt. [Now Rare] 1 to hire out 2 to make trite [ME hakene, hakenei, after Hakeney (now Hackney), a village in England]

hackneyed (-ni:d') •adj. made trite by overuse SYN. TRITE

hacksaw (hæk´sö') •n. a saw for cutting metal, consisting of a narrow, fine-toothed blade held in a frame: see SAW¹, illus. Also hack saw

had (hæd; unstressed, hэd, эd) pt. & pp. of HAVE: also used to indicate preference or necessity, with adverbs, adjectives, and phrases of comparison, such as rather, better, as well (Ex.: I had better leave) •vt. [ME hadde, had < OE hæfde]

hadal (heid´ªl) •adj. designating or of the ecological zone (hadal zone) of the ocean floor trenches below c. 3,300 fathoms (c. 6,000 m) [Fr < Hadès, Hades + -al, -AL]

haddock (hæd´эk) pl. -dock •n.or -docks an edible gadoid fish (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) found off the coasts of Europe and North America [ME hadok < ?]

hade (heid) •n. Geol. the angle between the plane of a fault or vein and the vertical plane •vi. had´ed, had´ing Geol. to incline from the vertical plane, as a fault, vein, or lode [< dial. hade, to slope, incline < ?]

Hades (hei´di:z') 1 Gr. Myth. a) the home of the dead, beneath the earth b) the god of the underworld 2 Bible the state or resting place of the dead: name used in some modern translations of the New Testament •n. [often h-] hell: a euphemism [Gr Haidēs]

Hadhramaut or Hadramaut (hä'dřä möt´) 1 region on the S coast of Arabia, on the Gulf of Aden: c. 58,500 sq. mi. (151,500 sq. km) 2 river valley (Wadi Hadhramaut) that crosses this region: c. 350 mi. (565 km)

hadj (hæj) •n. HAJJ

hadji (hæj´i:) •n. HAJJI

hadn't (hæd´ªnt) had not

Hadrian (hei´dri: эn) (L. name Publius Aelius Hadrianus) A.D. 76-138; Rom. emperor (117-138)

Hadrian's Wall stone wall across N England, from Solway Firth to the Tyne: built (A.D. 122-128) by Hadrian to protect Roman Britain from N tribes: 73.5 mi. (118.3 km)

hadron (hæd´rän') •n. any of a class of subnuclear particles, including the baryons and mesons, that interact strongly and are thought to be made up of quarks: this class forms the basis of an alternative system to the boson-fermion classification system had·ron·ic (hæ drän´ik, hэ-) •adj. Etymology [Gr hadros, thick, strong + -ON]

hadst (hædst) •vt. archaic 2d pers. sing., past indic., of HAVE: used with thou

hae (hei, hæ) •vt. [Scot.] to have

haecceity (hek si:´э ti:) •n. the condition of being a uniquely particular person or thing; individuality [ML haecceitas < L haec, fem. of hic, this + -itas, -ity]

Haeckel (hek´эl), Ernst Hein·rich (eřnst hain´řiH) 1834-1919; Ger. biologist & philosopher

haemato- (hem´э tou, hi:´mэ-; -tэ) combining form HEMATO- Also, before a vowel, haemat-

haematoxylon (hi:'mэ täk´sэ län', hem'э-) •n. LOGWOOD: see also HEMATOXYLIN [ModL < prec. + Gr xylon, wood]

-haemia (hi:´mi: э) combining form -EMIA

haemo- (hi:´mou, -mэ; hem´ou, -э) combining form HEMO- Also hae·ma- or, before a vowel, haem-

hafiz (hä´fiz') •n. title for a Muslim who has memorized the Koran [Ar hāfiz, a person who remembers] Hafiz (hä fiz´) (born Shams-ud-Din Mohammed) c. 1325-c. 1390; Pers. lyric poet

hafnium (hæf´ni: эm) •n. a metallic chemical element found with, and similar to, zirconium: used in the manufacture of light-bulb filaments and in reactor control rods: symbol, Hf; at. wt., 178.49; at. no., 72; sp. gr., 13.28; melt. pt., 2,194°C; boil. pt., 4,602°C [ModL: so named (1923) by D. Coster (1889-1950), Du chemist, and G. C. de Hevesy (c. 1889-1966), Hung chemist, after Hafnia, Latinized name of Dan København, COPENHAGEN, where it was discovered + -IUM]

haft (hæft, häft) •n. a handle or hilt of a knife, ax, etc. •vt. to fit with, or fix in, a haft [ME < OE hæft, a handle < base of hebban: see HEAVE]

haftara (häf'tä rä´, -tör´э) •n. HAPHTARA

Hag Bible Haggai

hag¹ (hæg) •n. 1 orig., a female demon or evil spirit 2 a witch; enchantress 3 an ugly, often vicious old woman 4 HAGFISH [ME hagge, a witch, hag, contr. < OE hægtes < haga, hedge, akin to Ger hexe (OHG hagazussa): sense comparable to ON tūnritha, lit., hedge rider, hence witch]

hag² (hæg, häg) •vt. [Scot. or North Eng.] to cut; hack •n. [Scot. or North Eng.] [< Anglo-N form of ON högg, a cutting, chopping < base of the vt.] 1 a) a cutting of wood b) felled trees 2 a) the edge of a cutting in a peat bog b) a marsh or marshy spot c) a firm spot in a bog or marsh [Scot < ME haggen < Anglo-N form of ON höggva, to cut, hack, akin to OE heawan, HEW]

Hagar (for 1 hei´gär', -gэr; for 2 hei´gär') 1 a feminine and masculine name 2 Bible a concubine of Abraham and slave of Abraham's wife Sarah: see ISHMAEL [Heb Hāghār, lit., prob. fugitive < ? base akin to Ar hajara, to forsake: see HEGIRA]

hagborn (hæg´börn') •adj. having a hag, or witch, for a mother

Hagen (hä´gэn) city in W Germany, in the Ruhr valley, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia: pop. 209,500 Hagen (hä´gэn) in the Nibelungenlied, Gunther's uncle, who murders Siegfried at Brunhild's bidding [Ger]

