📖 H — The English dictionary · page 17

heifer — Everyday, meaning 1: A young female cow that has not yet had a calf (or has had only one).↗ Example: The heifer will have her first calf in spring.↗ · Five heifers were grazing in the meadow.↗ · A heifer becomes a cow after she has calves.↗ · The farmer took his best heifer to the agricultural show.↗ · In the Bible, a red heifer is mentioned in the book of Numbers.↗ · When the old woman woke, there was no heifer in sight.↗ · And the priest shall take cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.↗ (Torah NUM.19.6, JPS 1917)↗ · And the heifer shall be burnt in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall be burnt.↗ (Torah NUM.19.5, JPS 1917)↗ · And all the elders of that city, who are nearest unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley.↗ (Torah DEU.21.6, JPS 1917)↗ · Egypt is a very fair heifer; but the gadfly out of the north is come, it is come.↗ (Prophets JER.46.20, JPS 1917)↗ · And he said unto them: If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.↗ (Prophets JDG.14.18, JPS 1917)↗ · For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer; now shall the LORD feed them as a lamb in a large place?↗ (Prophets HOS.4.16, JPS 1917)↗

height — Everyday, meaning 1: Height is how tall a person or thing is, from the bottom to the top.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Height is how high something is above the ground, like a plane flying at a great height.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The height of something is its strongest or busiest point, like the height of summer.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Heights are high places: someone afraid of heights does not like being up high.↗ Example: The height of the tree is 6 metres.↗ · Tom's height is 130 cm.↗ · A box has length 4, width 3 and height 2.↗ · Who has the greater height?↗ · You must be 120 cm in height to go on this ride.↗ · We marked my height on the kitchen door.↗ · The plane flew at a height of 10 kilometres.↗ · My sister is afraid of heights.↗ · How magnificent was the sight from this height!↗ · And thou shalt make the altar of acacia-wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be four-square; and the height thereof shall be three cubits.↗ (Torah EXO.27.1, JPS 1917)↗ · And he made the table of acacia-wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.↗ (Torah EXO.37.10, JPS 1917)↗ · And he made the altar of burnt-offering of acacia-wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof, four-square, and three cubits the height thereof.↗ (Torah EXO.38.1, JPS 1917)↗ · Is not God in the height of heaven?↗ (Writings JOB.22.12, JPS 1917)↗ · Praise ye the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the heights.↗ (Writings PSA.148.1, JPS 1917)↗ · Folly is set on great heights, and the rich sit in low place.↗ (Writings ECC.10.6, JPS 1917)↗

heighten — Everyday, meaning 1: To make a feeling, effect or danger stronger or greater.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To make something higher or taller (rare in everyday talk).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal) To increase, as in «heightened security» or «heightened risk».↗ Example: The creaking door heightened our fear.↗ · Music in a film can heighten the excitement.↗ · Police were on heightened alert after the storm.↗ · Eating sugar before bed may heighten a child's energy.↗ · The poster aims to heighten awareness of road safety.↗ · Her senses were heightened in the dark forest.↗ · Builders heightened the wall to keep the goats in.↗ · The close score heightened the tension in the last minute.↗ · The clay itself seemed inspired since she had been there, and moulded itself, in heightened beauty, to a likeness of the well-known features.↗

heinous — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Very wicked and shocking, hateful in a terrible way.↗ Example: For that were a heinous crime; yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges.↗ (Writings JOB.31.11, JPS 1917)↗

