9 N‑COUNT If you find a home for something, you find a place where it can be kept. □ [+ for ] The equipment itself is getting smaller, neater and easier to find a home for.
10 ADV [ADV after v] If you press, drive, or hammer something home , you explain it to people as forcefully as possible. □ It is now up to all of us to debate this issue and press home the argument.
11 N‑UNCOUNT [usu at N ] When a sports team plays at home , they play a game on their own ground, rather than on the opposing team's ground. □ I scored in both games against Barcelona; we drew at home and beat them away. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Home is also an adjective. □ All three are Chelsea fans, and attend all home games together.
12 PHRASE If you feel at home , you feel comfortable in the place or situation that you are in. □ He spoke very good English and appeared pleased to see us, and we soon felt quite at home.
13 PHRASE To bring something home to someone means to make them understand how important or serious it is. □ Their sobering conversation brought home to everyone present the serious and worthwhile work the Red Cross does.
14 PHRASE If you say that someone is, in British English home and dry , or in American English home free , you mean that they have been successful or that they are certain to be successful. □ The prime minister and the moderates are not yet home and dry.
15 PHRASE If a situation or what someone says hits home or strikes home , people accept that it is real or true, even though it may be painful for them to realize. □ Did the reality of war finally hit home?
16 PHRASE You can say a home from home in British English or a home away from home in American English to refer to a place in which you are as comfortable as in your own home. [APPROVAL ] □ Many cottages are a home from home, offering microwaves, dishwashers and TVs.
17 CONVENTION If you say to a guest ' Make yourself at home ', you are making them feel welcome and inviting them to behave in an informal, relaxed way. [POLITENESS ]
18 PHRASE If you say that something is nothing to write home about , you mean that it is not very interesting or exciting. [INFORMAL ] □ So a dreary Monday afternoon in Walthamstow is nothing to write home about, right?
19 PHRASE If something that is thrown or fired strikes home , it reaches its target. [WRITTEN ] □ Only two torpedoes struck home.
➋ home /hoʊ m/ (homes , homing , homed )
▸ home in
1 PHRASAL VERB If you home in on one particular aspect of something, you give all your attention to it. □ [V P + on ] The critics immediately homed in on the group's newly-elected members. [Also V P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If something such as a missile homes in on something else, it is aimed at that thing and moves towards it. □ [V P + on ] Two rockets homed in on it from behind without a sound. [Also V P ]
3 → see also homing USAGE house or home?
You don't usually say ‘
ho me birth (home births ) N‑VAR If a woman has a home birth , she gives birth to her baby at home rather than in a hospital.
home|boy /hoʊ mbɔ I / (homeboys ) N‑COUNT A homeboy is a boy or man from the same area as you, especially one from the same social group as you. [AM , INFORMAL ]
ho me-brew N‑UNCOUNT Home-brew is beer or wine that is made in someone's home, rather than in a brewery.
home|coming /hoʊ mkʌm I ŋ/ (homecomings )
1 N‑VAR [oft poss N ] Your homecoming is your return to your home or your country after being away for a long time. □ Her homecoming was tinged with sadness.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Homecoming is a day or weekend each year when former students of a particular school, college, or university go back to it to meet each other again and go to dances and sports matches. [AM ]
Home Cou n|ties also home counties N‑PROPER‑PLURAL The Home Counties are the counties which surround London.
ho me eco|no m|ics N‑UNCOUNT Home economics is a school subject dealing with how to run a house well and efficiently.
ho me fie ld (home fields ) N‑COUNT A sports team's home field is their own playing field, as opposed to that of other teams. [AM ] in BRIT, use home ground
home|girl /hoʊ mgɜː r l/ (homegirls ) N‑COUNT A homegirl is a girl or woman from the same area as you, especially one from the same social group as you. [AM , INFORMAL ]
ho me grou nd (home grounds )
1 N‑VAR A sports team's home ground is their own playing field, as opposed to that of other teams. [BRIT ] in AM, use home field
2 PHRASE If you say that someone is on their home ground , you mean that they are in or near where they work or live, and feel confident and secure because of this. □ Although he was on home ground, his campaign had been rocked by adultery allegations.
ho me-gro wn ADJ [usu ADJ n] Home-grown fruit and vegetables have been grown in your garden, rather than on a farm, or in your country rather than abroad.
ho me help (home helps ) N‑COUNT A home help is a person who is employed to visit sick or old people at home and help with their cleaning or cooking. [mainly BRIT ]
home|land /hoʊ mlænd/ (homelands )