Hagerstown (hei´gэrz taun') city in N Md.: pop. 35,000 [after J. Hager, early settler]

hagfish (hæg´fish') pl. (see FISH) -fish' •n.or -fish'es any of an order (Myxiniformes) of small, eel-like marine jawless fishes, with a round, sucking mouth and horny teeth [HAG¹ + FISH]

Haggada or Haggadah (hä'gä dä´; E hэ gä´dä', -dэ) pl. -ga·dot´ (-dout´) •n. 1 a) [often h-] in the Talmud, an anecdote or parable that explains or illustrates some point of law b) the part of the Talmud devoted to such narratives: see also HALAKHA 2 a) a narrative of the Exodus read at the Seder during Passover b) a book containing this narrative and the Seder ritual hag·gad·ic (hэ gæd´ik, -gä´dik) •adj. [TalmudHeb hagada < higid, to tell, relate < root ngd, to oppose]

haggadist (hэ gä´dist) •n. a haggadic writer or scholar hag·ga·dis·tic (hæg'э dis´tik) •adj.

Haggai (hæg´ei ai', hæg´ai') Bible 1 a Hebrew prophet of c. 6th cent. B.C. 2 the book of his prophecies: abbrev. Hag or Hg [Heb ##aggai, lit., festal]

Haggard (hæg´эrd), Sir H(enry) Rider 1856-1925; Eng. novelist haggard (hæg´эrd) •adj. 1 Falconry designating a hawk captured after reaching maturity 2 untamed; unruly; wild 3 a) wild-eyed b) having a wild, wasted, worn look, as from sleeplessness, grief, or illness; gaunt; drawn •n. Falconry a haggard hawk hag´gard·ly •adv. hag´gard·ness •n. [MFr hagard, untamed, untamed hawk]

haggis (hæg´is) •n. a Scottish dish made of the lungs, heart, etc. of a sheep or calf, mixed with suet, seasoning, and oatmeal and boiled in the animal's stomach [ME hagas, kind of pudding < ? haggen, HAG²]

haggish (hæg´ish) •adj. of, like, or characteristic of a hag hag´gish·ly •adv. hag´gish·ness •n.

haggle (hæg´эl) -gled, -gling •vt. to chop or cut crudely; hack; mangle •vi. to argue about terms, price, etc.; bargain; wrangle •n. the act of haggling hag´gler •n. [freq. of HAG²]

hagiarchy (hæg´i: är'ki:, hei´ji:-) pl. -arch'ies •n. HAGIOCRACY [< fol. + -ARCHY]

hagio- (hæg´i: ou', hei´ji: ou'; -э) combining form 1 saint {hagiocracy} 2 sacred, holy {hagiographer} Also, before a vowel, hag·i- [< Gr hagios, holy]

hagiocracy (hæg'i: äk´rэ si:, hei'ji:-) pl. -cies •n. rule by priests, saints, or others considered holy; theocracy [prec. + -CRACY]

Hagiographa (hæg'i: äg´rэ fэ, hei'ji:-) the third and final part of the Jewish Scriptures, those books not in the Law or the Prophets [LL(Ec) < Gr(Ec) hagiographa (biblia), transl. of Heb ketuvim, lit., writings: see HAGIO- & -GRAPH]

hagiographer (hæg'i: äg´rэ fэr, hei'ji:-) •n. 1 any of the authors of the Hagiographa 2 a biographer of a saint or saints

hagiographic (hæg'i: э græf´ik, hei'ji:-) •adj. 1 of hagiography or the Hagiographa 2 idealizing its subject: said of a biography Also hag'i·o·graph´i·cal

hagiography (hæg'i: äg´rэ fi:, hei'ji:-) pl. -phies •n. 1 a book or writing, or an assemblage of these, about the lives of saints 2 such books or writings as a field of study [HAGIO- + -GRAPHY]

hagiology (hæg'i: äl´э ji:, hei'ji:-) pl. -gies •n. HAGIOGRAPHY hag'i·o·log´ic (-э läj´ik) or hag'i·o·log´i·cal •adj. [HAGIO- + -LOGY]

hagioscope (hæg´i: э skoup', hei´ji:-) •n. a narrow opening in an inside wall of a medieval church to let those in a side aisle, or transept, see the main altar [HAGIO- + -SCOPE]

hagridden (hæg´rid'ªn) •adj. 1 orig., ridden by a hag, or witch 2 obsessed or harassed, as by fears

Hague (heig), The city in W Netherlands: capital of South Holland province: seat of the government (cf. AMSTERDAM): pop. 672,000: Du. name 'S GRAVENHAGE

Hague Tribunal the Permanent Court of Arbitration founded in 1899: it selects the nominees for election to the International Court of Justice

hah (hä) •interj., n. HA

ha-ha¹ (hä´hä´, hä'hä´, hä´hä') •interj., n. see HA

ha-ha² (hä´hä') •n. a fence, wall, etc. set in a ditch around a garden or park so as not to hide the view from within Also sp. ha´ha' [Fr haha < ?]

