Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter H - Page 1

H () the eighth letter of the English alphabet, is classed among the consonants, and is formed with the mouth organs in the same position as that of the succeeding vowel. It is used with certain consonants to form digraphs representing sounds which are not found in the alphabet, as sh, th, /, as in shall, thing, /ine (for zh see /274); also, to modify the sounds of some other letters, as when placed after c and p, with the former of which it represents a compound sound like that of tsh, as in charm (written also tch as in catch), with the latter, the sound of f, as in phase, phantom. In some words, mostly derived or introduced from foreign languages, h following c and g indicates that those consonants have the hard sound before e, i, and y, as in chemistry, chiromancy, chyle, Ghent, Ghibelline, etc.; in some others, ch has the sound of sh, as in chicane. See Guide to Pronunciation, // 153, 179, 181-3, 237-8.

H () The seventh degree in the diatonic scale, being used by the Germans for B natural. See B.

Ha (interj.) An exclamation denoting surprise, joy, or grief. Both as uttered and as written, it expresses a great variety of emotions, determined by the tone or the context. When repeated, ha, ha, it is an expression of laughter, satisfaction, or triumph, sometimes of derisive laughter; or sometimes it is equivalent to "Well, it is so."

Haaf (n.) The deepsea fishing for cod, ling, and tusk, off the Shetland Isles.

Haak (n.) A sea fish. See Hake.

Haar (n.) A fog; esp., a fog or mist with a chill wind.

Habeas corpus () A writ having for its object to bring a party before a court or judge; especially, one to inquire into the cause of a person's imprisonment or detention by another, with the view to protect the right to personal liberty; also, one to bring a prisoner into court to testify in a pending trial.

Habendum (n.) That part of a deed which follows the part called the premises, and determines the extent of the interest or estate granted; -- so called because it begins with the word Habendum.

Haberdash (v. i.) To deal in small wares.

Haberdasher (n.) A dealer in small wares, as tapes, pins, needles, and thread; also, a hatter.

Haberdasher (n.) A dealer in drapery goods of various descriptions, as laces, silks, trimmings, etc.

Haberdashery (n.) The goods and wares sold by a haberdasher; also (Fig.), trifles.

Haberdine (n.) A cod salted and dried.

Habergeon (n.) Properly, a short hauberk, but often used loosely for the hauberk.

Habilatory (a.) Of or pertaining to clothing; wearing clothes.

Habile (a.) Fit; qualified; also, apt.

Habiliment (n.) A garment; an article of clothing.

Habiliment (n.) Dress, in general.

Habilimented (a.) Clothed. Taylor (1630).

Habilitate (a.) Qualified or entitled.

Habilitate (v. t.) To fit out; to equip; to qualify; to entitle.

Habilitation (n.) Equipment; qualification.

Hability (n.) Ability; aptitude.

Habit (n.) The usual condition or state of a person or thing, either natural or acquired, regarded as something had, possessed, and firmly retained; as, a religious habit; his habit is morose; elms have a spreading habit; esp., physical temperament or constitution; as, a full habit of body.

Habit (n.) The general appearance and manner of life of a living organism.

Habit (n.) Fixed or established custom; ordinary course of conduct; practice; usage; hence, prominently, the involuntary tendency or aptitude to perform certain actions which is acquired by their frequent repetition; as, habit is second nature; also, peculiar ways of acting; characteristic forms of behavior.

Habit (n.) Outward appearance; attire; dress; hence, a garment; esp., a closely fitting garment or dress worn by ladies; as, a riding habit.

Habited (imp. & p. p.) of Habit

Habiting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Habit

Habit (n.) To inhabit.

Habit (n.) To dress; to clothe; to array.

Habit (n.) To accustom; to habituate. [Obs.] Chapman.

Habitability (n.) Habitableness.

Habitable (a.) Capable of being inhabited; that may be inhabited or dwelt in; as, the habitable world.

Habitakle (v.) A dwelling place.

Habitan (n.) Same as Habitant, 2.

Habitance (n.) Dwelling; abode; residence.

Habiitancy (n.) Same as Inhabitancy.

Habitant (v. t.) An inhabitant; a dweller.

Habitant (v. t.) An inhabitant or resident; -- a name applied to and denoting farmers of French descent or origin in Canada, especially in the Province of Quebec; -- usually in plural.

Habitat (v. t.) The natural abode, locality or region of an animal or plant.

Habitat (v. t.) Place where anything is commonly found.

Habitation (n.) The act of inhabiting; state of inhabiting or dwelling, or of being inhabited; occupancy.

