[halfway] See: GO HALFWAY or MEET ONE HALF-WAY or GO HALFWAY TO MEET ONE.
[halt] See: CALL A HALT, GRIND TO A HALT.
[ham actor] <n. phr.>, <slang> An untalented actor; someone who tries so hard to act that his performance becomes foolishly exaggerated. * /Fred is a ham actor who, instead of memorizing his lines, keeps moving around in a ridiculous way./
[ham-handed] <adj.>, <slang> 1. Having very large hands. * /Pete is a big, ham-handed man who used to be a football player./ 2. See: HEAVY-HANDED.
[ham it up] <v. phr.>, <slang> To do more than look natural in acting a part; pretend too much; exaggerate. * /When Tom told the teacher he was too sick to do homework, he really hammed it up./ * /The old-fashioned movies are funny to us because the players hammed it up./ Compare: LAY IT ON.
[hammer] See: GO AT IT HAMMER AND TONGS, UNDER THE HAMMER.
[hammer and tongs] <adv. phr.> Violently. * /Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been at it all day, hammer and tongs./
[hammer at] or [hammer away at] <v.> 1. To work steadily at; keep at. * /That lesson is not easy, but hammer away at it and you will get it right./ 2. To talk about again and again; emphasize. * /The speaker hammered at his opponent's ideas./
[hammer out] <v.> 1. To write or produce by hard work. * /The President sat at his desk till midnight hammering out his speech for the next day./ 2. To remove, change, or work out by discussion and debate; debate and agree on (something). * /Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Green have hammered out their difference of opinion./ * /The club members have hammered out an agreement between the two groups./ Compare: IRON OUT.
[Hancock] See: JOHN HANCOCK or JOHN HENRY.
[hand] See: AT HAND, BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH, BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ONE, CLEAN HANDS, DIRTY ONE'S HANDS, EAT OUT OF ONE'S HAND, FORCE ONE'S HAND, FREE HAND, FROM HAND TO HAND, GLAD HAND, HAM-HANDED, HANG HEAVY or HANG HEAVY ON ONE'S HANDS, HAT IN HAND, HAVE A HAND IN, HAVE ONE'S HANDS FULL, HEAVY-HANDED, IN HAND, JOIN FORCES or JOIN HANDS, KEEP ONE'S HAND IN, LAY HANDS ON, LAY ONE'S HANDS ON or GET ONE'S HAND ON or PUT ONE'S HAND ON, LEND A HAND or GIVE A HAND or BEAR A HAND, LET ONE'S LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT ONE'S RIGHT HAND IS DOING, LIFT A FINGER or LIFT A HAND also RAISE A HAND, LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH, MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK, OFF ONE'S HANDS, ON HAND, ON ONE'S HANDS, ON THE OTHER HAND, OUT OF HAND, PLAY INTO ONE'S HANDS, PUT ONE'S HAND TO or SET ONE'S HAND TO or TURN ONE'S HAND TO, PUT ONE'S HAND TO THE PLOW, ROB THE TILL or HAVE ONE'S HAND IN THE TILL, SECTION HAND, SIT ON ONE'S HANDS, TAKE ONE'S LIFE IN ONE'S HANDS, TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE'S OWN HANDS, THROW UP ONE'S HANDS, THROW UP ONE'S HANDS IN HORROR, TIE ONE'S HANDS, TRY ONE'S HAND, UPPER HAND or WHIP HAND, WASH ONE'S HANDS OF.
[hand and foot] <adv. phr.> 1. So that the hands and feet cannot be used. - Used with "bind" or a synonym. * /The robbers bound him hand and foot and left him on the floor./ 2. So that no tree action is possible. - Used with "bind" or a synonym. * /If Mr. Jones signs that paper, he will be bound hand and foot./ 3. See: WAIT ON HAND AND FOOT.
[hand and glove] See: HAND IN GLOVE.
[hand down] <v.> To arrange to give or leave after, death. * /Joe will have his father's gold watch because it is handed down in the family./ * /In old times, property was usually handed down to the oldest son at his father's death./ Compare: PASS ON.
[hand in] See: TURN IN(1).
[hand in glove] or [hand and glove] <adj.> or <adv. phr.> Very close or friendly; working together; in very close agreement or cooperation, especially for bad purposes. * /The Navy and the Coast Guard work hand and glove, especially in war time./ * /Judges and others in high office sometimes are hand in glove with gangsters to cheat and steal./
[hand in hand] <adv. phr.> 1. Holding hands. * /Bob and Mary walked along hand in hand in the park./ Compare: ARM IN ARM. 2. Accompanying each other; together; closely connected. - Used with "go". * /Ignorance and poverty often go hand in hand./ * /Selfishness and unhappiness often go hand in hand./
[hand it to] <v. phr.>, <informal> To admit the excellence of; give credit or praise to. * /You have to hand it to Jim; he is very careful and hard-working in all he does./ * /The teacher said, "I hand it to Jane for the way she managed the Music Club."/ Syn.: TAKE OFF ONE'S HAT TO.