Hahn (hän), Otto 1879-1968; Ger. nuclear physicist

Hahnemann (hä´nэ mэn), (Christian Friedrich) Samuel 1755-1843; Ger. physician: founder of homeopathy

hahnium (hä´ni: эm) •n. a radioactive chemical element first produced in the U.S. by bombarding californium with nitrogen nuclei: symbol, Ha; at. wt., (262); at. no., 105: name proposed by American scientists [after Otto HAHN]

hai (hai) •adv. yes [Jpn]

Haida (hai´dä', -dэ) •n. 1 pl. -das' or -da' a member of a North American Indian people who live in British Columbia and Alaska 2 the language of this people, of uncertain relationship, but thought by some scholars to be distantly related to Tlingit and the Athabaskan languages •adj. designating or of the Haidas or their language or culture [a self-designation, lit., people]

Haifa (hai´fэ) seaport in NW Israel, on the Mediterranean: pop. 225,000

Haig (heig), Douglas 1st Earl Haig 1861-1928; Brit. commander in chief, World War I

haik (haik, heik) •n. a sheetlike, woolen or cotton cloth worn by Arabs as an outer garment [Ar hāyk < hāka, to weave]

haiku (hai´ku:') •n. 1 a Japanese verse form, rendered in English as three unrhymed lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (total 17 syllables), often on some subject in nature 2 pl. -ku' a poem in this form [Jpn]

hail Columbia [Old Slang] a severe beating, punishment, scolding, etc. [euphemism for HELL]

Hail Mary pl. Hail Marys see AVE MARIA

hail¹ (heil) •vt. 1 to welcome, greet, etc. with or as with cheers; acclaim 2 to name by way of tribute; salute as {they hailed him their leader} 3 to call out to or signal to, as in summoning or greeting {to hail a taxi} •n. 1 the act of hailing or greeting 2 the distance that a shout will carry {within hail} •interj. an exclamation of tribute, greeting, etc. hail fellow well met very sociable or friendly to everyone, esp. in a superficial manner: also hail fellow or hail-fellow hail from to be from; come from (one's birthplace or established residence) hail´er •n. [ME hailen, to salute, greet < hail, heil < ON heill, whole, sound, akin to OE hal (see HALE¹, WHOLE): used as a salutation]

hail² (heil) •n. 1 rounded pieces of ice that are larger than 5 mm (.2 in.) and sometimes fall during thunderstorms; frozen raindrops; hailstones: see SLEET 2 a falling, showering, etc. of hail, or in the manner of hail {a hail of bullets} •vi. to drop or pour down hail: usually in an impersonal construction {it is hailing} [ME hailen < OE hagalian] •vt. to shower, hurl, pour, etc. violently in the manner of hail: often with on or upon {to hail curses on someone} [ME haile < OE hægel, var. of hagol, akin to Ger hagel < IE base *kaghlo-, small pebble > Gr kachlēx]

Haile Selassie (hai´li: sэ læs´i:, -läs´i:) (born Tafari Makonnen) 1892-1975; emperor of Ethiopia (1930-36; 1941-74): deposed

hailstone (heil´stoun') •n. a pellet of hail [ME hawelston]

hailstorm (-störm') •n. a storm in which hail falls

haimish (heim´ish, haim´-) •adj. having qualities associated with a homelike atmosphere; simple, warm, relaxed, cozy, unpretentious, etc. Etymology [Yidd < Ger heimisch, homelike: see HOME & -ISH]

Hainan (hai´nän´) island south of China, in the South China Sea: part of Guangdong province: c. 13,500 sq. mi. (35,000 sq. km)

Hainaut (e nou´) province of SW Belgium: 1,437 sq. mi. (3,722 sq. km); pop. 1,280,000; cap. Mons

Haiphong (hai'fäŋ´) seaport in N Vietnam, in the delta of the Red River: pop. 1,300,000

hair (her, hær) •n. 1 any of the fine, threadlike outgrowths from the skin of an animal or human being 2 a growth of these; esp., a) the growth covering the human head b) the growth covering all or part of the skin of most mammals 3 material woven from hair 4 an extremely small space, margin, degree, etc. {to miss by a hair} 5 Bot. a threadlike growth on a plant; trichome •adj. 1 made of or with hair 2 for the care of the hair {hair tonic} Æ get in one's hair [Slang] to annoy one hair of the dog (that bit one) [Colloq.] a drink of alcoholic liquor taken as a supposed cure for a hangover have (or get) by the short hairs [Slang] to have (or get) completely at one's mercy let one's hair down [Slang] to be very informal, relaxed, and free in behavior make one's hair stand on end to terrify or horrify one not turn a hair to show no fear, surprise, embarrassment, etc.; stay calm and unruffled split hairs to make petty distinctions; quibble to a hair exactly; right in every detail hair´like' •adj. [ME here < OE hær (akin to Ger haar, Frank *harja) & < ? OFr haire, hair shirt < Frank *harja < IE base *er(s)-, to bristle]

hair seal EARLESS SEAL

hair shirt a shirt of haircloth, worn over the skin as a penance

hair space Printing the narrowest metal space used between words, equal to about ½ point

hair spray a liquid sprayed from a spray can onto the hair, to hold it in place Also hair´spray' •n.

hair stroke a very fine line in writing or printing

hair trigger a trigger so delicately adjusted that a very slight pressure on it discharges the firearm

hairball (her´böl') •n. a rounded mass of hair that may form in the stomach or intestines of a cow, cat, or other animal that licks its coat

hairbrained (her´breind') •adj. erroneous sp. of HAREBRAINED

hairbreadth (-bredθ') •n. an extremely small space or amount •adj. very narrow; close {a hairbreadth escape}

hairbrush (-brûsh') •n. a brush for grooming the hair

haircloth (-klöθ') •n. cloth woven from horsehair, camel's hair, etc., used mainly for covering furniture

haircut (-kût') •n. 1 a cutting or clipping of the hair of the head 2 the style in which the hair is cut hair´cut'ter •n.

hairdo (-du:') pl. -dos' •n. the style in which hair is arranged; coiffure

hairdresser (-dres'эr) •n. a person whose work is dressing hair hair´dress'ing •n., adj.

