▸ hem in
1 PHRASAL VERB [usu passive] If a place is hemmed in by mountains or by other places, it is surrounded by them. □ [be V -ed P + by ] Manchester is hemmed in by greenbelt countryside and by housing and industrial areas.
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone is hemmed in or if someone hems them in , they are prevented from moving or changing, for example because they are surrounded by people or obstacles. □ [be V -ed P + by ] The company's competitors complain that they are hemmed in by rigid legal contracts. [Also V n P ]
he -man (he-men ) N‑COUNT A he-man is a strong and very masculine man. [INFORMAL ]
hemi|sphere /he m I sf I ə r / (hemispheres )
1 N‑COUNT A hemisphere is one half of the earth. □ …the northern hemisphere.
2 N‑COUNT A hemisphere is one half of the brain.
hem|line /he mla I n/ (hemlines ) N‑COUNT The hemline of a dress or skirt is its lower edge. People sometimes use hemline to talk about how long a dress or skirt is. □ Mickey favoured tight skirts with a hemline at the knee.
hem|lock /he mlɒk/ N‑UNCOUNT Hemlock is a poisonous plant.
hemo|glo|bin /hiː məgloʊ b I n/ → see haemoglobin
hemo|philia /hiː məf I liə/ → see haemophilia
hemo|phili|ac /hiː məf I liæk/ → see haemophiliac
hem|or|rhage /he mər I dʒ/ → see haemorrhage
hem|or|rhoid /he mərɔ I d/ → see haemorrhoid
hemp /he mp/ N‑UNCOUNT Hemp is a plant used for making rope or the drug marijuana.
hen /he n/ (hens )
1 N‑COUNT A hen is a female chicken. People often keep hens in order to eat them or sell their eggs.
2 N‑COUNT The female of any bird can be referred to as a hen .
hence /he ns/
1 ADV You use hence to indicate that the statement you are about to make is a consequence of what you have just said. [FORMAL ] □ The trade imbalance is likely to rise again in 1990. Hence a new set of policy actions will be required soon.
2 ADV You use hence in expressions such as ' several years hence ' or ' six months hence ' to refer to a time in the future, especially a long time in the future. [FORMAL ] □ The gases that may be warming the planet will have their main effect many years hence.
hence|forth /he nsfɔː r θ/ ADV Henceforth means from this time onwards. [FORMAL ] □ Henceforth, parties which fail to get 5% of the vote will not be represented in parliament.
hence|forward /he nsfɔː r wə r d/ ADV Henceforward means from this time on. [FORMAL ] □ Henceforward France and Britain had a common interest.
hench|man /he ntʃmən/ (henchmen ) N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] If you refer to someone as another person's henchman , you mean that they work for or support the other person, especially by doing unpleasant, violent, or dishonest things on their behalf. [DISAPPROVAL ]
hen|house /he nhaʊs/ (henhouses ) N‑COUNT A henhouse is a special building where hens are kept.
hen|na /he nə/ N‑UNCOUNT Henna is a reddish-brown dye that is made from the leaves of a shrub. It is used especially for colouring hair or skin.
he n night (hen nights ) N‑COUNT A hen night is a party for a woman who is getting married very soon, to which only women are invited. [BRIT ]
he n par|ty (hen parties ) N‑COUNT A hen party is a party to which only women are invited. [BRIT ]
he n-pecked also henpecked ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use hen-pecked to describe a man when you disapprove of the fact that someone, often his partner, is always telling him what to do or telling him that he has done something wrong. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
hepa|ti|tis /he pəta I t I s/ N‑UNCOUNT Hepatitis is a serious disease which affects the liver.
hep|tath|lon /heptæ θlɒn/ (heptathlons ) N‑COUNT The heptathlon is an athletics competition for women in which each athlete competes in seven different events.
her ◆◆◆ /hə r , STRONG hɜː r / Her is a third person singular pronoun. Her is used as the object of a verb or a preposition. Her is also a possessive determiner. 1 PRON You use her to refer to a woman, girl, or female animal. □ I went in the room and told her I had something to say to her. □ I really thought I'd lost her. Everybody kept asking me, 'Have you found your cat?' ● DET Her is also a possessive determiner. □ Liz travelled round the world for a year with her boyfriend James.
2 PRON In written English, her is sometimes used to refer to a person without saying whether that person is a man or a woman. Some people dislike this use and prefer to use 'him or her' or 'them'. □ Talk to your baby, play games, and show her how much you enjoy her company. ● DET Her is also a possessive determiner. □ The non-drinking, non smoking model should do nothing to risk her reputation.
3 PRON Her is sometimes used to refer to a country or nation. [FORMAL or WRITTEN ] ● DET Her is also a possessive determiner. □ Our reporter looks at reactions to Britain's apparently deep-rooted distrust of her E.U. partner.
her|ald /he rəld/ (heralds , heralding , heralded )
1 VERB Something that heralds a future event or situation is a sign that it is going to happen or appear. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …the sultry evening that heralded the end of the baking hot summer.
2 N‑COUNT Something that is a herald of a future event or situation is a sign that it is going to happen or appear. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] I welcome the report as a herald of more freedom, not less.