/Don't worry about Jack, he can hang ten anywhere!/ [hang together] {v.} 1. To stay united; help and defend one another. * /The club members always hung together when one of them was in trouble./ Syn.: STICK TOGETHER. Compare: STAND BY, STAND UP FOR. 2. {informal} To form a satisfactory whole; fit together. * /Jack's story of why he was absent from school seems to hang together./ [hang up] {v.} 1. To place on a hook, peg, or hanger. * /When the children come to school, they hang up their coats in the cloakroom./ 2a. To place a telephone receiver back on its hook and break the connection. * /Carol's mother told her she had talked long enough on the phone and made her hang up./ 2b. To put a phone receiver back on its hook while the other person is still talking. - Used with "on". * /I said something that made Joe angry, and he hung up on me./ 3a. {informal} To cause to be stuck or held so as to be immovable. - Usually used in the passive. * /Ann's car was hung up in a snowdrift and she had to call a garageman to get it out./ 3b. {informal} To stick or get held so as to be immovable. * /A big passenger ship hung up on a sandbar for several hours./ 4. {informal} To cause a wait; delay. * /Rehearsals for the school play were hung up by the illness of some of the actors./ 5. {informal} To set (a record.) * /Bob hung up a school record for long distance swimming./ [hang-up] {n.}, {informal} (stress on "hang") 1. A delay in some process. * /The mail has been late for several days; there must be some hang-up with the trucks somewhere./ 2. A neurotic reaction to some life situation probably stemming from a traumatic shock which has gone unconscious. * /Doctor Simpson believes that Suzie's frigidity is due to some hang-up about men./ [happen on] or [happen upon] {v.}, {literary} To meet or find accidentally or by chance. * /The Girl Scouts happened on a charming little brook not far from the camp./ * /At the convention I happened upon an old friend I had not seen for years./ Syn.: CHANCE ON, COME ACROSS(1),(3). Compare: HIT ON. [happy] See: STRIKE A HAPPY MEDIUM, TRIGGER HAPPY at QUICK ON THE TRIGGER. [happy as the day is long] {adj. phr.} Cheerful and happy. * /Carl is happy as the day is long because school is over for the summer./ [happy-go-lucky] See: FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY-FREE. [happy hour] {n.}, {informal} A time in bars or restaurants when cocktails are served at a reduced rate, usually one hour before they start serving dinner. * /Happy hour is between 6 and 7 P.M. at Celestial Gardens./ [happy hunting ground] {n. phr.} 1. The place where, in American Indian belief, a person goes after death; heaven. * /The Indians believed that at death they went to the happy hunting ground./ 2. {informal} A place or area where you can find a rich variety of what you want, and plenty of it. * /The forest is a happy hunting ground for scouts who are interested in plants and flowers./ * /Shell collectors find the ocean beaches happy hunting grounds./ [hard] See: GIVE A HARD TIME, GO HARD WITH, SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS. [hard-and-fast] {adj.} Not to be broken or changed; fixed; strict. * /The teacher said that there was a hard-and-fast rule against smoking in the school./ [hard as nails] {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Not flabby or soft; physically very fit; tough and strong. * /After a summer of work in the country, Jack was as hard as nails, without a pound of extra weight./ 2. Not gentle or mild; rough; stern. * /Johnny works for a boss who is as hard as nails and scolds Johnny roughly whenever he does something wrong./ [hard-boiled] {adj.} Unrefined; tough; merciless. * /"Because you were two minutes late," my hard-boiled boss cried, "I will deduct fifteen minutes worth from your salary!"/ [hard cash] See: COLD CASH. [hard feeling] {n.} Angry or bitter feeling; enmity. - Usually used in the plural. * /Jim asked Andy to shake hands with him, just to show that there were no hard feelings./ * /Bob and George once quarreled over a girl, and there are still hard feelings between them./ [hard-fisted] {adj.} 1. Able to do hard physical labor; strong. * /Jack's uncle was a hard-fisted truck driver with muscles of steel./ 2. Not gentle or easy-going; tough; stern. * /The new teacher was a hard-fisted woman who would allow no nonsense./ 3. Stingy or mean; not generous with money. * /The hard-fisted banker refused to lend Mr. Jones more money for his business./ [hard going] {adj. phr.} Fraught with difficulty. * /Dave finds his studies of math hard going./ [hardheaded] {adj.} Stubborn; shrewd; practical. * /Don is a hardheaded businessman who made lots of money, even during the recession./ [hardhearted] {adj.} Unsympathetic; merciless. * /Jack is so hardhearted that even his own children expect nothing from him./ [hard-hitting] {adj.