[handle] See: FLY OFF THE HANDLE.
[handle to one's name] <n. phr.>, <slang> A special title used before your name. * /Jim's father has a handle to his name. He is Major Watson./ * /Bob came back from the University with a handle to his name and was called Dr. Jones./
[handle with gloves] or [handle with kid gloves] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To treat very gently and carefully. * /An atomic bomb is handled with kid gloves./ 2. To treat with great tact and diplomacy. * /Aunt Jane is so irritable that we have to treat her with kid gloves./
[hand-me-down] <n.>, <informal> Something given away after another person has no more use for it; especially, used clothing. * /Alice had four older sisters, so all her clothes were hand-me-downs./
[hand off] <v.> To hand the football to another back. * /The quarterback faked to the fullback and handed off to the halfback./
[hand on] <v.> To pass along to the next person who should have it. * /Everyone in class should read this, so when you have finished, please hand it on./ * /In the early days, news was handed on from one person to another./
[handout] <n.> 1. A free gift of food, clothes, etc. * /The homeless people were standing in a long line for various handouts./ 2. A typed and photocopied sheet or sheets of paper outlining the main points made by a speaker. * /Please look at page three of the handout./
[hand out] <v.>, <informal> To give (things of the same kind) to several people. * /The teacher handed out the examination papers./ * /At the Christmas party Santa Claus handed out the presents under the tree./ * /Handing out free advice to all your friends will not make them like you./ Compare: GIVE OUT(3).
[hand over] <v.> To give control or possession of; give (something) to another person. * /When the teacher saw Johnny reading a comic book in study period, she made him hand over the book./ * /When Mr. Jones gets old, he will hand over his business to his son./ Syn.: FORK OVER, GIVE UP(1), TURN OVER(3).
[hand over fist] <adv. phr.>, <informal> Fast and in large amounts. * /Fred may get a pony for Christmas because his father is making money hand over fist./ * /Business is so bad that the store on the corner is losing money hand over fist./
[hand over hand] <adv. phr.> By taking hold with one hand over the other alternately. * /The only way to climb a rope is hand over hand./
[hand-pick] <v.>, <informal> To choose very carefully. * /This debating team should win because its members are all hand-picked./ * /The political bosses hand-picked a man for mayor who would agree with them./
[hands-down] <adj.>, <informal> 1. Easy. * /The Rangers won a hands-down victory in the tournament./ 2. Unopposed; first; clear. * /Johnny was the hands-down favorite for president of the class./
[hands down] <adv.>, <informal> 1. Without working hard; easily. * /The Rangers won the game hands down./ 2. Without question or doubt; without any opposition; plainly. * /Johnny was bands down the best player on the team./
[hands off] <informal> Keep your hands off or do not interfere; leave that alone. - Used as a command. * /I was going to touch the machine, but the man cried, "Hands off!" and I let it alone./
[hands-off] <adj.>, <informal> Leaving alone, not interfering; inactive. * /The United States told the European governments to follow a hands-off policy toward Latin America./ * /I did not approve of his actions, but I have a hands-off rule in personal matters, so I said nothing./
[handsome is as handsome does] <informal> A person must act well and generously so that he will be truly worth respecting. - A proverb. * /Everyone thinks that Bon is a very handsome boy, but he is very mean too. Handsome is as handsome does./ Compare: FINE FEATHERS DO NOT MAKE PINE BIRDS.
[hands up] <informal> Hold up your hands! Put your hands up high and keep them there! - Used as a command. * /The sheriff pointed his gun at the outlaws and called out, "Hands up!"/ Syn.: REACH FOR THE SKY.
[hand something to someone on a silver platter] <v. phr.> To give a person a reward that has not been earned. * /The lazy student expected his diploma to be handed to him on a silver platter./
[hand to hand] <adv. phr.> Close together, near enough to hit each other. * /The two soldiers fought hand to hand until one fell badly wounded./ * /In modern naval warfare, men seldom fight hand to hand./ Compare: FACE TO FACE.
[hand-to-hand] <adj.> Close to each other; near enough to hit each other. * /The result of the battle was decided in hand-to-hand combat./ * /When the police tried to break up the riot, there was hand-to-hand fighting with fists, stones, and clubs./ Compare: FACE-TO-FACE.
[hand-to-mouth] <adj.> Not providing for the future; living from day to day; not saving for later. * /Many native tribes lead a hand-to-mouth existence, content to have food for one day at a time./ * /John is not a saving boy; he spends his money without thought for the future, and lives a hand-to-mouth life./ See: LIVE FROM HAND TO MOUTH.
[handwriting on the wall] <n. phr.> A sign that something bad will happen. * /When Bill's team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall./ * /John's employer had less and less work for him; John could read the handwriting on the wall and looked for another job./
[hang] See: GO HANG, GIVE A HANG or CARE A HANG, GIVE ONE ENOUGH ROPE, AND HE WILL HANG HIMSELF, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR.
