2 VERB If you hiss something, you say it forcefully in a whisper. □ [V with quote] 'Now, quiet,' my mother hissed. □ [V + at/to ] 'Stay here,' I hissed at her.
3 VERB If people hiss at someone such as a performer or a person making a speech, they express their disapproval or dislike of that person by making long loud 's' sounds. □ [V ] One had to listen hard to catch the words of the President's speech as the delegates booed and hissed. □ [V + at ] Some local residents whistled and hissed at them as they entered. [Also V n] ● N‑COUNT [usu pl] Hiss is also a noun. □ After a moment the barracking began. First came hisses, then shouts.
his|to|rian /h I stɔː riən/ (historians ) N‑COUNT A historian is a person who specializes in the study of history, and who writes books and articles about it.
his|tor|ic ◆◇◇ /h I stɒ r I k, [AM ] -tɔː r-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is historic is important in history, or likely to be considered important at some time in the future. □ King gave this historic speech the night before he was assassinated.
his|tori|cal ◆◇◇ /h I stɒ r I k ə l, [AM ] -tɔː r-/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Historical people, situations, or things existed in the past and are considered to be a part of history. □ …an important historical figure. □ …the historical impact of Western capitalism on the world. ● his|tori|cal|ly ADV □ Historically, royal marriages have been cold, calculating affairs.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Historical books, films, or pictures describe or represent people, situations, or things that existed in the past. □ He is writing a historical novel about nineteenth-century France.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Historical information, research, and discussion is related to the study of history. □ …historical records. □ …modern historical research.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] If you look at an event within a historical context, you look at what was happening at that time and what had happened previously, in order to judge the event and its importance. □ It was this kind of historical context that Morris brought to his work. SYNONYMS historical ADJ 1
past: …a return to the turbulence of past centuries.
former: …a former monastery.
bygone: The book recalls other memories of a bygone age.
his|to|ry ◆◆◆ /h I stəri/ (histories )
1 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the events of the past as history . You can also refer to the past events which concern a particular topic or place as its history. □ History is full of seemingly minor events leading to international showdowns. □ …the most evil mass killer in history. □ [+ of ] …the history of Birmingham. ● PHRASE Someone who makes history does something that is considered to be important and significant in the development of the world or of a particular society. □ A transgender lady made history by becoming a leading judge at the High Court. ● PHRASE If someone or something goes down in history , people in the future remember them because of particular actions that they have done or because of particular events that have happened. □ Bradley will go down in history as Los Angeles' longest serving mayor.
2 N‑UNCOUNT History is a subject studied in schools, colleges, and universities that deals with events that have happened in the past.
3 N‑COUNT A history is an account of events that have happened in the past. □ [+ of ] …his magnificent history of broadcasting in Canada.
4 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If a person or a place has a history of something, it has been very common or has happened frequently in their past. □ He had a history of drink problems.
5 N‑COUNT [with poss] Someone's history is the set of facts that are known about their past. □ He couldn't get a new job because of his medical history.
6 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that an event, thing, or person is history , you mean that they are no longer important. □ The Charlottetown agreement is history.
7 PHRASE If you are telling someone about an event and say the rest is history , you mean that you do not need to tell them what happened next because everyone knows about it already. □ We met at college, the rest is history.
8 → see also natural history COLLOCATIONS history NOUN
4
adjective + history : chequered, fascinating, long
5
noun + history : family
adjective + history : medical, personal
verb + history : trace
his|tri|on|ic /h I striɒ n I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you refer to someone's behaviour as histrionic , you are critical of it because it is very dramatic, exaggerated, and insincere. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Dorothea let out a histrionic groan.
his|tri|on|ics /h I striɒ n I ks/ N‑PLURAL If you disapprove of someone's dramatic and exaggerated behaviour, you can describe it as histrionics . [DISAPPROVAL ] □ When I explained everything to my mum and dad, there were no histrionics.
hit ◆◆◆ /h I t/ (hits , hitting ) The form hit is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle. 1 VERB If you hit someone or something, you deliberately touch them with a lot of force, with your hand or an object held in your hand. □ [V n] Find the exact grip that allows you to hit the ball hard. □ [V n] Police at the scene said the victim had been hit several times in the head.