} Working hard to get things done; strong and active; stubbornly eager. * /The boys put on a hard-hitting drive to raise money for uniforms for the football team./ * /He is a hard-hitting and successful football coach./ [hard line] {n. phr.} Tough political policy. * /Although modern economists were trying to persuade him to open up to the West, Castro has always taken the hard line approach./ [hard-liner] {n.} A politician who takes the hard line. See: HARD LINE. [hard luck] See: TOUGH LUCK. [hardly any] or [scarcely any] Almost no or almost none; very few. * /Hardly any of the students did well on the test, so the teacher explained the lesson again./ * /Charles and his friends each had three cookies, and when they went out, hardly any cookies were left./ [hardly ever] or [scarcely ever] {adv. phr.} Very rarely; almost never; seldom. * /It hardly ever snows in Florida./ * /Johnny hardly ever reads a book./ [hard-nosed] {adj.}, {slang} Tough or rugged; very strict; not weak or soft; stubborn, especially in a fight or contest. * /Joe's father was a hard-nosed army officer who had seen service in two wars./ * /Pete is a good boy; he plays hard-nosed football./ Compare: HARD-BOILED. [hard nut to crack] also [tough nut to crack] {n. phr.}, {informal} Something difficult to understand or to do. * /Tom's algebra lesson was a hard nut to crack./ * /Mary found knitting a hard nut to crack./ Compare: HARD ROW TO HOE. [hard of hearing] {adj.} Partially deaf. * /Some people who are hard of hearing wear hearing aids./ [hard-on] {n.}, {vulgar}, {avoidable}. An erection of the male sexual organ. [hard put] or [hard put to it] {adj.} In a difficult position; faced with difficulty; barely able. * /John was hard put to find a good excuse for his lateness in coming to school./ * /The scouts found themselves hard put to it to find the way home./ [hard row to hoe] or [tough row to hoe] {n. phr.} A hard life to live; a very hard job to do. * /She has a hard row to hoe with six children and her husband dead./ * /Young people without enough education will have a tough row to hoe when they have to support themselves./ Syn.: HARD SLEDDING. Compare: DOWN ON ONE'S LUCK, HARD NUT TO CRACK. [hard sell] {n.}, {informal} A kind of salesmanship characterized by great vigor, aggressive persuasion, and great eagerness on the part of the person selling something; opposed to "soft sell". * /Your hard sell turns off a lot of people; try the soft sell for a change, won't you?/ [hard sledding] or [rough sledding] or [tough sledding] {n.}, {informal} Difficulty in succeeding or making progress. * /Jane had hard sledding in her math course because she was poorly prepared./ * /When Mr. Smith started his new business, he had tough sledding for a while but things got better./ [hard-top] {n.} 1. A car that has a metal roof; a car that is not a convertible. * /Every spring Mr. Jones sells his hard-top and buys a convertible./ 2. or [hardtop convertible] A car with windows that can be completely lowered with no partitions left standing, and with a top that may or may not be lowered. * /Mr. Brown's new car is a hardtop convertible./ [hard up] {adj.}, {informal} Without enough money or some other needed thing. * /Dick was hard up and asked Lou to lend him a dollar./ * /The campers were hard up for water because their well had run dry./ Compare: UP AGAINST IT. [hard way] {n.} The harder or more punishing of two or more ways to solve a problem, do something, or learn something. - Used with "the". * /The mayor refused the help of the crooks and won the election the hard way by going out to meet the people./ * /The challenger found out the hard way that the champion's left hand had to be avoided./ [hare] See: MAD AS A HATTER or MAD AS A MARCH HARE, RUN WITH THE HARE AND HUNT (RIDE) WITH THE HOUNDS. [harebrained] {adj.} Thoughtless; foolish. * /Most of the harebrained things Ed does may be attributable to his youth and lack of experience./ [hark back] {v.}, {literary} 1. To recall or turn back to an earlier time or happening. * /Judy is always harking back to the good times she had at camp./ 2. To go back to something as a beginning or origin. * /The cars of today hark back to the first automobiles made about 1900./ * /The slit in the back of a man's coal harks back to the days when men rode horseback./ [harp away at] or [on] {v.} To mention again and again. * /In his campaign speeches, Jones harps on his rival's wealth and powerful friends./ [Harry] See: TOM, DICK, AND HARRY. [harum-scarum(1)] {adv.}, {informal} In a careless, disorderly or reckless way. * /Jim does his homework harum-scarum, and that is why his schoolwork is so poor./ [harum-scarum(2)] {adj.}, {informal} Careless, wild, or disorderly in one's acts or performance; reckless. * /Jack is such a harum-scarum boy that you can never depend on him to do anything right./ [hash] See: SETTLE ONE'S HASH, SLING HASH. [hash house] {n.