-haired (herd) having (a specified kind of) hair {fair-haired, short-haired}

hairless (her´lis) •adj. having little or no hair or having lost the hair; bald

hairline (her´lain') •n. 1 orig., a line, cord, etc. made of hair 2 a very thin line 3 a) a very thin stripe b) cloth patterned with such stripes 4 a very narrow margin or degree of difference 5 the outline of the hair on the head, esp. of the hair above the forehead 6 Printing a very thin stroke on a typeface or impression: see TYPE, illus. •adj. of or characterized by a tiny crack or small difference

hairnet (her´net') •n. a net or fine-meshed cap of silk, etc., for keeping the hair in place

hairpiece (-pi:s') •n. 1 a toupee or wig 2 a switch of hair, often styled, for a woman's hairdo

hairpin (-pin') •n. a small, usually U-shaped, piece of wire, shell, etc., for keeping the hair or a headdress in place •adj. formed like a hairpin {a hairpin turn}

hair-raising (her´reiz'iŋ) •adj. causing, or thought of as causing, the hair to stand on end; terrifying or shocking hair´-rais'er •n.

hairsbreadth or hair's-breadth (herz´bredθ') •n., adj. HAIRBREADTH

hairsplitting (her´split'iŋ) •adj., n. making overnice or petty distinctions; quibbling hair´split'ter •n.

hairspring (her´spriŋ') •n. a very slender, hairlike coil that controls the regular movement of the balance wheel in a watch or clock

hairstreak (her´stri:k') •n. any of a number of small, usually dark-colored butterflies (family Lycaenidae) with each hind wing commonly having narrow taillike projections

hairstyle (her´stail´) •n. a special style of hairdressing, often distinctive and fashionable hair´styl'ing •n. hair´styl'ist •n.

hair-trigger (her´trig'эr) •adj. set in motion or operation by a very slight impulse [see HAIR TRIGGER]

hairworm (her´wørm') •n. GORDIAN WORM

hairy (her´i:) hair´i·er, hair´i·est •adj. 1 covered with hair; hirsute 2 of or like hair Æ 3 [Slang] difficult, distressing, harrowing, etc. hair´i·ness •n.

hairy vetch a common annual plant (Vicia villosa) with hairy foliage and numerous small blue flowers, grown for forage or for use as green manure

Haiti (heit´i:) 1 country occupying the W portion of the island of Hispaniola, West Indies: 10,714 sq. mi. (27,700 sq. km); pop. 5,250,000; cap. Port-au-Prince 2 old name of HISPANIOLA

Haitian (hei´shэn, heit´i: эn; also hä i:´shэn) •adj. of Haiti, its people, or their language or culture •n. 1 a native or inhabitant of Haiti 2 the French-based creole language of Haiti: in full Haitian Creole

hajj (hæj) •n. the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim is expected to make at least once [Ar hajj < hajja, to set out, go on a pilgrimage]

hajji or haji (hæj´i:) •n. a Muslim who has made a pilgrimage to Mecca: a title of honor [Ar hajji, adj. < hajj, pilgrimage: see HAJJ]

hake (heik) pl. hake •n.or hakes any of various gadoid marine food fishes, as the silver hake [ME, prob. < ON haki, a hook (from the shape of the jaw) > Norw hakefisk, trout, salmon, lit., hook-fish: for IE base see HOOK]

hakim¹ (hä ki:m´; also hä´ki:m') •n. a Muslim physician [Ar hakīm, wise, learned, hence physician]

hakim² (hä´ki:m'; also hä ki:m´) •n. a Muslim ruler or judge [Ar hākim, governor < hakama, to exercise authority]

Hakluyt (hæk´lu:t), Richard c. 1552-1616; Eng. geographer & chronicler of explorations & discoveries

Hakodate (hä'kou dä´tei) seaport on the SW coast of Hokkaido, Japan: pop. 320,000

hal- (hæl, heil) combining form HALO-: used before a vowel

Halakha or Halacha (hä'lä khä´, -kä´; hэ lä´khэ, -kэ) pl. -la·khot´, -la·chot (-khout´, -kout´) •n. 1 any of the laws or ordinances not written down in the Jewish Scriptures but based on an oral interpretation of them 2 the part of the Talmud devoted to such laws and ordinances See also HAGGADA [Heb halacha, rule, law (by which to go, or guide oneself) < verb root hlk, to go]

halakhist or halachist (hä´lä khist', -lэ-; -kist'; hэ lä´-) •n. any of the contributors to the Halakha

halala (hэ lä´lэ) pl. -la •n.or -las a monetary unit of Saudi Arabia, equal to ¹/100 of a riyal

halation (hei lei´shэn; hæ-) •n. Photog. an undesirable spreading or reflection of light on a negative, appearing like a halo around highlights [HAL(O) + -ATION]

halazone (hæl´э zoun') •n. a white, crystalline powder, C7H5Cl2NO4S, with a strong taste and smell of chlorine, usually used in tablet form to disinfect small quantities of drinking water

halberd (hæl´bэrd) •n. a combination spear and battle-ax used in the 15th and 16th cent. Also hal´bert (-bэrt) hal'berd·ier´ (-bэr dir´) •n. Etymology [LME haubert < OFr hallebarde & MDu hellebaerde, both < MHG helmbarte < helm, handle, staff (see HELM²) + barte, an ax, var. of bart, BEARD]

halcyon (hæl´si: эn) •n. 1 a legendary bird, identified with the kingfisher, which is supposed to have a peaceful, calming influence on the sea at the time of the winter solstice 2 Zool. any of a genus (Halcyon) of kingfishers of S Asia and Australia •adj. 1 of the halcyon 2 tranquil, happy, idyllic, etc.: esp. in phr. halcyon days, usually with nostalgic reference to earlier times [ME alcioun < L alcyon < Gr alkyōn, kingfisher, altered by folk etym. after Gr hals, sea]

