head

See also: Head and -head

English

Alternative forms

• heed (obsolete), hed (obsolete)
• 'ead (UK, eye dialect)

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English hed, heed, heved, heaved, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old English hēafod (“head; top; source, origin; chief, leader; capital”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *haubudą (“head”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *kauput-, *káput (“head”), a variant of *kapōlo (“head, bowl”).

cognates

Cognate with Scots heid, hede, hevid, heved (“head”), Old English hafola (“head”), North Frisian hood (“head”), Dutch hoofd (“head”), German Haupt (“head”), Swedish huvud (“head”), Icelandic höfuð (“head”), Latin caput (“head”), Sanskrit कपाल (kapāla, “skull”), Hindi कपाल (kapāl, “skull”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: hĕd, (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /hɛd/
• (UK) enPR: (h)ĕd, (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /(h)ɛd/
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter)

  Audio (US)

  (file)

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter)

  Audio (UK)

  (file)

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Rhymes: -ɛd
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Homophones: Ed, ed

Noun

Picture dictionary

head

skull

brain

eye

nose

mouth

chin

jaw

ear

temple

neck

Click on labels in the image

head (countable and uncountable, plural heads)

1. (countable) The part of the body of an animal or human which contains the brain, mouth, and main sense organs.

   Be careful when you pet that dog on the head; it may bite.

   Synonyms: caput, pate, noggin, loaf, nut, noodle, bonce

   1. (people) To do with heads.
      1. Mental or emotional aptitude or skill.

         The company is looking for people with good heads for business.

         He has no head for heights.

         It's all about having a good head on your shoulders.

         Synonym: mind

      2. Mind; one's own thoughts.

         This song keeps going through my head.
      3. A headache; especially one resulting from intoxication.
         • 1888, Rudyard Kipling, ‘Thrown Away’, Plain Tales from the Hills, Folio Society 2005 edition, page 18,

           he took them seriously, too, just as seriously as he took the ‘head’ that followed after drink.

      4. A headdress; a covering for the head.

         a laced head;   a head of hair

      5. An individual person.

         Admission is three dollars a head.

         • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:

           But here we are obliged to disclose some maxims, which publicans hold to be the grand mysteries of their trade. […] And lastly, if any of their guests call but for little, to make them pay a double price for everything they have; so that the amount by the head may be much the same.

   2. (animals) To do with heads.
      1. (uncountable, measure word for livestock and game) A single animal.

         200 head of cattle and 50 head of horses

         12 head of big cattle and 14 head of branded calves

         at five years of age this head of cattle is worth perhaps $40

         a reduction in the assessment per head of sheep

         they shot 20 head of quail

      2. The population of game.

         we have a heavy head of deer this year;  planting the hedges increased the head of quail and doves

      3. The antlers of a deer.
2. (countable) The topmost, foremost, or leading part.

   What does it say at the head of the page?

   Synonym: top

   Antonyms: base, bottom, underside

   1. The end of a table.
      1. The end of a rectangular table furthest from the entrance; traditionally considered a seat of honor.

         During meetings, the supervisor usually sits at the head of the table.

      2. (billiards) The end of a pool table opposite the end where the balls have been racked.
   2. (countable) The principal operative part of a machine or tool.
      1. The end of a hammer, axe, golf club, or similar implement used for striking other objects.
      2. The end of a nail, screw, bolt, or similar fastener which is opposite the point; usually blunt and relatively wide.

         Hit the nail on the head!

         Antonyms: point, sharp end, tip

      3. The sharp end of an arrow, spear, or pointer.

         The head of the compass needle is pointing due north.

      4. (lacrosse) The top part of a lacrosse stick that holds the ball.
      5. (music) A drum head, the membrane which is hit to produce sound.

         Tap the head of the drum for this roll.

      6. A machine element which reads or writes electromagnetic signals to or from a storage medium.

         The heads of your tape player need to be cleaned.

      7. (computing) The part of a disk drive responsible for reading and writing data.
      8. (automotive) The cylinder head, a platform above the cylinders in an internal combustion engine, containing the valves and spark plugs.
   3. The foam that forms on top of beer or other carbonated beverages.

      Pour me a fresh beer; this one has no head.

   4. (engineering) The end cap of a cylindrically-shaped pressure vessel.
   5. (British, geology) Deposits near the top of a geological succession.
   6. (medicine) The end of an abscess where pus collects.
   7. (music) The headstock of a guitar.
   8. (nautical) A leading component.
      1. The top edge of a sail.
      2. The bow of a vessel.
   9. (British) A headland.
3. (social, countable) A leader or expert.