}, {slang} An eating place where cheap meals are served. * /Joe and his friends went to a hash house around the corner after the game./ [hash out] {v.}, {informal} To talk all about and try to agree on; discuss thoroughly. * /The teacher asked Susan and Jane to sit down together and hash out their differences./ * /The students hashed out the matter and decided to drop it./ [hash up] {v.}, {slang} 1. To make a mess of; do badly. * /Bob really hashed up that exam and failed the course./ 2. To bring to life; remember and talk about. * /The teacher advised Sue not to hash up old bitterness against her schoolmates./ [haste] See: MAKE HASTE. [hat] See: AT THE DROP OF A HAT, BRASS HAT, HANG ON TO YOUR HAT or HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT or HOLD YOUR HAT, HIGH-HAT, KEEP UNDER ONE'S HAT, OLD HAT, PULL OUT OF A HAT, TAKE OFF ONE'S HAT TO, TALK THROUGH ONE'S HAT, TEN-GALLON HAT, THROW ONE'S HAT IN THE RING. [hat in hand] {adv. phr.}, {informal} In a humble and respectful manner. * /They went hat in hand to the old woman to ask for her secret recipe./ [hatch] See: COUNT ONE'S CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED. [hatchet] See: BURY THE HATCHET. [hatchet face] {n.} A long narrow face with sharp parts; also, a person with such a face. * /Johnny was sent to the principal's office because he called his teacher old hatchet face./ * /He was hatchet-faced and not at all handsome./ [hatchet job] {n. phr.}, {slang} 1. The act of saying or writing terrible things about someone or something, usually on behalf of one's boss or organization. * /When Phil makes speeches against the competition exaggerating their weaknesses, he is doing the hatchet job on behalf of our president./ 2. A ruthless, wholesale job of editing a script whereby entire paragraphs or pages are omitted. * /Don, my editor, did a hatchet job on my new novel./ [hatchet man] {n.}, {colloquial} 1. A politician or newspaper columnist whose job is to write and say unfavorable things about the opposition. * /Bill Lerner is the hatchet man for the Mayor's Party; he smears all the other candidates regularly./ 2. An executive officer in a firm whose job it is to fire superfluous personnel, cut back on the budget, etc., in short, to do the necessary but unpleasant things. * /The firm hired Cranhart to be hatchet man; his title is that of Executive Vice President./ [hate one's guts] {v. phr.}, {slang} To feel a very strong dislike for someone. * /Dick said that he hated Fred's guts because Fred had been very mean to him./ [hats off to] or [one's hat is off to] {truncated phr.}, {informal} Used to recognize and praise a job well-done. * /Hats off to anyone who runs the twenty-six mile race./ * /My hat is off to the chef who created this delicious meal./ Compare: TAKE OFF ONE'S HAT TO. [hatter] See: MAD AS A HATTER. [haul] See: LONG HAUL. [haul down] {v.}, {informal} 1. To catch (as a ball) usually after a long run. * /Willie hauled down a long fly to center field for the third out./ * /The star halfback hauled down the pass for a touchdown./ 2. To tackle in football. * /Ted was hauled down from behind when he tried to run with the ball./ [haul down one's colors] or [strike one's colors] {v. phr.} 1. To pull down a flag, showing you are beaten and want to stop fighting. * /After a long battle, the pirate captain hauled down his colors./ 2. To admit you are beaten; say you want to quit. * /After losing two sets of tennis, Tom hauled down his color./ [haul in] or [haul up] or [pull in] {v.}, {slang} To bring before someone in charge for punishment or questioning; arrest. * /John was hauled in to court for speeding./ * /The tramp was hauled up for sleeping on the sidewalk./ Compare: CALL ON THE CARPET. [haul in one's horns] See: PULL IN ONE'S HORNS. [haul off] {v.} To move suddenly. - Used with "and" usually before a verb like "hit" or "kick". * /Ed hauled off and hit the other boy in the nose./ * /Lee hauled off and threw a touchdown pass./ [haul over the coals] or [rake over the coals] {v. phr.} To criticize sharply; rebuke; scold. * /The sergeant raked the soldier over the coals for being late for roll call./ Syn.: DRESS DOWN. [have] See: CAT HAS NINE LIVES, ONE'S CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO, EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING, EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, HAVE NOTHING ON or HAVE ANYTHING ON, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, or an important word after this in the sentence. [have] or [get] or [develop a crush on] {v. phr.} To be infatuated with someone. * /Walter has a terrible crush on his English teacher, but she is a lot older and doesn't take it seriously./ [have a ball] {v. phr.}, {slang} Enjoy yourself very much; have a wonderful time. * /Johnny had a ball at camp./ * /Mary and Tim have a ball exploring the town./ * /After their parents left, the children had a ball./ Syn.: HAVE A TIME(2). [have a bone to pick] See: BONE TO PICK. [have a care] {v. phr.