Haldane (höl´dein) 1 J(ohn) B(urdon) S(anderson) 1892-1964; Eng. biologist & writer 2 Richard Bur·don (bør´dэn) 1st Viscount Haldane of Cloan 1856-1928; Scot. statesman & philosopher: uncle of J. B. S. Haldane

Hale (heil) 1 Edward Everett 1822-1909; U.S. clergyman & writer 2 George Ellery 1868-1938; U.S. astronomer 3 Nathan 1755-76; Am. soldier in the Revolutionary War: hanged by the British as a spy

hale¹ (heil) hal´er, hal´est •adj. sound in body; vigorous and healthy: now said esp. of older persons [northern ME hal, same as Midland hool (see WHOLE) < OE hal, sound, healthy]

hale² (heil) haled, hal´ing •vt. 1 [Archaic] to pull forcibly; drag; haul 2 to force (a person) to go {haled him into court} [ME halen, halien < OFr haler, prob. < ODu halen: see HAUL]

Haleakala National Park (hä'lei ä'kä lä´) national park on the island of Maui, Hawaii, including a dormant volcano (Haleakala), 10,023 ft. (3,100 m) high, with a crater of 19 sq. mi. (49 sq. km)

Haleb (hä leb´) Ar. name of ALEPPO

haler (hä´lэr, -ler') pl. -e·ru' (-lэ ru:') •n.or -ers a monetary unit of Czech Republic and Slovakia, equal to ¹/100 of a koruna [Czech < MHG haller: see HELLER²]

Halévy (å lei vi:´), Jacques (zhåk) (born Jacques François Fromental Élie Lévy) 1799-1862; Fr. composer

half (hæf, häf) pl. halves •n. 1 a) either of the two equal parts of something {the top half of the sixth inning} b) either of two approximately equal parts {the larger half of a divided pie} 2 a) a half-hour {half past one} Æ b) a half dollar 3 Æ a) Baseball either of the two parts of an inning {the top half of the sixth inning} b) Basketball, Football, etc. either of the two equal periods of the game, between which the players rest Æ c) Football HALFBACK •adj. 1 a) being either of the two equal parts b) being about a half of the amount, length, etc. {a half mask covered his eyes} 2 incomplete; fragmentary; partial •adv. 1 to an extent approximately or exactly fifty percent of the whole 2 to some extent; partly {to be half convinced} 3 by any means; at all: used with not {not half bad} by half considerably; very much in half into halves not the half of only a small part of [ME < OE healf, part, half, akin to ON halfr, Ger halb < IE (s)kelep-, lit., divided < base *(s)kel-, to cut > SCALP, SKILL, HELM²]

half- (hæf) combining form 1 one half {half-life} 2 partly {half-baked}

half binding a style of book binding in which leather or other ornamental material covers the spine and corners

half blood 1 kinship through one parent only {sisters of the half blood} 2 HALF-BLOOD

half boot a boot extending halfway up the lower leg

half brother a brother through one parent only

half cock the halfway position of the hammer of a firearm, when the trigger is locked and cannot be pulled

half crown a former British coin equal to two shillings and sixpence (2½ shillings)

half dollar a coin of the U.S. and Canada, worth 50 cents: the U.S. half dollar is made of silver and copper

half eagle a gold coin of the U.S., worth $5.00: it is no longer current

half gainer a fancy dive in which the diver springs from the board facing forward and does a back flip in the air so as to enter the water headfirst, facing the board

half hitch a knot made by passing the end of a rope around the rope and then through the loop thus made: see KNOT¹, illus.

half mourning 1 the second period of mourning, during which black clothes are lightened or replaced by gray, white, or purple 2 the clothes worn then

half nelson a wrestling hold in which an arm is placed under the opponent's arm from behind with one's hand pressed against the back of the opponent's neck: see FULL NELSON

half note Music a note having one half the duration of a whole note: see NOTE, illus.

half pint 1 a unit of liquid or dry measure equal to 8 ounces or ¼ quart (0.2 liter) Æ 2 [Slang] a small person

half shell either of the two shells of a bivalve mollusk on the half shell served raw, with seasonings, on a half shell: said of oysters, etc.

half sister a sister through one parent only

half size any of a series of sizes in women's garments for short-waisted, mature figures

half slip a woman's slip without a top

half sole a sole (of a shoe or boot) from the arch to the toe

half sovereign a former British gold coin equal to ten shillings

half step 1 Mil. a short marching step of fifteen inches (in double time, eighteen inches) 2 Music SEMITONE

half tide the condition or period halfway between a high tide and its related low tide

half time the rest period between halves of a football game, basketball game, etc.

half title the title of a book, often abbreviated, on the odd page preceding (or sometimes following) the main title page

half volley Racket Sports a stroke made in returning the ball just as it begins to bounce after striking the ground

half-and-half (hæf´эn hæf´) •n. something which consists of half of one thing and half of another thing; esp., Æ a) a mixture of equal parts of milk and cream b) [Chiefly Brit.] a mixture of equal parts of porter and ale or of beer and stout •adj. combining two things equally •adv. in two equal parts

half-assed (hæf´æst') •adj. [Slang] having or showing little thought, care, or foresight: considered vulgar by some Also half-ass

halfback (-bæk') •n. Football an offensive back stationed behind the quarterback and typically smaller and faster than a fullback

half-baked (-beikt') •adj. 1 only partly baked 2 not completely planned or thought out {a half-baked scheme} 3 having or showing little intelligence and experience

halfbeak (-bi:k') •n. any of a family (Hemirhamphidae, order Atheriniformes) of small, long-bodied, tropical marine bony fishes with a greatly extended lower jaw and a short upper jaw

half-blood (-blûd') •n. 1 a person related to another through one parent only Æ 2 HALF-BREED Æ 3 Animal Husbandry an animal with one parent of poor pedigree in contrast to that of the other •adj. of or having to do with a half-blood: also half´-blood'ed [based on the obsolete notion that the blood is the medium of heredity]