[hang around] <v.>, <informal> 1. To pass time or stay near without any real purpose or aim; loaf near or in. * /The principal warned the students not to hang around the corner drugstore after school./ Compare: HANG OUT(1). 2. To spend time or associate, * /Jim hangs around with some boys who live in his neighborhood./
[hang back] or [hang off] or [hang behind] 1. To stay some distance behind or away, be unwilling to move forward. * /Mary offered the little girl candy, but she was shy and hung back./ 2. To hesitate or be unwilling to do something. * /Lou wanted Fred to join the club, but Fred hung off./
[hang behind] See: HANG BACK(1).
[hang by a hair] See: HANG BY A THREAD.
[hang by a thread] or [hang by a hair] <v. phr.> To depend on a very small thing; be in doubt. * /For three days Tom was so sick that his life hung by a thread./ * /As Joe got ready to kick a field goal, the result of the game hung by a hair./ Compare: HANG IN THE BALANCE.
[hanger] See: CREPE HANGER.
[hang fire] <v. phr.> 1. To fail or be slow in shooting or firing. * /Smith pulled the trigger, but the gun hung fire and the deer escaped./ 2. To be slow in beginning; to be delayed; to wait. * /The boys' plans for organizing a scout troop hung fire because they could not find a man to be scoutmaster./
[hang heavy] or [hang heavy on one's hands] <v. phr.> To pass slowly or uninterestingly; be boring with little to do. * /The vacation time hung heavy on Dick's hands because all his friends were away at camp./ Compare: ON ONE'S HANDS.
[hang in effigy] or [burn in effigy] <v. phr.> To hang or burn a figure, usually a stuffed dummy, representing a person who is disliked or scorned. * /When the high school team lost the championship game, the coach was hung in effigy by the townspeople./ * /During World War II, Hitler was sometimes burned in effigy in the United States./
[hang in the balance] <v. phr.> To have two equally possible results; to be in doubt; be uncertain. * /Until Jim scored the winning touchdown, the outcome of the game hung in the balance./ * /She was very sick and her life hung in the balance for several days./ Compare: HANG BY A THREAD.
[hang in (there)] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> To persevere; not to give up; to stick to a project and not lose faith or courage. * /Hang in there old buddy; the worst is yet to come./
[hang it] <interj.>, <informal> An exclamation used to express annoyance or disappointment. * /Oh, hang it! I forgot to bring the book I wanted to show you./ * /Hang it all, why don't you watch where you're going?/
[hang off] See: HANG BACK.
[hang on] <v.> 1. To hold on to something, usually tightly. * /Jack almost fell off the cliff, but managed to hang on until help came./ Syn.: HOLD ON(1). 2a. To continue doing something; persist. * /The grocer was losing money every day, but he hung on, hoping that business would improve./ Compare: HOLD OUT, STICK OUT. 2b. To hold a lead in a race or other contest while one's opponents try to rally. * /The favorite horse opened an early lead and hung on to win as two other horses almost passed him in the final stretch./ * /Bunning, staked to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, hung on to heat the Dodgers 6-4./ 3. To continue to give trouble or cause suffering. * /Lou's cold hung on from January to April./ 4. To continue listening on the telephone. * /Jerry asked John, who had called him on the phone, to hung on while he ran for a pencil and a sheet of paper./ Compare: HOLD ON(3).
[hang one on] <v. phr.>, <slang> 1. To give a heavy blow to; hit hard. * /The champion hung one on his challenger in the second round and knocked him out of the ring./ 2. To get very drunk. * /After Smith lost his job, he went to a bar and hung one on./
[hang one's head] <v. phr.> To bend your head forward in shame. * /Johnny hung his head when the teacher asked him if he broke the window./ Compare: HIDE ONE'S HEAD.
[hang on the words of] also [hang on the lips of] <v. phr.> To listen very attentively to. * /Ann hangs on every word of her history teacher and takes very careful notes. / * /As he went on with his speech, his auditors, deeply interested, hung on his lips./
[hang on to] <v.> To hold tightly; keep firmly. * /The child hung on to its mother's apron, and would not let go./ * /John did not like his job, but decided to hang on to it until he found a better one./
[hang on to one's mother's apron strings] See: TIED TO ONE'S MOTHER'S APRON STRINGS.
[hang on to your hat] or [hold on to your hat] or [hold your hat] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. Watch out; be prepared. - Used as a command, usually to warn of an unexpected action. * /"Hold on to your hat," said Jim as he stepped on the gas and the car shot forward./ 2. Get ready for a surprise. - Used as a command, usually to warn of unexpected news. * /"Hold on to your hat," said Mary. "Jim asked me to marry him."/
[hang out] <v.> 1. <slang> To spend your time idly or lounging about. * /The teacher complained that Joe was hanging out in poolrooms instead of doing his homework./ Compare: HANG AROUND(1). 2. <slang> To live; reside. * /Two policemen stopped the stranger and asked him where he hung out./ 3. To reach out farther than the part below. * /The branches of the trees hung out over the road./ * /The upper floor of that house hangs out above the first./