}, {formal} To be careful what you do. * /Jane, have a care what you're doing with that valuable glass./ * /The judge told him to have a care what he said in court./ [have a field day] {v. phr.} To enjoy great success or unlimited opportunity. * /The visiting basketball team was so weak that our school had a field day scoring one point after another./ [have a finger in the pie] See: FINGER IN THE PIE. [have a fit] or [have fits] or [throw a fit] {v. phr.} 1. To have a sudden illness with stiffness or jerking of the body. * /Our dog had a fit yesterday./ 2. {informal} To become angry or upset. * /Father will throw a fit when he sees the dent in the car./ * /Howard will have a fit when he learns that he lost the election./ * /When John decided to drop out of college, his parents had fits./ [have a go at] {v. phr.}, {informal} To try, especially after others have tried. * /Bob asked Dick to let him have a go at shooting at the target with Dick's rifle./ * /She had a go at archery, but did not do very well./ [have a good head on one's shoulders] {v. phr.} To be smart; intelligent; well educated. * /Rob is not the handsomest guy in the world but the girls appreciate him because he has a good head on his shoulders./ [have a (good) head for] {v. phr.} To have a special talent in a certain area. * /Joan has quite a good head for business administration./ [have a (good) mind to] {v. phr.} To consider doing; intend to with a high degree of probability. * /I have a good mind to tell my boss that he doesn't know how to run our enterprise./ [have a hand in] {v. phr.} To have a part in or influence over; to be partly responsible for. * /Sue's schoolmates respect her and she has a hand in every important decision made by the Student Council./ * /Ben had a hand in getting ready the Senior play./ Compare: FINGER IN THE PIE. [have a heart] {v. phr.}, {informal} To stop being mean; be kind, generous, or sympathetic. * /Have a heart, Bob, and lend me two dollars./ * /Have a heart, Mary, and help me with this lesson./ * /He didn't know if the teacher would have a heart and pass him./ [have a heart-to-heart talk] {v. phr.} To confide in someone with great intimacy. * /Jill and her mother had a heart-to-heart talk before she decided to move in with Andrew./ [have all one's buttons] or [have all one's marbles] {v. phr.}, {slang} To have all your understanding; be reasonable. - Usually used in the negative or conditionally. * /Mike acts sometimes as if he didn't have all his buttons./ * /He would not go to town barefooted if he had all his marbles./ [have a mind of one's own] {v. phr.} To be independent in one's thinking and judgment. * /Tow has always had a mind of his own so there is no use trying to convince him how to vote./ [have an affair with] {v. phr.} To have a sexual relationship with someone, either before marriage or outside of one's marriage. * /Tow and Jane had a long and complex affair but they never got married./ [have an ear for] {v. phr.} To have a keen perception; have a taste or a talent for; be sensitive to something. * /I have no ear whatsoever for foreign languages or music./ [have an ear to the ground] See: EAR TO THE GROUND. [have an edge on] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To have an advantage over someone or something else in the course of an evaluative comparison. * /I can't beat you at tennis, but I have an edge on you in ping-pong./ 2. To be mildly intoxicated; to have had a few drinks. * /Joe sure had an edge on when I saw him last night./ Compare: EDGE ON. [have an eye for] {v. phr.} To be able to judge correctly of; have good taste in. * /She has an eye for color and style in clothes./ * /He has an eye for good English usage./ [have an eye on] or [have one's eye on] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To look at or think about (something wanted); have a wish for; have as an aim. * /I bought ice cream, but Jimmy had his eye on some candy./ * /John has his eye on a scholarship so he can go to college./ Compare: IN MIND. 2. See: KEEP AN EYE ON(1). [have an eye out] See: EYE OUT. [have an eye] to See: EYE TO. [have an itch for] or [to do] See: BE ITCHING TO. [have a nodding acquaintance with] See: NODDING ACQUAINTANCE. [have a price on one's head] See: PRICE ON ONE'S HEAD. [have a rough idea about] See: ROUGH IDEA. [have a say in] or [a voice in] {v. phr.} To have the right to express one's opinion or cast a vote in a pending matter. * /Our boss is friendly and democratic; he always encourages us to have a say in what we will do next./ [have a screw loose] {v. phr,}, {slang} To act in a strange way; to be foolish. * /Now I know he has a screw loose - he stole a police car this time./ * /He was a smart man but had a screw loose and people thought him odd./ [have a snowball's chance in hell] {v. phr.