half-breed (hæf´bri:d') •n. a person whose parents are of different ethnic types; esp., an offspring of a North American Indian and a person of European ancestry •adj. half-blood Generally regarded as an offensive term because often used contemptuously

half-caste (hæf´kæst') •n., adj. early term for EURASIAN

half-cell (-sel') •n. a cell consisting of an electrode immersed in a suitable electrolyte, designed to measure single electrode potentials

half-cocked (hæf´käkt') •adj. having the hammer at half cock: said of a firearm Æ go off half-cocked 1 to go off too soon: said of a firearm 2 to speak or act thoughtlessly or too hastily: also go off at half cock

half-evergreen (hæf´ev´эr gri:n') •adj. having leaves which may or may not remain green throughout the year

halfhearted (hæf´härt'id) •adj. with little enthusiasm, determination, interest, etc.; spiritless half´heart'ed·ly •adv.

half-hour (hæf´aur´) •n. 1 30 minutes 2 the point 30 minutes after any given hour •adj. 1 lasting for 30 minutes 2 occurring every 30 minutes half´-hour´ly •adj., adv.

half-length (-leŋkθ') •adj. 1 of half the full length 2 showing a person from the waist up: said of a portrait •n. a half-length portrait

half-life (-laif') •n. the constant time period required for the disintegration of half of the atoms in a sample of some specific radioactive substance Also half life

half-mast (-mæst') •n. the position of a flag lowered about halfway down a mast, staff, etc., esp. as a sign of mourning •vt. to fly (a flag) at half-mast

half-moon (-mu:n') •n. 1 the moon in its first or last quarter phase 2 anything shaped like a half-moon or crescent

halfpenny (heip´ni:, hei´pэn i:) pl. -pence (hei´pэns) •n.or -pen·nies a former British coin equal to half a penny •adj. worth a halfpenny, or very little; trifling

half-sole (hæf´soul') -soled', -sol'ing •vt. to repair (shoes or boots) by attaching new half soles

half-staff (hæf´stæf') •n. HALF-MAST

half-timbered (-tim'bэrd) •adj. Archit. made of a wooden framework having the spaces filled with plaster, brick, etc.

halftone (hæf´toun') •n. 1 Art a tone or shading between light and dark 2 Music SEMITONE 3 Photoengraving a) a technique of representing shadings by dots produced by photographing the object from behind a fine screen b) a photoengraving so made

halftrack (-træk') •n. an army truck, armored vehicle, etc. with tractor treads in the rear, but with a pair of wheels in front

half-truth (-tru:θ') •n. a statement or account containing only some of the facts, the rest often being left out so as to deceive

half-volley (hæf´väl´i:) •vt., vi. to return (a ball) with a half volley

halfway (hæf´wei', -wei´) •adj. 1 equally distant between two points, states, etc.; midway 2 incomplete; partial {halfway measures} •adv. 1 half the distance; to the midway point 2 incompletely; partially meet (someone) halfway to be willing to compromise with someone

halfway house 1 a midway inn or stopping place on or as on a journey Æ 2 a place where persons are aided in readjusting to society following a period of imprisonment, hospitalization, etc.

half-wit (hæf´wit') •n. a stupid or silly person; fool half´-wit´ted •adj.

halibut (hæl´э bэt; also häl´-) pl. -but or -buts any of a genus (Hippoglossus, family Pleuronectidae) of large, edible flounders found in northern seas, esp. the Atlantic species (H. hippoglossus), which may exceed 45 kg (c. 100 lb.) •n. [ME halybutte < hali, holy + butt, a flounder (so called because eaten on holidays): see HOLY + BUTT¹]

Halicarnassus (hæl'э kär næs´эs) ancient city in SW Asia Minor, on the Aegean: site of the MAUSOLEUM

halide (hæl´aid, -id; hei´laid', -lid) •n. a compound in which a halogen is combined with a certain element, radical, etc. •adj. HALOID [HAL(OGEN) + -IDE]

halidom (hæl´i dэm) •n. [Archaic] 1 holiness 2 a holy place or thing Also hal´i·dome' (-doum') [ME < OE haligdom: see HOLY & -DOM]

Halifax (hæl´э fæks') 1 capital of Nova Scotia, Canada: seaport on the Atlantic: pop. 205,000 (met. area 296,000) 2 city in West Yorkshire, England: pop. 95,000 [after the 2d Earl of Halifax (1716-71)]

halite (hæl´ait', hei´lait') •n. native sodium chloride; rock salt [< Gr hals, SALT + -ITE¹]

halitosis (hæl'i tou´sis) •n. bad-smelling breath [ModL < L halitus, breath (< halare, to breathe) + -OSIS]

hall (höl) •n. 1 orig., a) the great central room in the dwelling of a king or chieftain, where banquets, games, etc. were held b) the dwelling itself 2 the main dwelling on the estate of a baron, squire, etc. 3 [sometimes H-] a building containing public offices or the headquarters of an organization, for transacting business, holding meetings, etc. 4 a large public or semipublic room for gatherings, entertainments, etc. 5 [sometimes H-] a college dormitory, classroom building, eating center, etc. 6 a passageway or room between the entrance and the interior of a building; vestibule, foyer, or lobby 7 a passageway or area onto which rooms open [ME halle < OE heall (akin to Ger halle), lit., that which is covered < base of helan, to cover < IE base *kel-, to cover > HELL, L celare, to conceal] Hall (höl) 1 Charles Martin 1863-1914; U.S. chemist: discovered electrolytic process for reducing aluminum from bauxite 2 G(ranville) Stanley 1844-1924; U.S. psychologist & educator

hall bedroom a small bedroom off a corridor, esp. a small bedroom formed by partitioning off the end of an upstairs corridor