   Synonyms: boss, chief, leader

   Antonyms: subordinate, underling

   1. The place of honour, or of command; the most important or foremost position; the front.
      • Joseph Addison (1672-1719)

        an army of fourscore thousand troops, with the duke Marlborough at the head of them

   2. Leader; chief; mastermind.

      I'd like to speak to the head of the department.

      Police arrested the head of the gang in a raid last night.
   3. A headmaster or headmistress.

      I was called into the head's office to discuss my behaviour.

      Synonyms: headmaster, headmistress, principal

   4. (music, slang) A person with an extensive knowledge of hip hop.

      Only true heads know this.

4. A significant or important part.
   1. A beginning or end, a protuberance.
      1. The source of a river; the end of a lake where a river flows into it.

         The expedition followed the river all the way to the head.

      2. A clump of seeds, leaves or flowers; a capitulum.

         Give me a head of lettuce.

         • Template:quote-magazine
         1. An ear of wheat, barley, or other small cereal.
         2. The leafy top part of a tree.
      3. (anatomy) The rounded part of a bone fitting into a depression in another bone to form a ball-and-socket joint.
      4. (nautical) The toilet of a ship.

         I've got to go to the head.

      5. (in the plural) Tiles laid at the eaves of a house.

         (Can we [[:Category:Requests for quotations/{{{2}}}|find and add]] a quotation of {{{2}}} to this entry?)

   2. A component.
      1. (jazz) The principal melody or theme of a piece.
      2. (linguistics) A morpheme that determines the category of a compound or the word that determines the syntactic type of the phrase of which it is a member.
5. Headway; progress.

   We are having a difficult time making head against this wind.

6. Topic; subject.

   We will consider performance issues under the head of future improvements.

7. (uncountable) Denouement; crisis.

   These isses are going to come to a head today.

   • William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

     Ere foul sin, gathering head, shall break into corruption.

   • Joseph Addison (1672-1719)

     The indisposition which has long hung upon me, is at last grown to such a head, that it must quickly make an end of me or of itself.

8. (fluid dynamics) Pressure and energy.
   1. A buildup of fluid pressure, often quantified as pressure head.

      Let the engine build up a good head of steam.

   2. The difference in elevation between two points in a column of fluid, and the resulting pressure of the fluid at the lower point.
   3. More generally, energy in a mass of fluid divided by its weight.
9. (slang, uncountable) Fellatio or cunnilingus; oral sex.

   She gave great head.

   Synonyms: blowjob, blow job, fellatio, oral sex

10. (slang) The glans penis.
11. (slang, countable) A heavy or habitual user of illicit drugs.
    • 1936, Lee Duncan, Over The Wall, Dutton

      Then I saw the more advanced narcotic addicts, who shot unbelievable doses of powerful heroin in the main line – the vein of their arms; the hysien users; chloroform sniffers, who belonged to the riff-raff element of the dope chippeys, who mingled freely with others of their kind; canned heat stiffs, paragoric hounds, laudanum fiends, and last but not least, the veronal heads.

    • 2005, Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home, Simon & Schuster, page 177,

      The hutch now looks like a “Turkish bath,” and the heads have their arms around one another, passing the pipe and snapping their fingers as they sing Smokey Robinson's “Tracks of My Tears” into the night.

12. (obsolete) Power; armed force.
    • William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

      My lord, my lord, the French have gathered head.

    (Can we [[:Category:Requests for quotations/{{{2}}}|find and add]] a quotation of {{{2}}} to this entry?)

Usage notes

• To give something its head is to allow it to run freely. This is used for horses, and, sometimes, figuratively for vehicles.

Synonyms

See also Wikisaurus:head, Wikisaurus:toilet, Wikisaurus:bathroom.

See also

• 
  The human head.
• 
  A flower head.
• 
  Head of a comet.
• 
  Head of the line.
• 
  Arrow and spear heads.
• 
  Head of a hammer.
• 
  Head of a metal spike.
• 
  Head of the hip bone.
• 
  Head of a ship.
• 
  Head of a sail.
• 
  Head of a pressurized cylinder.
• 
  Head of a two-stroke engine.
• 
  Hydraulic head between two points.
• 
  A read-write head.
• 
  Head of a guitar.
• 
  Head of a drum.