Habitation (n.) Place of abode; settled dwelling; residence; house.

Habitator (n.) A dweller; an inhabitant.

Habited (p. p. & a.) Clothed; arrayed; dressed; as, he was habited like a shepherd.

Habited (p. p. & a.) Fixed by habit; accustomed.

Habited (p. p. & a.) Inhabited.

Habitual (n.) Formed or acquired by habit or use.

Habitual (n.) According to habit; established by habit; customary; constant; as, the habiual practice of sin.

Habituated (imp. & p. p.) of Habituate

Habituating (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Habituate

Habituate (v. t.) To make accustomed; to accustom; to familiarize.

Habituate (v. t.) To settle as an inhabitant.

Habituate (a.) Firmly established by custom; formed by habit; habitual.

Habituation (n.) The act of habituating, or accustoming; the state of being habituated.

Habitude (n.) Habitual attitude; usual or accustomed state with reference to something else; established or usual relations.

Habitude (n.) Habitual association, intercourse, or familiarity.

Habitude (n.) Habit of body or of action.

Habitue (n.) One who habitually frequents a place; as, an habitue of a theater.

Habiture (n.) Habitude.

Habitus (n.) Habitude; mode of life; general appearance.

Hable (a.) See Habile.

Habnab (adv.) By chance.

Hachure (n.) A short line used in drawing and engraving, especially in shading and denoting different surfaces, as in map drawing. See Hatching.

Hacienda (n.) A large estate where work of any kind is done, as agriculture, manufacturing, mining, or raising of animals; a cultivated farm, with a good house, in distinction from a farming establishment with rude huts for herdsmen, etc.; -- a word used in Spanish-American regions.

Hack (n.) A frame or grating of various kinds; as, a frame for drying bricks, fish, or cheese; a rack for feeding cattle; a grating in a mill race, etc.

Hack (n.) Unburned brick or tile, stacked up for drying.

Hacked (imp. & p. p.) of Hack

Hacking (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Hack

Hack (v. t.) To cut irregulary, without skill or definite purpose; to notch; to mangle by repeated strokes of a cutting instrument; as, to hack a post.

Hack (v. t.) Fig.: To mangle in speaking.

Hack (v. i.) To cough faintly and frequently, or in a short, broken manner; as, a hacking cough.

Hack (n.) A notch; a cut.

Hack (n.) An implement for cutting a notch; a large pick used in breaking stone.

Hack (n.) A hacking; a catch in speaking; a short, broken cough.

Hack (n.) A kick on the shins.

Hack (n.) A horse, hackneyed or let out for common hire; also, a horse used in all kinds of work, or a saddle horse, as distinguished from hunting and carriage horses.

Hack (n.) A coach or carriage let for hire; particularly, a a coach with two seats inside facing each other; a hackney coach.

Hack (n.) A bookmaker who hires himself out for any sort of literary work; an overworked man; a drudge.

Hack (n.) A procuress.

Hack (a.) Hackneyed; hired; mercenary.

Hack (v. t.) To use as a hack; to let out for hire.

Hack (v. t.) To use frequently and indiscriminately, so as to render trite and commonplace.

Hack (v. i.) To be exposed or offered or to common use for hire; to turn prostitute.

Hack (v. i.) To live the life of a drudge or hack.

Hackamore (n.) A halter consisting of a long leather or rope strap and headstall, -- used for leading or tieing a pack animal.

Hackberry (n.) A genus of trees (Celtis) related to the elm, but bearing drupes with scanty, but often edible, pulp. C. occidentalis is common in the Eastern United States.

Hackbolt (n.) The greater shearwater or hagdon. See Hagdon.

Hackbuss (n.) Same as Hagbut.

Hackee (n.) The chipmunk; also, the chickaree or red squirrel.

Hacker (n.) One who, or that which, hacks. Specifically: A cutting instrument for making notches; esp., one used for notching pine trees in collecting turpentine; a hack.

Hackery (n.) A cart with wooden wheels, drawn by bullocks.

Hackle (n.) A comb for dressing flax, raw silk, etc.; a hatchel.

Hackle (n.) Any flimsy substance unspun, as raw silk.

Hackle (n.) One of the peculiar, long, narrow feathers on the neck of fowls, most noticeable on the cock, -- often used in making artificial flies; hence, any feather so used.

Hackle (n.) An artificial fly for angling, made of feathers.

Hackled (imp. & p. p.) of Hackle

Hackling (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Hackle

Hackle (v. t.) To separate, as the coarse part of flax or hemp from the fine, by drawing it through the teeth of a hackle or hatchel.

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