} To be condemned to failure; enjoy a zero chance of success. * /Pessimists used to think that we had a snowball's chance in hell to put a man on the moon; yet we did it in July, 1969./ [have a soft spot in one's heart for] {v. phr.} To be sympathetically inclined towards; entertain a predilection for. * /Ron always had a soft spot in his heart for intellectual women wearing miniskirts./ [have a sweet tooth] {v. phr.} To be excessively fond of dessert items, such as ice cream, pies, etc. * /Jill has a sweet tooth; she always orders apple pie after a meal in a restaurant./ [have a time] {v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To have trouble; have a hard time. * /Poor Susan had a time trying to get the children to go to bed./ * /John had a time passing his math course./ 2. To have a good time; to have fun. - Used with a reflexive pronoun. * /Bob had himself a time going to every night club in town./ * /Mary had herself a time dancing at the party./ Syn.: HAVE A BALL. [have a way with] {v. phr.} To be able to lead, persuade, or influence. * /Dave has such a way with the campers that they do everything he tells them to do./ * /Ted will be a good veterinarian, because he has a way with animals./ [have a word with] {v. phr.} 1. To talk, discuss, or speak briefly with. * /Robert, I need to have a word with you about tomorrow's exam./ 2. To engage in a sincere discussion with the purpose of persuading the other person or let him or her know of one's dissatisfaction. * /Our boss has been making funny decisions lately; I think we ought to have a word with him./ [have been around] {v. phr.}, {informal} Have been to many places and done many things; know people; have experience and be able to take care of yourself. * /Uncle Willie is an old sailor and has really been around./ * /Betty likes to go out with Jerry, because he has been around./ * /It's not easy to fool him; he's been around./ Compare: GET AROUND, KNOW ONE'S WAY AROUND. [have dibs on] or [put dibs on] {v. phr.}, {slang} To demand a share of something or to be in line for the use of an object usable by more than one person. * /Don't throw your magazine away! I put (my) dibs on it, remember?/ [have done] {v.}, {formal} To stop; finish. * /When the teacher had done, she asked for questions from the class./ * /If you have done, I will explain the matter./ [have done with] {v.} To stop doing or using something. * /When you have done with that paintbrush, Barbara, I would like to use it. * /I wish you would have done with your criticisms./ [have eyes only for] {v. phr.} To see or want nothing else but; give all your attention to; be interested only in. * /Of all the horses in the show, John had eyes only for the big white one./ * /All the girls liked Fred, but he had eyes only for Helen./ [have fits] See: HAVE A FIT. [have got to] {v. phr.} Must; be in great need to do something; be obliged to. * /I am sorry but we have got to leave, otherwise, we'll miss the last train./ [have had it] {v. phr.}, {slang} To have experienced or suffered all you can; to have come to the end of your patience or life. * /"I've had it," said Lou, "I'm resigning from the job of chairman right now."/ * /When the doctor examined the man who had been shot, he said, "He's had it."/ [have hair] {v. phr.}, {slang} To possess courage, fortitude, guts, sex-appeal. * /I like him, he's got a lot of hair./ [have] or [hold the whip over] {v. phr.} To control; dominate. * /Eugene has always held the whip over his younger brothers and sisters./ [have in mind] {v. phr.} To plan; intend; select. * /We don't know whom our boss has in mind for the new position./ [have in one's hair] See: IN ONE'S HAIR. [have in the palm of one's hand] {v. phr.} To completely control; have a project finished, all wrapped up. * /Our boss felt that if he could calm his critics he would soon have the entire factory in the palm of his hand./ [have it] {v. phr.} 1. To hear or get news; understand. * /I have it on the best authority that we will be paid for our work next week./ 2. To do something in a certain way. * /Make up your mind, because you can't have it both ways. You must either stay home or come with us./ * /Bobby must have it his way and play the game by his rules./ 3. To claim; say. * /Rumor has it that the school burned down./ * /Gossip has it that Mary is getting married./ * /The man is very smart the way his family has it, but I think he's silly./ 4. To allow it. - Usually used with "will" or "would" in negative sentences. * /Mary wanted to give the party at her house, but her mother wouldn't have it./ Syn.: HEAR OF, STAND FOR. 5. To win. * /When the senators vote, the ayes will have it./ 6. To get or find the answer; think of how to do something. * /"I have it!" said John to Mary. "We can buy Mother a nice comb for her birthday."/ 7. {informal} To have an (easy, good, rough, soft) time; have (certain kinds of) things happen to you; be treated in a (certain) way by luck or life. * /Everyone liked Joe and he had it good until he got sick./ * /Mary has it easy; she doesn't have to work./ 8. See: AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT. [have it all over] See: HAVE IT OVER. [have it coming] {v. phr.