Translations

part of the body

• Abau: makwe
• Abkhaz: ахы (axə)
• Afrikaans: kop (af)
• Aguaruna: buuk
• Ainu: サパ (sapa), パケ (pake)
• Akkadian: 𒊕 (rēšu)
• Alabama: isbakko
• Albanian: kokë (sq) f
• Ancient Greek: κεφαλή f (kephalḗ), κάρα f (kára) (poetic)
• Angaataha: mɨtɨho
• Apalaí: upuhpo
• Arabic: رَأْس (ar) m (raʔs)

  Egyptian Arabic: راس f (ras), دماغ f (demāḡ)

  Gulf Arabic: راس m (rās)

  Iraqi Arabic: راس m (rās)

  Levantine Arabic: راس m (rās)

  Moroccan Arabic: رأس m (ras)

• Armenian: գլուխ (hy) (glux)
• Aromanian: cap
• Asturian: cabeza (ast) f, tiesta (ast) f
• Avar: бекӏер (bekʼer)
• Azeri: baş (az)
• Bakhtiari: سر (sar)
• Baluchi: سر (sar), سرگ (sarag)
• Bashkir: баш (baş)
• Basque: buru (eu), kasko, gazta (eu)
• Bauwaki: awara
• Belarusian: галава́ f (halavá)
• Bengali: মাথা (matha)
• Berber:

  Tashelhit: agayyu m, ixf

• Bole: ko, koyi
• Borôro: aora
• Breton: penn (br) m, pennoù (br) pl
• Bulgarian: глава́ (bg) f (glavá)
• Burmese: ခေါင်း (my) (hkaung:)
• Buryat: толгай (tolgaj)
• Catalan: cap (ca) m, testa (ca) f (literary), closca f (colloquial)
• Central Masela: oke
• Central Melanau: ulew
• Chamicuro: kashki
• Chechen: корта (korta)
• Cherokee: ᎠᏍᎪᎵ (asgoli)
• Chichewa: mutu
• Chickasaw: ishkobo
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 頭／头, 头 (tau⁴)

  Hakka: 頭那／头那, 头那 (thèu-nà)

  Mandarin: 頭／头 (zh), 头 (zh) (tóu), 頭腦／头脑 (zh) (tóunǎo), 头脑 (zh) (tóunǎo)

  Min Nan: 頭／头 (zh-min-nan), 头 (thâu)

• Chuvash: пуҫ (puś)
• Coptic:

  Bohairic: ⲁⲫⲉ f (afe), ⲁⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ f pl (afyui), ϫⲁϫ m (d͡ʒad͡ʒ), ϫⲱ m (d͡ʒō), ⲕⲁⲣⲁ f (kara), ⲕⲉⲫⲁⲗⲏ f (kefalī)

  Sahidic: ⲁⲡⲉ f (ape)

• Cornish: penn m
• Corsican: capu (co)
• Crimean Tatar: baş
• Czech: hlava (cs) f
• Dalmatian: cup m
• Danish: hoved (da) n
• Darkinjung: kamburung
• Dolgan: бас (bas)
• Doromu-Koki: ada
• Dutch: (of person or horse) hoofd (nl) n, (of an animal) kop (nl) m
• Egyptian: 𓍑𓍑𓁶𓏤 (ḏꜣḏꜣ)
• Elfdalian: ovuð n, skolle m
• Esperanto: kapo (eo)
• Estonian: pea (et)
• Evenki: дыл (dyl)
• Ewe: ta
• Faroese: høvd n, høvur n
• Finnish: pää (fi)
• French: tête (fr) f
• Friulian: cjâf m, čhâv m
• Gagauz: baş
• Galician: testa (gl) f, cabeza (gl) f, cachola (gl) f, gherolo m
• Georgian: თავი (ka) (tavi)
• German: Kopf (de) m, Haupt (de) n (rarely used)

  Alemannic German: Chopf m

• Gothic: 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌹𐌸 n (haubiþ)
• Greek: κεφάλι (el) n (kefáli)
• Greenlandic: niaqoq
• Guaraní: akã
• Guugu Yimidhirr: ngaabaay, gambuugu, gudyiir
• Haitian Creole: tèt
• Harsusi: please add this translation if you can
• Hausa: kai (ha)
• Hawaiian: poʻo
• Hebrew: ראש (he) m (rosh)
• Hindi: सिर (hi) m (sir)
• Hungarian: fej (hu)
• Icelandic: höfuð (is) n, (less formal) haus (is) m
• Ido: kapo (io)
• Ilocano: ulo
• Indonesian: kepala (id), hulu (id)
• Interlingua: capite
• Inuktitut: ᓂᐊᖁᖅ (niaqoq)
• Irish: ceann m

