head English · revision 1983

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=gem-pro *haubid}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /hed/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|hed]], earlier [[m|enm|heved]] and [[m|enm|hevod]] (1123),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) [[inh|ang|hēafod]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD) from [[gem-pro|*haubid]].^(Etymonline) Its cognates are [[ofs|hāved]], [[osx|hōbid]], [[nl|hoofd]], [[goh|houbit]] (modern [[de|Haupt]]), [[non|hǫfuð]] and [[got|𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌹𐌸|tr=haubiþ]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) Etymonline and the AHD derive it from [[ine-pro|*kaput-|t=head]], the source of [[la|caput|t=head]] and so of [[capital]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) The match is not exact, because the English and German words point to Germanic -au- while the Norse and Latin ones point to -a-, and Hoad and the SOED call the relation unclear.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) The spelling head, first recorded about 1420, kept the long vowel of the time, as in [[heat]], after the pronunciation had shortened.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The top of the body: Old English ''hēafod'' is recorded about 725, and by about 897 it also meant a chief person, leader or ruler.^(Barnhart 1988) It could also mean the upper end of a slope and a capital city.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “source of a river” is mid-14th century and “rounded top of a plant” late 14th.^(Etymonline) ''Head'' is used of people as counted (''head count'') by the late 13th century and of cattle from the 1510s.^(Etymonline) The side of a coin with the portrait has been the ''head'' since the 1680s,^(Etymonline) the froth on beer since the 1540s,^(Etymonline) and a ship's toilet since 1748, from the crew's toilet in the bows.^(Etymonline) A drug user is a ''head'', usually in compounds, from 1911.^(Etymonline) Phrases include ''put heads together'' (late 14th century),^(Etymonline) ''over one's head'' “beyond one's understanding” (1620s),^(Etymonline) and ''head over heels'', a late-17th-century reversal of the earlier and more logical ''heels over head''.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Heads will roll'' (1930) translates a remark of Adolf Hitler.^(Etymonline) The verb first meant “to behead” (Old English ''hēafdian''),^(Etymonline) then “to be at the head, lead” (about 1200) and “to turn in a direction” (about 1600),^(Etymonline) and ''head up'' “to direct” is from 1930.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''hēafod''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 897 – a chief person, leader.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1123 – ''hevod''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – verb, to be at the head, lead.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 13th century – a person, as counted.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – as a measure of height.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-14th century – the source of a river.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – ''put heads together''.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1420 – the spelling ''head''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1510s – of cattle, counted by the head.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1540s – the froth on beer.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – verb, to turn in a direction.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1680s – the obverse of a coin.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1748 – a ship's toilet.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1911 – a drug user.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1930 – ''head up'', to direct, and ''heads will roll''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The upper or front part of the body, containing the [[brain]], eyes, ears, nose and mouth.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The mind or intelligence: ''a good head for figures''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person in charge; a leader: ''head of state''.^(Collins 2023)

+ # The top or front part of something, such as the striking part of a tool.^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person or animal as counted: ''ten head of cattle''.^(Etymonline)

+ # The froth on top of beer.^(Etymonline)

+ # The side of a coin bearing a portrait.^(Etymonline)

+ # The [[source]] of a river.^(Etymonline)^(AHD)

+ # ''(slang)'' A habitual drug user.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(nautical)'' A toilet.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Chief, foremost in rank: ''head gardener''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be in charge of; lead.^(AHD)

+ # To be first in: ''headed the list''.^(AHD)

+ # To go in a particular direction: ''head for home''.^(AHD)

+ # To hit (a ball) with the head.^(AHD)

+ # Of a river, to rise.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[headlike]]

+ * [[behead]]

+ * [[head off]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ahead]]

+ * [[knucklehead]]

+ * [[railhead]]

+ * [[capital]]

+ * [[heady]]

+ * [[headache]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}