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Head (n.) The anterior or superior part of an animal, containing the brain, or chief ganglia of the nervous system, the mouth, and in the higher animals, the chief sensory organs; poll; cephalon.
Head (n.) The uppermost, foremost, or most important part of an inanimate object; such a part as may be considered to resemble the head of an animal; often, also, the larger, thicker, or heavier part or extremity, in distinction from the smaller or thinner part, or from the point or edge; as, the head of a cane, a nail, a spear, an ax, a mast, a sail, a ship; that which covers and closes the top or the end of a hollow vessel; as, the head of a cask or a steam boiler.
Head (n.) The place where the head should go; as, the head of a bed, of a grave, etc.; the head of a carriage, that is, the hood which covers the head.
Head (n.) The most prominent or important member of any organized body; the chief; the leader; as, the head of a college, a school, a church, a state, and the like.
Head (n.) The place or honor, or of command; the most important or foremost position; the front; as, the head of the table; the head of a column of soldiers.
Head (n.) Each one among many; an individual; -- often used in a plural sense; as, a thousand head of cattle.
Head (n.) The seat of the intellect; the brain; the understanding; the mental faculties; as, a good head, that is, a good mind; it never entered his head, it did not occur to him; of his own head, of his own thought or will.
Head (n.) The source, fountain, spring, or beginning, as of a stream or river; as, the head of the Nile; hence, the altitude of the source, or the height of the surface, as of water, above a given place, as above an orifice at which it issues, and the pressure resulting from the height or from motion; sometimes also, the quantity in reserve; as, a mill or reservoir has a good head of water, or ten feet head; also, that part of a gulf or bay most remote from the outlet or the sea.
Head (n.) A headland; a promontory; as, Gay Head.
Head (n.) A separate part, or topic, of a discourse; a theme to be expanded; a subdivision; as, the heads of a sermon.
Head (n.) Culminating point or crisis; hence, strength; force; height.
Head (n.) Power; armed force.
Head (n.) A headdress; a covering of the head; as, a laced head; a head of hair.
Head (n.) An ear of wheat, barley, or of one of the other small cereals.
Head (n.) A dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies, thistles; a capitulum.
Head (n.) A dense, compact mass of leaves, as in a cabbage or a lettuce plant.
Head (n.) The antlers of a deer.
Head (n.) A rounded mass of foam which rises on a pot of beer or other effervescing liquor.
Head (n.) Tiles laid at the eaves of a house.
Head (a.) Principal; chief; leading; first; as, the head master of a school; the head man of a tribe; a head chorister; a head cook.
Head (v. t.) To be at the head of; to put one's self at the head of; to lead; to direct; to act as leader to; as, to head an army, an expedition, or a riot.
Head (v. t.) To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head; as, to head a nail.
Head (v. t.) To behead; to decapitate.
Head (v. t.) To cut off the top of; to lop off; as, to head trees.
Head (v. t.) To go in front of; to get in the front of, so as to hinder or stop; to oppose; hence, to check or restrain; as, to head a drove of cattle; to head a person; the wind heads a ship.
Head (v. t.) To set on the head; as, to head a cask.
Head (v. i.) To originate; to spring; to have its source, as a river.
Head (v. i.) To go or point in a certain direction; to tend; as, how does the ship head?
Head (v. i.) To form a head; as, this kind of cabbage heads early.