to head
1
8.1
- verb
- /hɛd/
- To prepare the dish, you need to head the fish before cooking it.
Examples
-
Pick up a shrimp and I want to see you head it.
-
Maine biologist NAB and Owl taking the heads off of chickens.
-
Sharks were dressed by heading, eviscerating, and removing fins as they came aboard or at the end of the haul.
Academic text (1997) -
He carefully headed the crabs he caught in the bay.
-
If you're making shrimp cocktails, first you must head the shrimp.
Synonyms
48
7.4
Cut off the head of a person or animal to kill them
41
7.9
Cut off the head of a person or animal
Idioms
17
7.7
A sum of money offered to catch or kill a person wanted by the police
- Informal
12
5.5
To make someone understand or accept something after many tries
- Informal
9
7.4
To cause someone to feel confused or overwhelmed by too much information
- Informal
5
7.0
To leave someone feeling overwhelmed or confused by too much information
- Informal
1
8.1
To stay very alert and watch what is happening around you
- Offensive
1
9.9
A rude phrase that tells someone to stop complaining and leave for a while
- Offensive
1
8.0
To speak to someone in a sudden angry way without good reason
- Informal
1
3.2
A place to live, like a house or flat that keeps you dry and safe
1
8.4
To stay constantly in someone's thoughts and annoy them
To try many times to do something without success and feel frustrated
- Informal
To notice things happening behind you without turning around
- Informal
To make loud sounds you cannot stop because something is very funny
To move forward despite strong opposition or many difficulties
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
18
7.5
To ask a higher boss for permission without telling your boss
- Informal
3
7.2
To organize your thoughts and feelings after feeling confused or upset
- Informal
1
8.1
Someone does not understand an idea because it is too hard for them
- Informal
1
3.9
To face a difficult problem directly and work hard to solve it
- Informal
Put your thoughts and feelings in order after a time of confusion
Compounds
- Literature
25
6.0
A person on TV or video who speaks directly to viewers and gives opinions
6
1.8
A mild viral sickness that makes your nose stuffy, causes sneezing, and may give you a headache
- Specialized
4
5.6
A thin part that sits between the engine block and cylinder head to stop oil, coolant, and gas from leaking
3
6.3
A carved, hollowed pumpkin made to look like a head or a person whose head looks like a pumpkin
- Informal
2
5.6
A person or thing that looks very attractive and makes people turn to look
- Specialized
2
6.4
Metal cover that closes the top of an engine cylinder and holds valves and spark plugs
2
3.5
A small movement of the head to one side that shows curiosity or confusion
- Literature
1
7.8
A king or queen who rules because they get the position from their family
- Informal
1
8.7
An intense mental experience that makes you think deeply or feel strong emotions
- Specialized
1
4.1
A padded support on top of a car seat that holds the head and reduces neck injury in a crash
- Specialized
1
6.0
A small part in a tape or disk player that reads and writes sound and data using a magnet
- Informal
1
8.9
A feeling that your head is swollen and full with pressure and discomfort
1
7.6
An official who watches the line where play starts and records yards gained or lost
- Specialized
1
7.2
A heading printed at the top of each page showing the title or chapter
- South African
1
9.9
A small African succulent plant with many thin hanging branches like snakes
- US
1
9.9
A rare North American orchid with a brownish-green flower and a red-and-white lip shaped like a small horned animal's head
Surface Forms
Etymology
To head a fish or shrimp means to remove its head, a direct use of the ordinary word head for the top part of an animal, so the verb names the action on that part.