Hall of Fame 1 a memorial in New York City containing busts and tablets honoring celebrated Americans 2 any similar memorial honoring a renowned achiever in a particular sport or other activity

hall tree a clothes tree, esp. one in an entrance hall

hallah (khä´lэ, hä´-) •n. CHALLAH

Hallam (hæl´эm), Henry 1777-1859; Eng. historian

Halle (häl´э; E hæl´i:) city in E Germany: capital of Saxony-Anhalt: pop. 237,000

hallel (häl´el'; also hä lel´) •n. a part of the Jewish religious services consisting of Psalms 113 to 118 inclusive, recited or sung on certain festivals [Heb halel, praise]

hallelujah or halleluiah (hæl'э lu:´yэ) •interj. praise (ye) the Lord! •n. an exclamation, hymn, or song of praise to God [LL(Ec) alleluja < Gr(Ec) hallēlouia < Heb < hallelū, praise (imper.) + yāh, JEHOVAH]

Halley's comet (hæl´i:z; occas. hö´li:z & hei´-) a famous comet, last seen in 1986, whose reappearance about every 76 years was predicted by Edmund Halley (1656-1742), Eng. astronomer

halliard (hæl´yэrd) •n. alt. sp. of HALYARD

hallmark (höl´märk') •n. 1 an official mark stamped on British gold and silver articles, orig. at Goldsmiths' Hall in London, as a guarantee of genuineness 2 any mark or symbol of genuineness or high quality •vt. to put a hallmark on

hallo or halloa (hэ lou´) •vi., vt., interj., n. HALLOO

halloo (hэ lu:´) -looed´, -loo´ing •vi., vt. 1 to shout or call out in order to attract the attention of (a person) 2 to urge on (hounds) by shouting or calling halloo 3 to shout or yell, as in greeting or surprise •interj., n. a shout or call, esp. one to attract a person's attention or to urge on hounds in hunting [ME halowen < interj. halou: prob. also < OFr halloer, to follow after with much noise]

hallow¹ (hæl´ou; also häl´ou) •vt. 1 to make holy or sacred; sanctify; consecrate 2 to regard as holy; honor as sacred; venerate SYN. DEVOTE [ME halowen < OE halgian (used for L sanctificare) < Gmc base of halig (see HOLY): akin to Ger heiligen]

hallow² (hэ lou´, hæl´ou) •vi., vt., interj., n. HALLOO

hallowed (hæl´oud; also häl´-; -ou ed', -id) •adj. 1 made holy or sacred 2 honored as holy; venerated SYN. HOLY [pp. of HALLOW¹]

Halloween or Hallowe'en (hæl'ou i:n´, hæl'э wi:n´; often, häl'-) •n. the evening of Oct. 31, which is followed by All Saints' Day, or Allhallows: Halloween is now generally celebrated with fun-making and masquerading: see TRICK OR TREAT! [contr. < all hallow even; hallow < OE halga, definite form of halig (see HOLY) in sense holy person, hence saint]

Hallowmas (hæl´ou mэs; also, -mæs') •n. old name for ALL SAINTS' DAY [< all hallow mass: see HALLOWE'EN]

Hallstatt (häl´stät', -shtät'; höl´stät') •adj. designating or of an Iron Age culture (c. 700-400 B.C.) in central Europe, characterized by swords of bronze or iron with winged metal terminals and by the domestication of horses [from archaeological findings at Hallstatt, Austria]

hallucinate (hэ lu:´si neit') -nat'ed, -nat'ing •vt. 1 to cause to have hallucinations Æ 2 to perceive in a hallucination •vi. to have hallucinations [< L hallucinatus, pp. of hallucinari, to wander mentally, rave < Gr alyein, to be confused (+ ending after L vaticinari, to prophesy) < IE base *al-, to wander, be confused > L ambulare]

hallucination (hэ lu:'si nei´shэn) •n. 1 the apparent perception of sights, sounds, etc. that are not actually present: it may occur in certain mental disorders 2 the imaginary object apparently seen, heard, etc. SYN. DELUSION hal·lu´ci·na'tive •adj. [L hallucinatio < hallucinari: see HALLUCINATE]

hallucinatory (hэ lu:´si nэ tör'i:) •adj. 1 of or characterized by hallucination 2 producing hallucination

hallucinogen (hэ lu:´si nэ jэn, -jen'; hæl'yu: sin´э-, -yэ-) •n. a drug or other substance that produces hallucinations hal·lu'ci·no·gen´ic •adj. [< HALLUCIN(ATION) + -O- + -GEN]

hallucinosis (hэ lu:'si nou´sis) •n. a mental disorder characterized by hallucinations [ModL < L hallucinatio + -OSIS]

hallux (hæl´эks) pl. -lu·ces' (-yu: si:z') •n. the first toe on either of the hind legs of a terrestrial vertebrate; in humans, the large inner toe [ModL < L hallux, hallus, big toe]

hallway (höl´wei') •n. 1 a passageway or room between the entrance and the interior of a building; vestibule 2 a passageway; corridor

Halmahera (häl'mэ her´э) largest of the Molucca Islands, Indonesia, east of Celebes: 6,870 sq. mi. (17,800 sq. km)

halo (hei´lou) pl. -los or -loes •n. 1 a) a ring of light that seems to encircle the sun, moon, or other luminous body: it results from the refraction of light through ice crystals in our atmosphere b) a spherical distribution of stars and star clusters extending beyond the main body of certain galaxies, as the Milky Way 2 a symbolic disk or ring of light shown around or above the head of a saint, etc., as in pictures; nimbus: often used as a symbol of virtue or innocence 3 the splendor or glory with which a famed, revered, or idealized person or thing is invested •vt. -loed, -lo·ing to encircle with a halo [L halos (gen. & acc. halo) < Gr halōs, circular threshing floor, round disk of the sun or moon, hence halo around the sun or moon < halein, to grind < IE base *al-, to grind > Arm ałam, grind, Hindi ātā, meal]

halo- (hæl´ou, -э) combining form 1 of the sea {halobiont} 2 having to do with a salt {halophyte} 3 having to do with a halogen {haloid} [< Gr hals (gen. halos), SALT, hence sea]

halo effect the tendency for an estimate or judgment to be influenced by an irrelevant or only loosely associated factor, impression, etc.

