hec|tare /he kteə r / (hectares ) N‑COUNT A hectare is a measurement of an area of land which is equal to 10,000 square metres, or 2.471 acres.
hec|tic /he kt I k/ ADJ A hectic situation is one that is very busy and involves a lot of rushed activity. □ Despite his hectic work schedule, Benny has rarely suffered poor health.
hec|tor /he ktə r / (hectors , hectoring , hectored ) VERB If you say that someone is hectoring you, you do not like the way they are trying to make you do something by bothering you and talking to you aggressively. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] I suppose you'll hector me until I phone him. ● hec|tor|ing ADJ [usu ADJ n] □ In a loud, hectoring tone, Alan told us that he wasn't going to waste time discussing nonsense.
he'd /h I d, hiːd/
1 He'd is the usual spoken form of 'he had', especially when 'had' is an auxiliary verb. □ He'd never learnt to read.
2 He'd is a spoken form of 'he would'. □ He'd come into the clubhouse every day.
hedge /he dʒ/ (hedges , hedging , hedged )
1 N‑COUNT A hedge is a row of bushes or small trees, usually along the edge of a garden, field, or road.
2 VERB If you hedge against something unpleasant or unwanted that might affect you, especially losing money, you do something which will protect you from it. □ [V + against ] You can hedge against redundancy or illness with insurance. □ [V n] Today's clever financial instruments make it possible for firms to hedge their risks.
3 N‑COUNT Something that is a hedge against something unpleasant will protect you from its effects. □ [+ against ] Gold is traditionally a hedge against inflation.
4 VERB If you hedge , you avoid answering a question or committing yourself to a particular action or decision. □ [V ] They hedged in answering various questions about the operation. □ [V with quote] 'I can't give you an answer now,' he hedged.
5 PHRASE If you hedge your bets , you reduce the risk of losing a lot by supporting more than one person or thing in a situation where they are opposed to each other. □ The company tried to hedge its bets by diversifying into other fields.
▸ hedge about or hedge around PHRASAL VERB If you say that something such as an offer is hedged about or is hedged around with rules or conditions, you mean that there are a lot of rules or conditions. □ [be V -ed P + with ] The offer was hedged around with conditions. □ [be V -ed P + with ] Many reduced fares are hedged around with restrictions.
he dge fund (hedge funds ) N‑COUNT A hedge fund is an investment fund that invests large amounts of money using methods that involve a lot of risk. [BUSINESS ]
hedge|hog /he dʒhɒg, [AM ] -hɔːg/ (hedgehogs ) N‑COUNT A hedgehog is a small brown animal with sharp spikes covering its back.
hedge|row /he dʒroʊ/ (hedgerows ) N‑VAR A hedgerow is a row of bushes, trees, and plants, usually growing along a bank bordering a country lane or between fields.
he|don|ism /hiː dən I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Hedonism is the belief that gaining pleasure is the most important thing in life. [FORMAL ]
he|don|ist /hiː dən I st/ (hedonists ) N‑COUNT A hedonist is someone who believes that having pleasure is the most important thing in life. [FORMAL ]
he|don|is|tic /hiː dən I st I k/ ADJ Hedonistic means relating to hedonism. [FORMAL ] □ …the hedonistic pleasures of the South.
heed /hiː d/ (heeds , heeding , heeded )
1 VERB If you heed someone's advice or warning, you pay attention to it and do what they suggest. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] But few at the conference in London last week heeded his warning.
2 PHRASE If you take heed of what someone says or if you pay heed to them, you pay attention to them and consider carefully what they say. [FORMAL ] □ But what if the government takes no heed?
heed|less /hiː dləs/ ADJ If you are heedless of someone or something, you do not take any notice of them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Heedless of time or any other consideration, they began to search the underwater cave. □ She was rummaging through the letters, scattering them about the table in her heedless haste.
heel /hiː l/ (heels )
1 N‑COUNT Your heel is the back part of your foot, just below your ankle.
2 N‑COUNT The heel of a shoe is the raised part on the bottom at the back. □ …the shoes with the high heels.
3 N‑PLURAL Heels are women's shoes that are raised very high at the back. □ …two well-dressed ladies in high heels. □ …the old adage that you shouldn't wear heels with trousers.
4 N‑COUNT The heel of a sock or stocking is the part that covers your heel.
5 N‑COUNT The heel of your hand is the rounded pad at the bottom of your palm.
6 → see also Achilles heel
7 PHRASE If you bring someone to heel , you force them to obey you. □ It's still not clear how the president will use his power to bring the republics to heel.