hushed /hʌ ʃt/
1 ADJ A hushed place is peaceful and much quieter and calmer than usual. □ The house seemed muted, hushed as if it had been deserted.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A hushed voice or hushed conversation is very quiet. □ We discussed the situation in hushed whispers.
hu sh-hu sh ADJ Something that is hush-hush is secret and not to be discussed with other people. [INFORMAL ] □ Apparently there's a very hush-hush project under way up north.
hu sh mon|ey N‑UNCOUNT If a person is paid hush money , someone gives them money not to reveal information they have which could be damaging or embarrassing. [INFORMAL ]
husk /hʌ sk/ (husks ) N‑COUNT A husk is the outer covering of a grain or a seed.
husky /hʌ ski/ (huskier , huskiest , huskies )
1 ADJ If someone's voice is husky , it is low and rather rough, often in an attractive way. □ His voice was husky with grief. □ …Dietrich's deep, husky voice. ● huski|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ 'Ready?' I asked huskily.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a man as husky , you think that he is tall, strong, and attractive. [INFORMAL ] □ …a very husky young man, built like a football player.
3 N‑COUNT A husky is a strong, furry dog, which is used to pull sledges across snow.
hus|sy /hʌ si, [AM ] hʌ zi/ (hussies ) N‑COUNT If someone refers to a girl or woman as a hussy , they are criticizing her for behaving in a shocking or immoral way. [HUMOROUS , OLD-FASHIONED , DISAPPROVAL ]
hus|tings /hʌ st I ŋz/ N‑PLURAL The political campaigns and speeches before an election are sometimes referred to as the hustings . [mainly BRIT ] □ With only days to go before elections in Pakistan, candidates are battling it out at the hustings.
hus|tle /hʌ s ə l/ (hustles , hustling , hustled )
1 VERB If you hustle someone, you try to make them go somewhere or do something quickly, for example by pulling or pushing them along. □ [V n prep/adv] The guards hustled Harry out of the car.
2 VERB If you hustle , you go somewhere or do something as quickly as you can. □ [V ] You'll have to hustle if you're to get home for supper. □ [V to-inf] They had finished the exam and the teacher was hustling to get the papers gathered up.
3 VERB If someone hustles , they try to earn money or gain an advantage from a situation, often by using dishonest or illegal means. [mainly AM ] □ [V ] We're expected to hustle and fight for what we want. □ [V n + from ] I hustled some tickets from a magazine and off we went.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Hustle is busy, noisy activity. □ Shell Cottage provides the perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of London.
hus|tler /hʌ slə r / (hustlers )
1 N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a hustler , you mean that they try to earn money or gain an advantage from situations they are in by using dishonest or illegal methods. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …an insurance hustler.
2 N‑COUNT A hustler is a prostitute, especially a male prostitute. [INFORMAL ]
hut /hʌ t/ (huts )
1 N‑COUNT A hut is a small house with only one or two rooms, especially one which is made of wood, mud, grass, or stones.
2 N‑COUNT A hut is a small wooden building in someone's garden, or a temporary building used by builders or repair workers.
hutch /hʌ tʃ/ (hutches ) N‑COUNT A hutch is a wooden structure that rabbits or other small pet animals are kept in.
hya|cinth /ha I əs I nθ/ (hyacinths ) N‑COUNT A hyacinth is a plant with a lot of small, sweet-smelling flowers growing closely around a single stem. It grows from a bulb and the flowers are usually blue, pink, or white.
hy|brid /ha I br I d/ (hybrids )
1 N‑COUNT A hybrid is an animal or plant that has been bred from two different species of animal or plant. [TECHNICAL ] □ All these brightly coloured hybrids are so lovely in the garden. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Hybrid is also an adjective. □ …the hybrid maize seed.
2 N‑COUNT You can use hybrid to refer to anything that is a mixture of other things, especially two other things. □ [+ of ] …a hybrid of solid and liquid fuel. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Hybrid is also an adjective. □ …a hybrid system.
3 N‑COUNT A hybrid or a hybrid car is a car that has both an electric motor and an ordinary car engine. It uses the ordinary engine when it needs extra power. □ Hybrids, unlike pure electric cars, never need to be plugged in. □ Hybrid cars can go almost 600 miles between refueling.
hy|brid|ize /ha I br I da I z/ (hybridizes , hybridizing , hybridized ) in BRIT, also use hybridise VERB If one species of plant or animal hybridizes with another, the species reproduce together to make a hybrid. You can also say that you hybridize one species of plant or animal with another. [TECHNICAL ] □ [V ] All sorts of colours will result as these flowers hybridise freely. □ [V + with ] Wild boar readily hybridises with the domestic pig. □ [V n] Hybridising the two species will reduce the red to orange. □ [V n + with ] Some people will take the seeds and hybridize the resulting plants with others of their own.
hy|drant /ha I drənt/ (hydrants ) → see fire hydrant
hy|drate /ha I dre I t/ (hydrates , hydrating , hydrated )
1 N‑VAR A hydrate is a chemical compound that contains water. □ …aluminium hydrate.