A wife sending a short message to her husband:
It was just said on the news that they found a hideous corpse with a hollow head, a cigar among ugly rotten teeth and a bottle of liquor in his hand. I"m worried about you! Please, give me a ring...
and eye n. Small metal hook and loop as a fastener on a garment.
- —n. - a bent or curved piece of metal etc. For catching hold or for hanging things on. B (in full fish-hook) bent piece of wire for catching fish.
- curved cutting instrument (reaping-hook).
- bend in a river, curved strip of land, etc.
- a hooking stroke. B boxing short swinging blow. —v. - grasp or secure with hook(s).
- catch with or as with a hook.
- slang steal.
- (in sports) send (the ball) in a curve or deviating path.
- rugby secure (the ball) and pass it backward with the foot in the scrum. by hook or by crook by one means or another. Off the hook 1 colloq. Out of difficulty or trouble.
- (of a telephone receiver) not on its rest. [old english]
- line, and sinker adv. Entirely.
HOOP
—n. - circular band of metal, wood, etc., esp. As part of a framework.
- ring bowled along by a child, or for circus performers to jump through.
- arch through which balls are hit in croquet. —v. Bind or encircle with hoop(s). be put (or go) through the hoop (or hoops) undergo rigorous testing. [old english]
HOOT
—n. - owl's cry.
- sound made by a car's horn etc.
- shout expressing scorn or disapproval.
- colloq. A laughter. B cause of this.
- (also two hoots) slang anything at all, in the slightest degree (don't care a hoot; doesn't matter two hoots). —v. - utter or make hoot(s).
- greet or drive away with scornful hoots.
- sound (a car horn etc.). [imitative]
HOPE
—n. - expectation and desire for a thing.
- person or thing giving cause for hope.
- what is hoped for. —v. (-ping) 1 feel hope.
- expect and desire.
- feel fairly confident. hope against hope cling to a mere possibility. [old english]
HORN
n. - a hard outgrowth, often curved and pointed, on the head of esp. Hoofed animals. B each of two branched appendages on the head of (esp. Male) deer. C hornlike projection on animals, e.g. A snail's tentacle.
- substance of which horns are made.
- mus. A = *french horn. B wind instrument played by lip vibration, orig. Made of horn, now usu. Of brass.
- instrument sounding a warning.
- receptacle or instrument made of horn.
- horn-shaped projection.
- extremity of the moon or other crescent.
- arm of a river etc. horn in slang intrude, interfere. horned adj. Hornist n. (in sense 3 of n.). [old english]
- of plenty n. A cornucopia.
HORS
d'œuvre n. Food served as an appetizer at the start of a meal. [french, = outside the work]
HOSE
—n. - (also hose-pipe) flexible tube for conveying water.
- a (collect.; as pl.) Stockings and socks. B hist. Breeches (doublet and hose). —v. (-sing) (often foll. By down) water, spray, or drench with a hose. [old english]
HOST
n. (usu. Foll. By of) large number of people or things. [latin hostis enemy, army]
- —n. - person who receives or entertains another as a guest.
- compère.
- biol. Animal or plant having a parasite.
- recipient of a transplanted organ etc.
- landlord of an inn. —v. Be host to (a person) or of (an event). [latin hospes hospitis host, guest]
- n. (usu. Prec. By the; often host) bread consecrated in the eucharist. [latin hostia victim]
HOUR
n. - twenty-fourth part of a day and night, 60 minutes.
- time of day, point in time (a late hour; what is the hour?).
- (in pl. With preceding numerals in form 18.00, 20.30, etc.) This number of hours and minutes past midnight on the 24-hour clock (will assemble at 20.00 hours).
- a period for a specific purpose (lunch hour; keep regular hours). B (in pl.) Fixed working or open period (office hours; opening hours).
