2 PRON In written English, himself 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 'himself or herself' or 'themselves'. □ The child's natural way of expressing himself is play.
3 PRON You use himself to emphasize the person or thing that you are referring to. Himself is sometimes used instead of 'him' as the object of a verb or preposition. [EMPHASIS ] □ I heard this with my own ears from the President himself.
hind /ha I nd/ ADJ [ADJ n] An animal's hind legs are at the back of its body. □ Suddenly the cow kicked up its hind legs.
hin|der /h I ndə r / (hinders , hindering , hindered )
1 VERB If something hinders you, it makes it more difficult for you to do something or make progress. □ [V n] Further investigation was hindered by the loss of all documentation on the case.
2 VERB If something hinders your movement, it makes it difficult for you to move forward or move around. □ [V n] A thigh injury increasingly hindered her mobility.
Hin|di /h I ndi/ N‑UNCOUNT Hindi is a language that is spoken by people in northern India. It is also one of the official languages of India.
hind|quarters /ha I ndkwɔː r təz/ also hind quarters N‑PLURAL [oft with poss] The hindquarters of a four-legged animal are its back part, including its two back legs.
hin|drance /h I ndrəns/ (hindrances )
1 N‑COUNT A hindrance is a person or thing that makes it more difficult for you to do something. □ [+ to ] The higher rates have been a hindrance to economic recovery.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Hindrance is the act of hindering someone or something. □ They boarded their flight to Paris without hindrance.
hind|sight /ha I ndsa I t/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft with/in N ] Hindsight is the ability to understand and realize something about an event after it has happened, although you did not understand or realize it at the time. □ With hindsight, we'd all do things differently.
Hin|du /h I nduː, h I nduː / (Hindus )
1 N‑COUNT A Hindu is a person who believes in Hinduism and follows its teachings.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Hindu is used to describe things that belong or relate to Hinduism. □ …a Hindu temple.
Hin|du|ism /h I nduː I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Hinduism is an Indian religion. It has many gods and teaches that people have another life on earth after they die.
hinge /h I ndʒ/ (hinges , hinging , hinged ) N‑COUNT A hinge is a piece of metal, wood, or plastic that is used to join a door to its frame or to join two things together so that one of them can swing freely. □ The top swung open on well-oiled hinges.
▸ hinge on PHRASAL VERB Something that hinges on one thing or event depends entirely on it. □ [V P n/v-ing/wh] The plan hinges on a deal being struck with a new company.
hinged /h I ndʒd/ ADJ Something that is hinged is joined to another thing, or joined together, by means of a hinge. □ The mirror was hinged to a surrounding frame.
hint ◆◇◇ /h I nt/ (hints , hinting , hinted )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A hint is a suggestion about something that is made in an indirect way. □ The Minister gave a strong hint that the government were thinking of introducing tax concessions for mothers. □ I'd dropped a hint about having an exhibition of his work up here. ● PHRASE If you take a hint , you understand something that is suggested to you indirectly. □ 'I think I hear the phone ringing.'—'Okay, I can take a hint.'
2 VERB If you hint at something, you suggest it in an indirect way. □ [V + at ] She suggested a trip to the shops and hinted at the possibility of a treat of some sort. □ [V that] The President hinted he might make some changes in the government.
3 N‑COUNT A hint is a helpful piece of advice, usually about how to do something. □ Here are some helpful hints to make your journey easier.
4 N‑SING A hint of something is a very small amount of it. □ [+ of ] She added only a hint of vermouth to the gin.
hinter|land /h I ntə r lænd/ (hinterlands ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The hinterland of a stretch of coast or a large river is the area of land behind it or around it.
hip ◆◇◇ /h I p/ (hips , hipper , hippest )
1 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] Your hips are the two areas at the sides of your body between the tops of your legs and your waist. □ Tracey put her hands on her hips and sighed. ● -hipped COMB □ He is broad-chested and narrow-hipped.
2 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] You refer to the bones between the tops of your legs and your waist as your hips .
3 ADJ If you say that someone is hip , you mean that they are very modern and follow all the latest fashions, for example in clothes and ideas. [INFORMAL ] □ …a hip young character with tight-cropped blond hair and stylish glasses.
4 EXCLAM If a large group of people want to show their appreciation or approval of someone, one of them says ' Hip hip ' and they all shout ' hooray '.
5 PHRASE If you say that someone shoots from the hip or fires from the hip , you mean that they react to situations or give their opinion very quickly, without stopping to think. □ Judges don't have to shoot from the hip. They have the leisure to think, to decide.
hi p flask (hip flasks ) N‑COUNT A hip flask is a small metal container in which brandy, whisky, or other spirits can be carried.