heir — Everyday, meaning 1: A person who will receive someone's money, house or other property when that person dies, as in «She is heir to the farm».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The person who will become king, queen or ruler next, as in «the heir to the throne».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Someone who carries on another person's work or ideas.↗ Example: Prince William is the heir to the throne.↗ · Henry VIII wanted a son as his heir.↗ · She was the only heir to her uncle's fortune.↗ · In the story, the orphan turned out to be the lost heir of the kingdom.↗ · The farm passed to the oldest heir.↗ · He saw himself as the heir to his grandad's woodworking skills.↗ · Take my daughter; be my heir; rule my kingdom.↗ · And Abram said: 'Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed, and, lo, one born in my house is to be mine heir.'↗ (Torah GEN.15.3, JPS 1917)↗ · Wherefore she said unto Abraham: 'Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.'↗ (Torah GEN.21.10, JPS 1917)↗ · And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying: 'This man shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.'↗ (Torah GEN.15.4, JPS 1917)↗ · For an odious woman when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.↗ (Writings PRO.30.23, JPS 1917)↗ · And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they said: Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also.↗ (Prophets 2SA.14.7, JPS 1917)↗

helicopter — Everyday, meaning 1: A helicopter is an aircraft with big spinning blades on top, which lets it go straight up, straight down and hover in one place.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (rare, verb) To helicopter someone is to carry them by helicopter.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) A helicopter parent is a parent who watches over a child too closely.↗ Example: A rescue helicopter lifted the climber off the mountain.↗ · The helicopter hovered above the field.↗ · We made paper helicopters and timed them falling.↗ · The injured man was helicoptered to hospital.↗ · A helicopter can land on a small pad.↗ · The police helicopter shone a light down.↗ · His mum is a bit of a helicopter parent.↗ · Each helicopter can carry 6 people, so 3 helicopters carry 18.↗

helium — Everyday, meaning 1: A very light gas with no colour or smell that is lighter than air; it is used to fill party balloons and airships so they float.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A chemical element (symbol He), the second lightest of all.↗ Example: The party balloons were filled with helium.↗ · Helium balloons float up into the sky.↗ · Helium is lighter than air.↗ · The Sun turns hydrogen into helium.↗ · Don't breathe in helium; it can be dangerous.↗ · A helium balloon goes floppy after a few days.↗ · Let balloons go only if they won't harm birds and sea animals.↗

hell — Everyday, meaning 1: In some religions, a place where bad people are believed to go after death to be punished.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A very unpleasant place or experience.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (rude, mild swearing) Said to show anger, surprise or emphasis.↗ e.g. "What the hell?", "hell of a".↗ Example: In the story, the devil lived in hell.↗ · The traffic jam was hell.↗ · (rude) What the hell is that noise?↗ · (rude) Bloody hell, that was close!↗ · (rude) We had a hell of a time getting home.↗ · The long walk in the heat was hell.↗

hellenic — Everyday, meaning 1: To do with Greece and the Greek people, language and culture, especially ancient Greece.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (history) To do with classical Greek civilisation before Alexander the Great (later times are called Hellenistic).↗ Example: Greece's official name is the Hellenic Republic.↗ · The Olympics began as a Hellenic festival.↗ · The museum has a hall of Hellenic statues.↗ · Greeks call themselves Hellenes.↗ · Hellenic myths tell of Zeus and the gods of Olympus.↗

hello — Everyday, meaning 1: A word you say when you meet someone or answer the phone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A word to get someone's attention: «Hello?↗ Is anyone there?».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Said when you are surprised (old-fashioned, UK): «Hello, what's this?».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A noun: a greeting: «Say hello to your mum».↗ Example: Hello, Mrs Brown!↗ · Say hello to your grandma for me.↗ · She waved hello from the bus.↗ · «Hello?↗ Who's calling?»↗ · Hello?↗ Is anybody home?↗ · He said a quick hello and ran off.↗ · It's polite to say hello when you come into a room.↗ · Don't tell a caller you don't know that you're home alone.↗ · “Hello!” replied the Tin Woodman calmly.↗

helm — Everyday, meaning 1: The helm is the wheel or handle used to steer a ship or boat.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To be at the helm means to be in charge of something.↗ Example: The captain stood at the helm.↗ · Turn the helm to the left!↗ · Our teacher is at the helm of the school trip.↗