  Old Irish: cenn n

  Primitive Irish: qennos

• Istriot: capo m, tiesta f
• Italian: testa (it) f, capo (it) m
• Japanese: 頭 (ja) (あたま, atama), 頭部 (ja) (とうぶ, tōbu) (formally), 頭 (ja) (こうべ, kōbe) (archaic)
• Norman: tête f
• Kalmyk: толһа (tolğa)
• Karachay-Balkar: баш (baş)
• Kashubian: głowa f
• Kazakh: бас (kk) (bas), кәллә (källä)
• Ket: kajga
• Khakas: пас (pas)
• Khanty:
• Khmer: ក្បាល (km) (kbaal)
• Kikuyu: kĩongo, mũtwe
• Korean: 머리 (ko) (meori)
• Koryak: лэвʼыт (lewət)
• Kumyk: баш (baş)
• Kurdish:

  Kurmanji:

  Sorani: سەر (ser)

• Kyrgyz: баш (ky) (baş)
• Lao: ຫົວ (hūa)
• Latgalian: golva f
• Latin: caput (la) n
• Latvian: galva f
• Laz: თი (ti)
• Lithuanian: galvà (lt) f
• Lojban:
• Low German:

  Dutch Low Saxon: Kop (nds)

  German Low German: Kopp (nds) m, Kupp (nds) m

• Luhya: kumurwe
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Luo: wich
• Lü: ᦷᦠ (ḣo)
• Maasai: elukunya
• Macedonian: гла́ва f (gláva)
• Mailu: moru
• Malagasy: loha (mg)
• Malay: kepala (ms), hulu
• Malayalam: തല (ml) (tala)
• Maltese: ras (mt)
• Mandinka: kuŋo
• Manx: kione m
• Maori: māhunga, māhuna, mātenga, pane, upoko, uru
• Mari:
• Mapudungun: logko
• Maria: ada
• Miyako: カナマい (kanamay)
• Mongolian: толгой (mn) (tolgoj)
• Nahuatl: cuaitl (nah)
• Nama: danas
• Nanai: дили (ʒili)
• Nanticoke: neelahammon
• Navajo: bitsiiʼ, ,
• Neapolitan: capa f, capuzzèlla, capucchióne, càpa
• Nepali: टाउको (ṭāukō), शिर (śira)
• Nogai: бас (bas)
• North Frisian: (Föhr-Amrum) hood n
• Northern Amami-Oshima: 頭 (つぃぶる, tsiburu)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: hode (no) n

  Nynorsk: hovud n

• Nottoway-Meherrin: setarake
• Occitan: cap (oc) m, tèsta (oc) f
• Ojibwe: oshtigwaan
• Oki-No-Erabu: 頭 (ちぶる, chiburu)
• Okinawan: 頭 (ちぶる, chiburu)
• Old Church Slavonic:

  Cyrillic: глава f (glava)

  Glagolitic: ⰳⰾⰰⰲⰰ f (glava)

• Old English: hēafod n, hafela m
• Old French: teste, chief
• Old High German: houbit
• Old Norse: hǫfuð n
• Old Prussian: gallū f, galwo f
• Ossetian: сӕр (sær)
• Ottoman Turkish: باش (baş), رأس (re’s), سر (ser)، کله (kelle), قفا (kafâ)
• Persian: سَر (fa) (sar), کله (fa) (kalla/kalle) (abusive)
• Phoenician: 𐤓𐤀𐤔 (ra'š)
• Pitjantjatjara: kata
• Polabian: glåvă f
• Polish: głowa (pl) f
• Portuguese: cabeça (pt) f
• Powhatan: mendabuccah
• Purepecha: éjpu
• Quechua: uma (qu)
• Rejang Kayan: kuhung
• Rohingya: matá
• Romanian: cap (ro) n
• Russian: голова́ (ru) f (golová)
• Rwanda-Rundi: umutwe class 3/4, imitwe pl
• Samogitian: galva f
• Sanskrit: शिर (sa) (śira)
• Sardinian: conca f
• Scots: heid, pow
• Scottish Gaelic: ceann m
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: глава f

  Roman: glava (sh) f

• Shor: паш (paş)
• Sicilian: testa (scn) f, capa (scn) f
• Sinhalese: ඔළුව (oḷuwa)
• Slovak: hlava (sk) f
• Slovene: glava (sl) f, buča (sl)
• Somali: madax
• Sorbian:

  Lower Sorbian: głowa f

  Upper Sorbian: hłowa f

• Sotho: hlooho
• Southern Altai: баш (baş)
• Southern Amami-Oshima: 頭 (つぃぶる, tsiburu)
• Spanish: cabeza (es) f, testa (es) f, maceta (es) f (Guatemala, Nicaragua), marote m (Argentina, Uruguay), sabiola f (Uruguay)
• Sumerian: 𒊕 (SAG)
• Sundanese: mastaka
• Svan: თხვიმ (txvim)
• Swahili: kichwa (sw) class 7/8
• Swedish: huvud (sv) n, skalle (sv) c
• Tagalog: ulo (tl)
• Tajik: сар (tg) (sar), калла (kalla)
• Talysh:

  Asalemi: سر (sar)

• Tamil: தலை (ta) (talai)
• Taos: p’ínemą
• Tatar: баш (tt) (baş)
• Tawallammat Tamajaq: ⵗⴼ m (eɣaf)
• Telugu: తల (te) (tala)
• Thai: หัว (th) (hŭa)
• Tofa: баъш (bàş)
• Tok Pisin: het
• Tupinambá: akanga
• Turkish: baş (tr), kafa (tr)
• Turkmen: baş (tk)
• Tutelo: pasui
• Tuvan: баш (baş)
• Tzotzil: jolol
• Udmurt: йыр
• Ugaritic: 𐎗𐎛𐎌 (rỉš)
• Ukrainian: голова́ (uk) f (holová)
• Unami: wil
• Urdu: سر (ur) m (sir)
• Uyghur: باش (ug) (bash)
• Uzbek: bosh (uz), kalla (uz)
• Venetian: testa f, cao m, cavo m
• Vietnamese: đầu (vi) (頭 (vi))
• Volapük: kap (vo)
• Walloon: tiesse (wa)
• Warlpiri: walu
• Welsh: pen (cy) m
• West Frisian: holle c, kop c
• Winnebago: nąąsu
• Wolof: boopa
• Xhosa: intloko
• Yakut: бас (bas), тебе (tebe)
• Yaeyama: 頭 (つぶり, tsuburi, つぃぶる, tsiburu, つぃぶるぃ, tsiburi)
• Yiddish: קאָפּ (kop)
• Yoron: 頭 (ちぶる, chiburu), ふらじ (furaži)
• Yucatec Maya: ho'ol
• Zazaki: šer
• Zhuang: gyaeuj, gyəuз
• Zulu: (human) ikhanda (zu) class 5/6, (animal) inhloko class 9/10
• ǃXóõ: nàn

mental aptitude or skill

• Basque: buru (eu)
• Berber:

  Tashelhit: agayyu m

• Catalan: seny (ca) m, cap (ca) m
• Finnish: pää (fi), nenä (fi), vainu
• French: , dispositions (fr) f pl, aptitudes (fr) f pl
• Greek: κεφάλι (el) n (kefáli), μυαλό (el) n (myaló)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: testa (it) f
• Japanese: 頭 (ja) (あたま, atama), 頭脳 (ずのう, zunō)
• Neapolitan: capa f
• Norwegian: hode (no) n, evne (no) m
• Portuguese: cabeça (pt) f
• Swedish: huvud (sv) n, förmåga (sv) c

mental or emotional control

• Catalan: cap (ca) m, ment (ca) f
• French: sang-froid (fr) m, calme (fr) m
• Greek: αυτοκυριαρχία (el) f (aftokyriarchía)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 頭 (ja) (あたま, atama)
• Swedish: huvud (sv) n, fattning (sv) c

topmost or leading part

• Arabic: رَأْس (ar) m or f (raʔs)
• Armenian: գլուխ (hy) (glux)
• Catalan: punta (ca) f
• Dutch: hoofd (nl)
• Finnish: yläosa (fi), etuosa, kärki (fi), keula (fi)
• French: bout (fr) m
• German: Spitze (de) f, Oberende n, Kopf (de) m, Dach (de) n (figuratively)
• Greek: κεφαλή (el) f (kefalí), κεφάλι (el) n (kefáli)
• Japanese: 頭 (ja) (あたま, atama), 冒頭 (ja) (ぼうとう, bōtō)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Low German:

  German Low German: Topp m (tree, mast, bag, cloth), Tipp m, Tippel m, Tippen m

• Maori: hukitau (of a valley)
• Norwegian: topp (no) m
• Persian: سر (fa) (sar), فراز (fa) (farâz), نوک (fa) (nok)
• Portuguese: cabeça (pt) f
• Spanish: punta (es) f
• Swedish: spets (sv) c, topp (sv) c, övre (sv) ända (sv) c, huvud (sv) n
• Telugu: శీర్షము (te) (śīrṣamu)
• Zazaki: šersıq

leader or chief

• Arabic: رَئِيس m (raʔīs)
• Armenian: գլխավոր (hy) (glxavor), ղեկավար (hy) (ġekavar), պետ (hy) (pet), գլուխ (hy) (glux)
• Baluchi: سروک (sarok)
• Basque: buruzagi (eu), buru (eu), nagusi
• Breton: penn (br) m, pennoù (br) pl
• Catalan: cap (ca) m, líder (ca) m or f
• Crimean Tatar: baş
• Czech: hlava (cs) f
• Dutch: hoofd (nl) n, baas (nl) m, bazin (nl) f, leider (nl) m, leidster (nl) f, chef (nl) m, cheffin (nl) f (not used often)
• Finnish: päällikkö (fi)
• French: chef (fr) m
• Friulian: cjâf m
• German: Oberhaupt (de) n, Haupt (de) n, Kopf (de) m, Chef (de) m, Chefin (de) f
• Greek: κεφαλή (el) f (kefalí), κεφάλι (el) n (kefáli), αρχηγός (el) m (archigós)
• Guaraní: mburuvicha
• Hindi: मुखिया (hi) (mukhiyā)
• Indonesian: kepala (id), pemimpin (id)
• Interlingua: chef, leader
• Italian: capo (it) m
• Japanese: 指導者 (ja) (しどうしゃ, shidōsha), 頭 (ja) (かしら, kashira)
• Kurdish:

  Kurmanji:

  Sorani: سەرۆک (serok), سەرگەورە (sergewre)

• Latin: caput (la); praepositus
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Lithuanian: galva (lt) f, vadovas m, vadovė f
• Low German:

  Dutch Low Saxon: baas m

  German Low German: Baas (nds) m (male or female), Boos (nds) m (male or female), Böverste m or f, Bövelste m or f, Leidsmann m, Leidsfro f, Vörsitter m, Vörsitterin f, Vörsittersch f, Vörsittersche f, Vörstaher m, Vörstoher m, Vörstaherin f, Vörstoherin f, Vörstahersch f, Vörstahersche f, Vörstohersch f, Vörstohersche f, Chef (nds) m, Chefin (nds) f

• Malay: ketua
• Maltese: kap m, kapa f
• Maori: tumuaki
• Mapudungun: logko
• Meru: munene
• Norwegian: leder (no) m, sjef (no) m
• Persian: رهبر (fa) (rahbar), سالار (fa) (sâlâr), سر (fa) (sar)
• Polish: kierownik (pl) m pers, kierowniczka (pl) f
• Portuguese: chefe (pt) m or f, cabeça (pt) m, líder (pt) m or f
• Romanian: șef (ro) m, cap (ro) m, lider (ro) m, căpetenie (ro) f
• Russian: глава́ (ru) m or f (glavá)
• Slovene: poglavar (sl), vodja (sl) m
• Spanish: cabeza (es) f, jefe (es) m, líder (es) m
• Swahili: mkuu (sw) (c 1/2)
• Swedish: ledare (sv) c, chef (sv) c, direktör (sv) c, föreståndare (sv) c
• Tamil: தலைவர் (ta) (talaivar)
• Tatar: баш (tt) (baş)
• Telugu: నాయకుడు (te) (nāyakuḍu)
• Tupinambá: porubixaba, ubixaba
• Welsh: pen (cy) m
• Zazaki: šeroğ
• Zulu: inhloko class 9/10

headmaster, headmistress

• Arabic: رَئِيس m (raʔīs)
• Catalan: director (ca) m, directora (ca) f
• Crimean Tatar: baş
• Dutch: hoofdmeester
• Finnish: rehtori (fi), johtajaopettaja
• French: directeur (fr) m, directrice (fr) f
• German: Leiter (de) m, Leiterin (de) f, Rektor (de) m, Rektorin (de) f, Direktor (de) m, Direktorin (de) f
• Greek: διευθυντής (el) m (diefthyntís), διευθύντρια (el) f (diefthýntria)
• Japanese: 校長 (ja) (こうちょう, kōchō), 監督 (ja) (かんとく, kantoku)
• Kurdish:
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maltese: surmast (mt) m, madam f
• Maori: tumuaki
• Norwegian: rektor m
• Polish: dyrektor (pl) m pers, dyrektorka (pl) f
• Portuguese: director (pt) m, directora f, (Brazilian Portuguese) diretor (pt) m, (Brazilian Portuguese) diretora f
• Spanish: director (es) m, directora (es) f
• Swedish: rektor (sv) c
• Tamil: தலைமை ஆசிரியர் (talaimai āciriyar), தலைவர் (ta) (talaivar)
• Telugu: ప్రధానోపాధ్యాయుడు (te) (pradhānōpādhyāyuḍu), ప్రధానోపాధ్యాయురాలు (pradhānōpādhyāyurālu)

