head housen.
/ˈhɛd haʊs/, U.S. /ˈhɛd ˈhaʊs/ 1. The main or principal house of an organization, estate, institution, etc.; a headquarters, now esp. of a company, bank, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > workplace > office > [noun] > principal
head house1516
head office1676
home office1840
headquarters1922
1516 Kalendre Newe Legende Eng. (Pynson) f. lviiv He sayd he wolde in no wyse take it vpon hym wtout assent of the hedde house.
1598 J. Stow Suruay of London 327 These knightes had their head house for England by West Smithfielde.
1607 J. Norden Surueyors Dialogue 42 The head house, or the Lords seate was called Berrye, which signifieth in the Saxon toong, a dwelling place.
1769 T. Nugent tr. P. J. Grosley New Observ. Italy II. 167 The head houses of orders have generally valuable collections of books, and are very easy of access.
1793 R. Warner Topogr. Remarks South-western Parts Hampshire I. vi. 263 John had granted the whole of that manor to the head house of St. Mary at Cistercium.
1844 S. E. Widdrington Spain & Spaniards 1843 I. iv. 86 The country bankers..were always tied to send the bills to Madrid for negotiation there by the head house.
1869 M. G. Mulhall & E. T. Mulhall Handbk. River Plate I. iii. ix. 150 In the evening, the various capatazes come to the head house, report the work of the day.., and receive instructions for the morrow.
1916 Times 12 Dec. 4/3 A good illustration is afforded by..an intercepted letter from a German firm in South America to its head house in Hamburg.
1989 K. Collins in W. Byrt Managem. Educ.: Internat. Surv. viii. 176 When they left they could establish a branch house, in many cases with financial help from the head house.
2010 J.-P. Lepage French Fortifications 1715–1815 iv. 180 As head house of the Order, Cluny controlled its ‘daughters’ which it had created all through Europe.
2. Mining. A structure containing the winding gear at the top of a mine shaft.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > workplace > places where raw materials are extracted > mine > [noun] > mouth or top of mine or shaft > apparatus at mouth of shaft
puppet head1778
headgear1835
headstocks1845
poppet-head1869
head house1870
shaft-house1872
shaft-tackle1874
shut1886
1870 Appletons’ Jrnl. 23 Apr. 453/1 The coal thus hoisted at the sound of the bell is carried up above the surface to the head-house of the breaker.
1937 C. B. Hunt et al. Coal Deposits Pike County 25 The loaded cars are then pulled in long trains by electric locomotives to the drift mouth and head-house.
1988 A. F. C. Wallace St. Clair iv. 297 The engineer..went up to the head house at the top of the breaker, directly over the shaft.
2009 Proc. Rapid Excavation & Tunneling Conf. 639 A head house for one of the shafts that will provide access to depth is shown.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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