} To deserve the good or bad things that happen to you. * /I feel sorry about Jack's failing that course, but he had it coming to him./ * /Everybody said that Eve had it coming when she won the scholarship./ Compare: ASK FOR, GET WHAT'S COMING TO ONE, SERVE RIGHT. [have it in for] {v. phr.}, {informal} To wish or mean to harm; have a bitter feeling against. * /George has it in for Bob because Bob told the teacher that George cheated in the examination./ * /After John beat Ted in a fight, Ted always had it in for John./ [have it made] {v. phr.}, {slang} To be sure of success; have everything you need. * /With her fine grades Alice has it made and can enter any college in the country./ * /The other seniors think Joe has it made because his father owns a big factory./ [have it out] {v. phr.} To settle a difference by a free discussion or by a fight. * /Joe called Bob a bad name, so they went back of the school and had it out. Joe got a bloody nose and Bob got a black eye./ * /The former friends finally decided to have it out in a free argument and they became friends again./ [have it over] or [have it all over] {v. phr.} To be better than; be superior to. * /Anne has it all over Jane in looks and charm./ * /A professional golfer usually has it all over an amateur./ * /A jeep has it over a regular car on rough mountain trails./ Compare: BEAT ALL HOLLOW. [have kittens] {v. phr.}, {slang} To become very much worried or upset. * /Mrs. Jones was having kittens because if was very late and Susan wasn't home yet./ Compare: HAVE A FIT. [have lots (everything) going for one] {v. phr.} To have abilities or qualities that help in achieving one's goal; assets working in one's favor. * /The young woman will surely get the job; she has everything going for her./ [have money to burn] See: MONEY TO BURN. [have no business] {v. phr.} To have no right or reason. * /Jack had no business saying those nasty things about Dick./ * /Vern's mother told him he had no business going swimming that day./ [have none of] {v. phr.} To refuse to approve or allow. * /The teacher said she would have none of Mike's arguing./ * /When the fullback refused to obey the captain, the captain said he would have none of that./ [have nothing on] or [not have anything on] {v. phr.} Not to be any better than; to have no advantage over. * /Susan is a wonderful athlete, but when it comes to dancing she has nothing on Mary./ * /Even though he is older, John has nothing on Peter in school./ * /Although the Smiths have a Rolls Royce, they have nothing on the Jones' who have a Cadillac and a Jaguar./ 2. To have no information or proof that someone broke the law. * /Mr. James was not worried when he was arrested because he was sure they had nothing on him./ * /Mr. Brown was an honest politician and they had nothing on him./ [have nothing to do with] {v. phr.} To not be involved with; not care about. * /Our firm has nothing to do with oil from the Near East; we are interested in solar energy./ [have no use for] See: NO USE. [have on] {v.} 1. To be dressed in; wear. * /Mary had on her new dress./ 2. To have (something) planned; have an appointment; plan to do. * /Harry has a big weekend on./ * /I'm sorry I can't attend your party, but I have a meeting on for that night./ 3. See: HAVE NOTHING ON, HAVE SOMETHING ON. [have one's ass in a sling] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To be in an uncomfortable predicament; to be in the dog-house; to be at a disadvantage. * /Al sure had his ass in a sling when the boss found out about his juggling the account./ [have one's cake and eat it too] {v. phr.} To enjoy two opposite advantages. * /You can either spend your money going to Europe or save it for a down payment on a house, but you can't do both. That would be having your cake and eating it, too./ [have one's ear] {v. phr.} To have access to someone in power; receive audiences rather frequently. * /The national security advisor has the president's ear./ [have one's ears on] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {citizen's band radio jargon} To have one's CB radio in receiving condition. * /Good buddy in the eighteen wheeler southbound, got your ears on?/ [have oneself] {v. phr.}, {nonstandard} To enjoy. - Sometimes used in very informal speech to provide emphasis. * /As soon as their parents left, the boys had themselves some fun./ * /After working hard all day, John had himself a good night's sleep./ [have one's feet planted firmly in the ground] See: FEET ON THE GROUND. [have one's fill] {v. phr.} To be satisfied; be surfeited; be overindulged. * /Howard says he's had his fill of expensive golf tournaments in Europe./ [have one's fling] {v. phr.