toilet of a ship

• French: tinettes (fr) f pl, cabinet de toilettes m
• German: Abtritt (de) m (military)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: галью́н (ru) m (galʹjún)

top of a sail

• French: avant (fr) m
• German: Top (de) n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

foam on carbonated beverages

• Dutch: schuim (nl) n
• Finnish: vaahto (fi)
• French: mousse (fr) f, chapeau de mousse m
• Georgian: please add this translation if you can
• German: Blume (de) f, Krone (de) f, Schaumkrone f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 泡 (ja) (あわ, awa)
• Norwegian: skum (no) n
• Portuguese: colarinho (pt) m
• Swedish: bornyr (sv) c, fradga (sv) c, skum (sv) n

end of hammer, etc.

• Basque: buru (eu)
• Catalan: cap (ca) m
• Dutch: kop (nl) m
• Finnish: hamara (fi)
• French: tête (fr) f
• German: Kopf (de) m
• Japanese: 頭 (ja) (あたま, atama)
• Kurdish:

  Kurmanji:

  Sorani: سەر (ser)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Lithuanian: galva (lt) f
• Norwegian: hode (no) n
• Polish: główka (pl) f
• Portuguese: cabeça (pt) f
• Russian: голо́вка (ru) f (golóvka)
• Spanish: cabeza (es) f
• Swedish: huvud (sv) n

the blunt end of a nail, etc.

• Catalan: cap (ca) m
• Czech: hlava (cs) f
• Finnish: kanta (fi), pää (fi)
• French: tête (fr) f
• German: Kopf (de) m
• Hebrew: שושנה (he) f (shoshana)
• Japanese: 頭 (ja) (あたま, atama)
• Kurdish:

  Kurmanji:

  Sorani: سەر (ser)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Lithuanian: galvutė f
• Maori: peru
• Norwegian: hode (no) n
• Portuguese: cabeça (pt) f
• Romanian: cap (ro) n
• Russian: голо́вка (ru) f (golóvka)
• Spanish: cabeza (es) f
• Swedish: huvud (sv) n

capitulum

• Dutch: krop (nl)
• French: capitule (fr) m
• Irish: ceann m, tor m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 頭状花 (とうじょうか, tōjōka)

leafy top part of a tree

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hebrew: נוף (he) m (nóf)
• Maori: karamata

linguistics: morpheme that determines the category of a compound

• Finnish: perusosa (fi)
• German: Kopf (de) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 主要部 (しゅようぶ, shuyōbu)

Adjective

head (not comparable)

1. Of, relating to, or intended for the head.
2. Foremost in rank or importance.

   the head cook

   Synonyms: chief, principal

3. Placed at the top or the front.

   Synonyms: first, top

4. Coming from in front.

   head sea;   head wind

   Antonym: tail

Translations

of, relating to, or intended for the head

• Esperanto: kapa
• German: ^{(please verify)} Kopf- (de)
• Greek: κεφαλικός (el) (kefalikós)
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} di testa
• Japanese: 頭の (あたまの, atama no)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Norwegian: hode-
• Russian: головно́й (ru) (golovnój)
• Swedish: compounds with huvud (sv)
• Turkish: ^{(please verify)} kafa- (tr)

foremost in rank or importance

• Ancient Greek: ἀρχι- (arkhi-)
• Catalan: cap (ca)
• Finnish: pää-
• German: ^{(please verify)} Haupt- (de)
• Hebrew: ראש (he) (rosh)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: チーフ (chīfu)
• Norwegian: hoved-
• Portuguese: mor (pt)
• Russian: гла́вный (ru) (glávnyj)
• Slovene: gláven
• Swabian: Haubd-
• Swedish: främst (sv), först (sv), compounds with huvud (sv) and topp (sv)

placed at the top or the front

• Hebrew: ראש (he) (rosh)
• Japanese: 先頭の (せんとうの, sentō no)
• Norwegian: leder-, første (no)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: пере́дний (ru) (perédnij), ве́рхний (ru) (vérxnij)
• Slovene: gláven
• Swedish: främst (sv), först (sv)

coming from in front

• Finnish: vasta- (fi)
• Japanese: 向かい (ja) (むかい, mukai-)
• Polish: czołowy (pl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: встре́чный (ru) (vstréčnyj)
• Swedish: mot (sv)-

slang: of, relating to, or for drugs or drug users

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Verb

head (third-person singular simple present heads, present participle heading, simple past and past participle headed)

1. (transitive) To be in command of. (See also head up.)