halobiont (hæl'ou bai´änt, hæl'э-) •n. an organism living in a saline environment, as in the sea [prec. + Gr bion, living + -t]

halocline (hæl´ou klain´, hæl´э-) •n. a level of marked change, esp. increase, in the salinity of sea water at a certain depth [HALO- + -cline, as in ANTICLINE]

halogen (hæl´ou jэn, -jen'; hæl´э-) •n. any of the five nonmetallic chemical elements fluorine, chlorine, bromine, astatine, and iodine ha·log·e·nous (hæ lä´jэ nэs) •adj. [HALO- + -GEN]

halogenate (hæl´ou jэ neit', hæl´э-; hэ lä´jэ neit') -at'ed, -at'ing •vt. 1 to treat with a halogen or with a hydrogen halogen 2 to introduce a halogen, usually chlorine or bromine, into (a compound) hal'o·gen·a´tion •n.

halogeton (hæl´э jэ tän', hэ läj´э tän') •n. a poisonous Asiatic weed (Halogeton glomeratus) of the goosefoot family, with fleshy, cylindrical leaves and minute, papery flowers, becoming widespread in the W U.S. [ModL < HALO- + Gr geitōn, neighbor]

haloid (hæl´oid') •adj. of, like, or from a halogen [HAL(O)- + -OID]

haloperidol (hæl'ou per´э döl, -däl') •n. a powerful tranquilizer, C21H23ClFNO2, used in treating schizophrenia, Tourette's syndrome, nausea, etc. [HALO- + (PI)PERID(INE) + -OL¹]

halophile (hæl´ou fail', hæl´э-) •n. an organism living in a salty environment hal'o·phil´ic (-fil´ik) or ha·loph·i·lous (hэ läf´i lэs) •adj. [HALO- + -PHILE]

halophyte (hæl´ou fait', hæl´э-) •n. a plant that can grow in salty or alkaline soil [HALO- + -PHYTE]

halothane (hæl´ou θein', hæl´э-) •n. a nonexplosive liquid, CF3CHBrCl, whose vapor is inhaled to produce general anesthesia [HALO- + (E)TH(ER) + -ANE]

Hals (häls), Frans (fřäns) 1580-1666; Du. painter

Halsey (höl´zi:), William Frederick 1882-1959; U.S. admiral

Hälsingborg (hel´siŋ bôř'yª) seaport in SW Sweden, on the Öresund, opposite Helsingør, Denmark: pop. 104,000

halt¹ (hölt) •n. 1 a stop, esp. a temporary one, as in marching; pause or discontinuance 2 a command to stop •vi., vt. to come or bring to a halt; stop, esp. temporarily Æ call a halt to order a stop, esp. temporarily [orig. in phr. to make halt, transl. of Ger halt machen < imper. of halten (see HOLD¹) + machen, MAKE²]

halt² (hölt) •vi. 1 [Archaic] to walk with a crippled gait; limp; hobble 2 to be uncertain; waver; hesitate {to halt in one's speech} 3 to have defects; esp., a) to have a faulty meter (said of verse) b) to be illogical (said of argument) •adj. limping; crippled; lame [ME halte < OE healt, halt, akin to MHG halz < IE base *kel-, to strike, hew (> L calamitas): basic sense lamed by wounding] •n. [Archaic] lameness the halt those who are lame; cripples [ME halten < OE healtian < healt (see the adj.), akin to MHG halzen]

halter¹ (höl´tэr) •n. 1 a) a rope, cord, strap, etc., usually with a headstall, for tying or leading an animal b) a bitless headstall, with or without a lead rope 2 a) a rope for hanging a person; hangman's noose b) execution by hanging 3 a garment for covering the breast, held up by a cord or loop around the neck, and worn by women and girls to bare the shoulders and back •vt. 1 to put a halter on (an animal); tie with a halter 2 to hang (a person) [ME < OE hælftre (akin to Ger halfter) < base of helfe (see HELVE): basic sense that by which something is held]

halter² (hæl´tэr; also höl´-) pl. hal·te´res (-tir´i:z) either of a pair of knobbed, threadlike, modified second wings serving as balancing organs in dipteran insects Also hal´tere' (-tir') •n. [ModL < L, lead weights < Gr haltēr, weight held (to give impetus) in leaping < hallesthai, to leap < IE base *sel- > L salire]

halting (hölt´iŋ) •adj. 1 limping, awkward, or unsteady {a halting gait} 2 marked by hesitation or uncertainty; jerky, disconnected, etc. {halting speech} halt´ing·ly •adv.

halutz (khä lu:ts´, hä-) pl. ha'lutz·im´ (-lu:t si:m´) •n. a Jewish pioneer in the agricultural settlements of modern Israel [Heb chaluts, lit., warrior in the vanguard < root hlc, to be in the vanguard]

halvah or halva (häl vä´; häl´vä', -vэ) •n. a Turkish confection consisting of a paste made of ground sesame seeds and nuts mixed with honey, etc. [Turk helwa < Ar halwa]

halve (hæv, häv) halved, halv´ing •vt. 1 to divide into two equal parts 2 to share (something) equally with someone {to halve one's winnings with another} 3 to reduce by fifty percent; reduce to half 4 Carpentry to join (two pieces of wood) by cutting away an end of each to half its thickness and fitting the cut ends together 5 Golf to play (a hole, match, etc.) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent [ME halven < half, HALF]