} To have one or more romantic and/or sexual experiences, usually before marriage. * /Jack has had his fling and now seems to be ready to get married and settle down./ [have one's hand in the till] See: ROB THE TILL. [have one's hands full] {v. phr.} To have as much work as you can do; be very busy. * /The plumber said that he had his hands full and could not take another job for two weeks./ * /With three small children to take care of, Susie's mother has her hands full./ [have one's hands tied] See: TIED ONE'S HANDS. [have one's head in the sand] See: HIDE ONE'S HEAD IN THE SAND. [have one's head screwed on backwards] {v. phr.} To lack common sense; behave in strange and irrational ways. * /Henry seems to have his head screwed on backwards; he thinks the best time to get a suntan is when it is raining and to sleep with his shoes on./ [have one's heart in the right place] See: HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE. [have one's hide] {v. phr.}, {informal} To punish severely. * /John's mother said she would have his hide if he was late to school again./ [have one's nose to the grindstone] See: KEEP ONE'S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE. [have one's number] See: GET ONE'S NUMBER. [have one's wings clipped] See: CLIP ONE'S WING. [have one's wits about one] {v. phr.} To be alert; remain calm; not panic. * /Sam was the only one who kept his wits about him when the floodwaters of the Mississippi broke into our yard./ [have one's work cut out] See: CUT OUT(1). [have on the ball] See: ON THE BALL. [have qualms about] {v. phr.} To feel uneasy about; hesitate about something. * /Mike had no qualms in telling Sue that he was no longer in love with her./ [have rocks in one's head] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be stupid; not have good judgment. * /When Mr. James quit his good job with the coal company to begin teaching school, some people thought he had rocks in his head./ [have second thoughts about] See: SECOND THOUGHT(s). [have seen better days] See: SEE BETTER DAYS. [have someone by the balls] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {vulgar}, {avoidable} To have someone at a disadvantage or in one's power. * /The kidnappers had the company by the balls for six long weeks./ [have something going for one] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To have ability, talent; good looks, and/or influence in important places helping one to be successful. * /Well now, Pat Jones, that's another story - she's got something going for her./ [have something on] {v. phr.}, {informal} To have information or proof that someone did something wrong. * /Mr. Jones didn't want to run for office because he knew the opponents had something on him./ * /Mr. Smith keeps paying blackmail to a man who has something on him./ * /Although Miss Brown is not a good worker, her boss does not fire her because she has something on him./ Compare: GET THE GOODS ON. Contrast: HAVE NOTHING ON. [have something on the ball] {v. phr.}, {slang}, {colloquial} To be smart, clever; to be skilled and have the necessary know-how. * /You can trust Syd; he's got a lot on the ball OR he's got something on the ball./ [have sticky fingers] See: STICKY FINGERS. [have or take a shot at] See: HAVE GO AT. [have the best of] or [have the better of] See: GET THE BETTER OF(2). [have the better of] or [have the best of] See: GET THE BETTER OF. [have the cart before the horse] See: CART BEFORE THE HORSE. [have the constitution of an ox] {v. phr.} To be able to work extremely hard and to have the stamina to overcome misfortune. * /Stan, who has lost both of his parents within one year and is constantly working late, seems to be indestructible, as if he had the constitution of an ox./ [have the courage of one's convictions] {v. phr.} To be brave enough to act according to your beliefs. * /Steve showed that he had the courage of his convictions by refusing to help another student cheat in the exam./ * /Owen knew that Pete had started the fight, but he was afraid to say so; he did not have the courage of his convictions./ [have the goods on] See: GET THE GOODS ON. [have the guts to do something] {v. phr.}, {informal} To be brave enough to do something difficult or dangerous. * /Jack wants to marry Jilt, but he doesn't have the guts to pop the question./ [have the jump on] See: GET THE JUMP ON. [have the last laugh] or [get the last laugh] {v. phr.} To make someone seem foolish for having laughed at you. * /Other schools laughed at us when our little team entered the state championship, but we had the last laugh when we won it./ Compare: HE LAUGHS BEST WHO LAUGHS LAST, TURN THE TABLES. [have the laugh on] {v. phr.} To emerge as the victor. * /We were trying to fool Paul by setting him up with a blind date who was reportedly unattractive, but he had the laugh on us when this girl turned out to be beautiful./ [have the lead] {v. phr.} To occupy the most prominent part in something. * /Maria has the lead in our school play./ [have the makings of] {v. phr.