   Who heads the board of trustees?

   to head an army, an expedition, or a riot

2. (transitive) To strike with the head; as in soccer, to head the ball
3. (intransitive) To move in a specified direction.

   We are going to head up North for our holiday. We will head off tomorrow. Next holiday we will head out West, or head to Chicago. Right now I need to head into town to do some shopping.

   I'm fed up working for a boss. I'm going to head out on my own, set up my own business.

   How does the ship head?

4. (fishing) To remove the head from a fish.

   The salmon are first headed and then scaled.

5. (intransitive) To originate; to spring; to have its course, as a river.
   • Adair

     A broad river, that heads in the great Blue Ridge.

6. (intransitive) To form a head.

   This kind of cabbage heads early.
7. To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head.

   to head a nail

   (Can we [[:Category:Requests for quotations/{{{2}}}|find and add]] a quotation of {{{2}}} to this entry?)

8. To cut off the top of; to lop off.

   to head trees

9. (obsolete) To behead; to decapitate.

   (Can we [[:Category:Requests for quotations/{{{2}}}|find and add]] a quotation of {{{2}}} to this entry?)

10. To go in front of; to get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose; hence, to check or restrain.

    to head a drove of cattle; to head a person; the wind heads a ship

11. To set on the head.

    to head a cask

Derived terms

• head for the hills

Translations

to be in command of

• Basque: zuzendu
• Breton: ren (br)
• Catalan: comandar (ca), dirigir (ca), encapçalar (ca), liderar (ca)
• Dutch: leiden (nl), aanvoeren (nl)
• Esperanto: komandi (eo), konduki
• Finnish: johtaa (fi); komentaa (fi) (military)
• French: commander (fr), diriger (fr), chapeauter (fr)
• German: führen (de), leiten (de)
• Hebrew: עמד בראש (amad b’rosh)
• Indonesian: memimpin (id)
• Interlingua: commandar, diriger, leaderar
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 指導する (しどうする, shidō-surú)
• Kurdish:

  Kurmanji:

• Persian: اداره کردن (fa) (edâre kardan)
• Polish: kierować (pl)
• Portuguese: comandar (pt), dirigir (pt), liderar (pt)
• Russian: возглавля́ть (ru) impf (vozglavljátʹ), возгла́вить (ru) pf (vozglávitʹ)
• Spanish: encabezar (es), dirigir (es), liderar (es)
• Swedish: leda (sv)

to strike with the head

• Catalan: cabotejar (ca)
• Faroese: stúta, skalla
• Finnish: pukata
• French: faire une tête
• German: köpfen (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hungarian: fejel (hu)
• Japanese: ヘディングする (hedingu suru)
• Portuguese: cabecear (pt)
• Spanish: cabecear (es)
• Swedish: nicka (sv), skalla (sv)

to move in a specified direction

• Basque: zuzendu
• Breton: ^{(please verify)} skeiñ war-du
• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} ergens naar toe gaan, ^{(please verify)} een richting op gaan
• Finnish: suunnata (fi), suunnistaa, lähteä johonkin
• French: se diriger (fr), courir (fr) (for: vers)
• German: ^{(please verify)} ansteuern, ^{(please verify)} in eine Richtung gehen, ^{(please verify)} auf etwas zusteuern , ziehen (de)
• Indonesian: menuju (id)
• Interlingua: diriger se
• Japanese: 向かう (ja) (むかう, mukau)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Kurdish:

  Kurmanji: ,

• Malay: menuju
• Maori: ahu, naka, neke
• Polish: kierować się (pl)
• Portuguese: dirigir-se, encaminhar-se, rumar (pt)
• Russian: направля́ться (ru) impf (napravljátʹsja), напра́виться (ru) pf (naprávitʹsja)
• Spanish: dirigirse (es)
• Swedish: åka (sv)

fishing: to remove the head from a fish

• Finnish: poistaa pää
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

to originate, as a river

• Finnish: saada alkunsa
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

to form a head

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

to fit or furnish with a head

• Finnish: tehdä pää
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

to cut off the top of

• Finnish: katkaista (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

to behead — see behead

to get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop

• Finnish: pysäyttää (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

to set on the head

• Finnish: nostaa pystyyn
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Esperanto: direktiĝi
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Related terms

• ahead
• knucklehead
• railhead
• smackhead

Statistics

• Template:rank

Anagrams

• DHEA, hade

---

Estonian

Adjective

head

1. partitive singular form of hea
2. plural form of hea