hair
Pronounced:
/ˈheɚ/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural hairsMeaning:
1 a [count] : a thin threadlike growth from the skin of a person or animal ▪ He plucked a hair from his arm. ▪ There are dog/cat hairs all over my coat. b [noncount] : a covering or growth of hairs ▪ The hair on her arms is blond. ▪ He has a lot of hair on his chest. ▪ facial/pubic hair c [noncount] : the covering of hairs on a person's head ▪ He got his hair cut last week. ▪ Your hair looks nice. ▪ She has long/black/straight hair. ▪ He has a thick/full head of hair. ▪ a balding man who is losing his hair ▪ a lock/strand of hair ▪ hair conditioners/curlers ▪ a hair dryer ▪ I'm having a bad hair day. [=my hair does not look nice today]
2 [singular] informal : a very small distance or amount ▪ He won the race by a hair. ▪ He was a hair off on the count.
2 [singular] informal : a very small distance or amount ▪ He won the race by a hair. ▪ He was a hair off on the count.
hair of the dog (that bit you)
informal : an alcoholic drink that is taken by someone to feel better after having drunk too much at an earlier time
hide or hair, hide nor hair —see 2hide
in your hair
informal ◊Someone who is in your hair is bothering or annoying you. ▪ His wife says that since he retired he's in her hair all day because he's at home so much.
keep your hair on
Brit informal —used to tell someone not to become too excited or upset
let your hair down
informal : to relax and enjoy yourself ▪ We work hard all week, so when Friday comes we like to let our hair down a little and have some fun.
make your hair curl
informal ◊If something makes your hair curl, it frightens, shocks, or surprises you. ▪ I've heard stories about that guy that would make your hair curl.
make your hair stand on end
informal ◊If something makes your hair stand on end, it frightens you. ▪ Just hearing his voice makes my hair stand on end.
not have a hair out of place
informal : to have a very neat appearance ▪ a politician who never has a hair out of place
not turn a hair
informal : to remain calm even though something frightening or shocking has happened ▪ Most people would have been very nervous in that situation, but she never turned a hair.
out of your hair
informal ◊Someone who is out of your hair is no longer bothering or annoying you. ▪ Let me take the children out of your hair while you cook dinner.
pull your hair out or tear your hair out
informal : to be very worried or upset about something ▪ We've been tearing our hair out trying to decide what to do.
split hairs
: to argue about small details or differences that are not important ▪ His lawyers are splitting hairs over the wording of his contract. —see also hairsplitting
—haired /ˈheɚd/ adjective ▪ a long-haired cat ▪ a dark-haired person
/ˈheɚd/ adjective ▪ a long-haired cat ▪ a dark-haired person—hair·less /ˈheɚləs/ adjective ▪ a hairless breed of cat
/ˈheɚləs/ adjective ▪ a hairless breed of cat