} To possess the basic ingredients; have the basic qualities to do something. * /Tom is still young but he seems to have the makings of an excellent pianist./ [have the right-of-way] {v. phr.} To have priority in proceeding in traffic on a public highway while other vehicles must yield and wait. * /"Go ahead," he said. "We have the right-of-way at this intersection."/ [have the time of one's life] See: TIME OF ONE'S LIFE. [have the worst of] See: GET THE WORST OF. [have to] or [have got to] {v.}, {informal} To be obliged or forced to; need to; must. * /Do you have to go now?/ * /He had to come. His parents made him./ * /I have got to go to the doctor./ * /I have to go to Church./ [have to do with] {v. phr.} 1. To be about; be on the subject of or connected with. * /The book has to do with airplanes./ 2. To know or be a friend of; work or have business with. - Usually used in negative sentence. * /Tom said he didn't want to have anything to do with the new boy./ * /I had nothing to do with the party; I was home that night./ [have too many irons in the fire] See: TOO MANY IRONS IN THE FIRE. [have two strikes against one] or [have two strikes on one] {v. phr.}, {informal} To have things working against you; be hindered in several ways; be in a difficult situation; be unlikely to succeed. * /Children from the poorest parts of a city often have two strikes against them before they enter school./ * /George has two strikes against him already. Everybody is against what he wants to do./ Compare: BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL. (In baseball, three strikes are out. If the umpire calls two strikes against the batter, he has only one strike left and will be out if he gets one more strike.) [haw] See: HEM AND HAW. [hay] See: HIT THE HAY. [haystack] See: NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. [haywire] See: GO HAYWIRE. [hazard] See: AT ALL HAZARDS. [haze] See: IN A FOG or IN A HAZE. [head] See: ACID HEAD, BEAT INTO ONE'S HEAD, BEAT ONE'S HEAD AGAINST A WALL, BIG HEAD, COUNT HEADS, EYES IN THE BACK OF ONE'S HEAD, FROM HEAD TO FOOT, GET THROUGH ONE'S HEAD, GOOD HEAD ON ONE'S SHOULDERS, GO TO ONE'S HEAD, HANG ONE'S HEAD, HAVE ONE'S HEAD IN THE SAND, HAVE ROCKS IN ONE'S HEAD, HEAP COALS OF FIRE ON ONE'S HEAD, HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, HANG OVER ONE'S HEAD, HIDE ONE'S FACE or HIDE ONE'S HEAD, HOLD ONE'S HEAD UP, KEEP A CIVIL TONGUE IN ONE'S HEAD, KEEP ONE'S HEAD, LOSE ONE'S HEAD, MAKE HEAD OR TAIL OF, OFF THE TOP OF ONE'S HEAD, ON ONE'S HEAD, OUT OF ONE'S HEAD, also OFF ONE'S HEAD, OVER ONE'S HEAD, PRICE ON ONE'S HEAD, PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER or LAY THEIR HEADS TOGETHER, SWELLED HEAD, TAKE INTO ONE'S HEAD, TELL --- WHERE TO GET OFF or TELL --- WHERE TO HEAD IN, THROW ONESELF AT SOMEONE'S HEAD or FLING ONESELF AT SOMEONE'S HEAD, TURN ONE'S HEAD, USE ONE'S HEAD. [head above water] {n. phr.} out of difficulty; clear of trouble. * /How are your marks at school? Are you keeping your head above water?/ * /Business at the store is bad. They can't keep their heads above water./ [head and shoulders] {adv. phr.} 1. By the measure of the head and shoulders. * /The basketball player is head and shoulders taller than the other boys./ 2. By far; by a great deal; very much. * /She is head and shoulders above the rest of the class in singing./ See: FAR AND AWAY. [header] See: DOUBLE-HEADER. [head for] {v. phr.} To go in the direction of. * /We left early in the morning and headed for Niagara Falls./ [head for the hills] {v. phr.}, {informal} To get far away in a hurry; run away and hide. - Often used imperatively. * /Head for the hills. The bandits are coming./ * /He saw the crowd chasing him, so he headed for the hills./ * /When they saw the mean boy coming, they all headed for the hills./ Compare: BEAT IT, LIGHT OUT, TAKE TO THE WOODS. [head-hunting] {n.}, {slang}, {informal} 1. The custom of seeking out, decapitating, and preserving the heads of enemies as trophies. 2. A search for qualified individuals to fill certain positions. * /The president sent a committee to the colleges and universities to do some head-hunting; we hope he finds some young talent./ 3. A systematic destruction of opponents, especially in politics. * /Billings was hired by the party to do some head-hunting among members of the opposition./ [head in the clouds] See: IN THE CLOUDS. [head in the sand] See: HIDE ONE'S HEAD IN THE SAND. [head off] {v.} 1. To get in front of and stop, turn back, or turn aside. * /The sheriff said to head the cattle thieves off at the pass./ 2. To block; stop; prevent. * /He will get into trouble if someone doesn't head him off./ [head-on] {adj.} or {adv. phr.} 1. With the head or front pointing at; with the front facing; front end to front end. * /Our car skidded into a head-on crash with the truck./ * /In the fog the boat ran head-on into