- head
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 part of the bodyADJECTIVE▪ bare▪ bald▪ shaved▪ blonde, dark, fair, grey/gray, greying/graying▪ bent, bowed▪
She sat with bowed head.
▪ throbbing▪ severed▪The city gates were adorned with severed heads.
▪ crowned (figurative)▪The message was sent to all the crowned heads (= kings and queens) of Europe.
VERB + HEAD▪ poke, pop, put, stick▪He put his head around the door.
▪ bob, cock, crane, incline, jerk, tilt, turn▪She jerked her head in the direction of the door.
▪ lift, raise▪ bend, bow, drop, duck, hang, lower▪He hung his head in shame.
▪ swing, throw back, toss▪He threw his head back and laughed out loud.
▪ nod, shake▪They nodded their heads in agreement.
▪She shook her head in disbelief.
▪ scratch▪He scratched his head, not understanding a word.
▪Detectives have been left scratching their heads over the stolen painting. (figurative)
▪ bang, hit▪ pat, rub▪ clutch, hold▪He lay writhing on the ground, clutching his head in pain.
▪ bury▪She buried her head in the pillow.
▪ cover▪ lay, lean, rest▪She rested her head on his shoulder.
▪ shave▪He shaved his head and became a monk.
HEAD + VERB▪ ache, pound, throb▪ bob, jerk, nod, tilt, turn▪Her head tilted to one side as she considered the question.
▪ droop, drop, fall, hang down, hang low▪His head drooped and tears fell into his lap.
▪ rest▪ hit sth▪I'm normally asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.
HEAD + NOUN▪ injury▪ coldPREPOSITION▪ above your head▪The thunder burst with a grand crash above our heads.
▪ over your head▪The soldiers were ordered to fire over the heads of the crowd.
PHRASES▪ from head to foot, from head to toe▪We were covered from head to foot in mud.
▪ a fine, full, good, thick, etc. head of hair (= a lot of hair)▪a woman with a beautiful head of chestnut hair
▪ have, hold, put, etc. your head in your hands▪He put his head in his hands, exasperated.
▪ head first▪He dived head first into the water.
▪She got divorced and rushed head first into another marriage. (figurative)
▪ a nod of the head▪The ambassador dismissed him with a curt nod of the head.
▪ a shake of the head▪She declined with a brief shake of the head.
2 mindADJECTIVE▪ clear, cool, level▪She needed to keep a clear head if she was to remain in control.
▪ good▪I have a good head for figures.
VERB + HEAD▪ use▪I wish you'd use your head (= think carefully before doing or saying something).
▪ enter▪It never entered my head that he might be lying.
▪ pop into▪It was the first name that popped into my head.
▪ get it into▪When will you get it into your head (= understand) that I don't want to discuss this any more!
▪For some reason she got it into her head (= started to believe) that the others don't like her.
▪ put sth into▪Who's been putting such weird ideas into your head?
▪ get sth out of, put sth out of▪I can't get that tune out of my head.
▪Try to put the exams out of your head for tonight.
▪ bother▪Don't bother your pretty little head with things like that!
▪ clear▪I decided to go for a walk to clear my head.
HEAD + VERB▪ spin▪He could feel his head spinning after only one drink.
PREPOSITION▪ in your head▪I can't work it out in my head—I need a calculator.
▪ inside your head▪It was an accident, said a voice inside his head.
PHRASES▪ can't get your head round sth (= can't understand sth) (BrE, informal)▪She's dead. I can't get my head round it yet.
▪ need your head examined▪He looked at me as if I needed my head examined (= as if I were crazy).
▪ your thick head (= used to show that you are annoyed that sb does not understand sth) (informal)▪When will you get it into your thick head that I don't want to see you again!
3 heads side of a coinVERB + HEADS▪ call▪I called heads and it came down tails.
▪ come down, come up (esp. AmE)PHRASES▪ heads or tails?4 of a group, organization, school, etc.ADJECTIVE▪ assistant, deputy▪ department, departmental▪ nominal, titular▪He is only the nominal head of the company.
▪The Queen is titular head of the Church of England.
▪ formerHEAD + NOUN▪ coach, gardener, teacher (BrE), waiter▪ boy, girl (= in a school) (both BrE)PHRASES▪ a head of department▪ the head of the family, the head of the household▪ a head of government, a head of state▪a summit meeting of heads of state
▪ the head of the group{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}verb1 goADVERB▪ north, northwards, etc.▪We headed west for two days.
▪ down, off, out, up, etc.▪ back▪Let's head back home.
▪ homePREPOSITION▪ back to▪We headed straight back to school.
▪ for▪He turned and headed for the door.
▪ towards/toward▪She stood up and headed towards/toward the exit.
2 (also head up) be in charge of sthVERB + HEAD▪ appoint sb to▪She has been appointed to head up the research team.
Head is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ball, ↑bill, ↑cast, ↑coalition, ↑commission, ↑committee, ↑delegation, ↑department, ↑division, ↑enquiry, ↑expedition, ↑field, ↑firm, ↑force, ↑goal, ↑government, ↑group, ↑household, ↑investigation, ↑list, ↑panel, ↑party, ↑procession, ↑regime, ↑task force, ↑team, ↑way
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