helmet — Everyday, meaning 1: A helmet is a hard hat that keeps your head safe when you ride a bike, scooter or horse, or play some sports.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Firefighters, builders, soldiers and astronauts also wear helmets.↗ Example: A helmet costs $25.↗ · The team needs 11 helmets.↗ · He bought a bike and a helmet for $120.↗ · 4 helmets are on the shelf.↗ · Put on your helmet before you ride your bike.↗ · The builder wore a yellow safety helmet.↗ · Astronauts wear helmets in space.↗ · The knight's helmet was made of steel.↗ · Her helmet cracked in the fall, but her head was safe.↗ · Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; (Prophets EZK.38.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Harness the horses, and mount, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.↗ (Prophets JER.46.4, JPS 1917)↗ · And Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging.↗ (Writings 2CH.26.14, JPS 1917)↗

helmsman — Everyday, meaning 1: A helmsman is the person who steers a ship or boat.↗ Example: The helmsman kept the boat on course.↗ · The helmsman called out that land was in sight.↗ · Our helmsman knew every rock in the bay.↗

helot — Everyday, meaning 1: (history) A helot was one of the people in ancient Sparta who were made to work the land for the Spartans, almost like slaves, and could not leave.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal, rare) A helot is anyone treated like a slave or a serf.↗ Example: The helots farmed the land for the Spartans.↗ · There were many more helots than Spartan citizens.↗ · Spartans feared that the helots would rebel.↗ · Helots could not leave the farms they worked on.↗ · The helots rose up against Sparta several times.↗ · Spartan boys trained as soldiers while helots grew the food.↗

help — Everyday, meaning 1: To help is to do something for someone so their work is easier.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Help is the act of helping, or things that make work easier.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: «Help!» is shouted when someone is in danger.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Can't help means cannot stop yourself, as in I can't help laughing.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: A helping is one serving of food on a plate.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: Help yourself means take what you want.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: (casual) «Help a mate out» or «gimme a hand» means please help me; «no help at all» is said, often sarcastically, of someone useless.↗ Everyday, meaning 8: (rough) «God help us» or «heaven help him» means things are bad or someone is in trouble; «you're no bloody help» is an angry complaint.↗ Everyday, meaning 9: (formal) «Assistance», «render assistance» and «aid» are the stiff words for help: «Assistance was rendered by two volunteers.».↗ Everyday, meaning 10: (euphemism) «The help» is an old way to say servants or cleaners; «needs a bit of help» can softly mean someone is struggling.↗ Everyday, meaning 11: No help for it means nothing can be done about a situation, so it has to be accepted.↗ Example: Sam helps his dad pick 30 apples.↗ · With Ann's help they paint 2 walls an hour.↗ · She had two helpings of soup.↗ · How many did they pick together?↗ · Can you help me carry this box?↗ · If you are lost, ask a police officer for help.↗ · Help yourself to some fruit.↗ · I couldn't help smiling when I saw the puppy.↗ · help me out mate, 3 bags each and there's 4 of us, how many bags (casual)↗ · Oh great, you're a big help — you ate half the biscuits!↗ (sarcastic)↗ · Shut up and help me count them, it's 12 not 10.↗ (rough)↗ · With the assistance of two volunteers, a quantity of 30 apples was harvested; determine the share of each.↗ (formal exam)↗ · There was no help for it.↗ · And the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.↗ (Torah EXO.2.17, JPS 1917)↗ · There is none like unto God, O Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven as thy help, and in His excellency on the skies.↗ (Torah DEU.33.26, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD God said: 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.'↗ (Torah GEN.2.18, JPS 1917)↗ · With whose help hast thou uttered words?↗ (Writings JOB.26.4, JPS 1917)↗ · He is their help and their shield!↗ (Writings PSA.115.9, JPS 1917)↗ · He is their help and their shield.↗ (Writings PSA.115.11, JPS 1917)↗