headlessadj.
/ˈhɛdləs/, U.S. /ˈhɛdləs/ 1.
a. Of a person, animal, etc.: having no head; decapitated, beheaded.to hop headless: see hop v.1 Phrases 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > [adjective] > without
headlessOE
acephalous1731
acephalic1816
the world > life > death > killing > killing by specific method > [adjective] > beheaded
headlessOE
decollatec1470
OE Antwerp-London Gloss. (2011) 99 Truncus, heafodleas bodig.
lOE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Judith (Corpus Cambr.) in B. Assmann Angelsächsische Homilien u. Heiligenleben (1889) 113 Se [burþegn] afunde his hlaford licgan heafodleasne.
c1330 Seven Sages (Auch.) (1933) l. 1199 Þe heuedles bodi..Was idrawe þourgh eueri strete.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xviii. xlviii. 1199 Ciclopes..haþ but oon yhe... And some beþ al hedles [L. capite carent] and nekeles [MS noseles] and he[re] yhen beþ in þe schuldres.
a1425 (c1333–52) L. Minot Poems (1914) 9 Sum ligges ȝit in þat mire All heuidles, with owten hire.
1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) xiv. 331 Hym that never shall come agayn, but he be hedles.
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene iv. iii. sig. C5v The headlesse tronke, as heedlesse of that stower, Stood still a while. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 2 (1623) i. ii. 65 I would remoue these tedious stumbling blockes, And smooth my way vpon their headlesse neckes. View more context for this quotation
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iv. xvi. 196 Mangled, headlesse, handlesse, feetlesse corpses.
1736 H. Walpole Let. 20 May in Corr. with George Montagu (1837) I. 7 Headless carcases and carcaseless heads.
1783 J. Hoole tr. L. Ariosto Orlando Furioso V. xlii. 58 The headless trunk of Agramant.
1862 D. Wilson Prehistoric Man II. xix. 126 Headless figures are the symbols of the dead.
1883 Tinsley's Mag. Apr. 399/2 The apparition of a headless pig is occasionally seen in the parish.
1914 T. E. Lawrence Let. 6 Feb. (1938) 165 We are digging up well preserved Amorites who were buried naked and headless.
1988 K. Wallingford R. Lowell's Lang. of Self i. 45 The figures in the photograph are headless.
2004 New Yorker 10 May 56/1 The headless body of his wife..had been fished out of the Merrimack River.
b. Of an object, as an arrow, nail, cask, etc.: having no head; lacking or having lost the top part.
ΚΠ
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 53 Brode hedlese nayle, clavus acephalus.
tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. l. 881 Brenne heer and ther the heedles garlek stelis.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid vi. xiii. 12 That lenys him apon his heidless speir.
?1611 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliads xvi. 109 Ajax seeing..that he shook a headless spear, a little while unware.
1693 C. Mather Wonders Invisible World 113 Several Poppets..with Headless Pins in them, the points being outward.
1748 L. Pilkington Mem. III. 151 The Doctor..found a small Sprig, or headless Nail sticking in the Temple.
1792 E. Hargrove Anecd. Archery 42 Thomas Lord Clifford,..was, three months after, killed at this battle, by a headless arrow.
1869 Horticulturalist Feb. 49/1 You can hoop a headless barrel over the plant.
1884 Instr. Mil. Engin. (ed. 3) I. ii. 86 Each cylinder is made of gabions or headless casks, placed end to end, and lashed together.
1921 Automotive Industries 15 Dec. 1176/1 Six 5/ 8-in. headless iron rods are set in place.
1971 B. Scharf Engin. & its Lang. xi. 97 Studs..are very useful headless fastening devices.
2002 Backwoods Home Mag. July 22/1 Hammer headless nails into the plywood.
c. Zoology. Of an invertebrate, such as a bivalve mollusc: lacking a differentiated head; = acephalous adj. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > animal body > general parts > head and neck > [adjective] > having no head
acephalous1728
headless1806
1806 Med. Repository 2nd Hexade 4 161 The Mollusca class is divided into five orders..4. Headless, or their heads confounded with the bodies, comprehending the bivalve-shelled animals.
1880 H. C. Bastian Brain vii. 107 Sedentary animals, though they may possess a Nervous System, are often headless.
1904 School & Home Educ. Oct. 81/1 Some of the acephals or headless mollusks bore into solid rock and there make burrows in which to live.
2009 M. Calver et al. Environmental Biol. xiv. 326 Bivalves are headless suspension feeders, collecting small food particles using their gills.
2.
a. Christian Church. Having or recognizing no superior ecclesiastical authority. Chiefly with reference to the Acephali (acephali n. 1b). Now rare.
ΚΠ
OE tr. Chrodegang of Metz Regula Canonicorum (Corpus Cambr. 191) lxiii. 303 Twa cynrynu preosta synt: an is mynsterlicra, þe under bisceopes gymene wuniað; oðer is acephalorum, þæt is heafodleas [L. sine capite]; nyton hwæm hi folgiað.
1565 T. Stapleton Fortresse of Faith f. 93v Headles heretikes bicause they were vnder no bishops.
1653 A. Ross Πανσεβεια vii. 210 From the Eutychians sprung up the Acephali, or headless hereticks, so called because they had neither Bishop, Priest, nor Sacrament amongst them.
1674 T. Good Firmianus & Dubitantius 106 I do not now so much wonder how England.., since this headless faction prevaild amongst us, became a second Amsterdam.
1722 J. Bingham Origines Ecclesiasticæ X. sig. B2v The Acephali had no Bishops, or were named Headless, from the Want of such Heads among them.
1855 H. H. Milman Hist. Lat. Christianity VI. xiii. ix. 185 Pope John..would..appeal to Christendom against the decrees of a headless Council.
1893 A. West Hist. Methodism Alabama xvii. 412 The Schismatics..instituted a headless Church..responsible to the irresponsible masses, an associated anarchy.
2010 P. Jenkins Jesus Wars viii. 239 Extreme Monophysites who deserted the Coptic patriarchs became the anarchistic acephali, the ‘headless ones’.
b. More generally: lacking or having lost a ruler or chief; leaderless.
ΚΠ
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 441 (MED) Þe kyng was i-meved to helpe þe chirche þat so was hevedles and wedwe.
?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) (1996) i. l. 6518 A lond heuedles [a1450 Lamb. hedles] in time of nede.
a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) iii. xxvi. sig. U.vii Nowe to this great glory can there no man come headlesse. Our head is Christ.
1598 R. Barret Theorike & Pract. Mod. Warres ii. 28 Not to send them out like headlesse men.
1653 R. Filmer Patriarcha (1680) ii. §17. 73 It will lye in the hands of the headless Multitude.
1681 R. Howard Life & Reign Richard II 22 A Thousand armed men.., at whose approach (being now headless, and all in confusion) they were so terrifi'd, that they forthwith flung down what Arms they had.
1729 T. Innes Crit. Ess. Anc. Inhabitants Scotl. I. p. xxviii The confusions of a divided and headless nation.
1767 W. L. Lewis tr. Statius Thebaid I. v. 214 The headless Herd in stragg'ling Parties roves.
1867 Pall Mall Gaz. 31 Aug. 4/1 The Abyssinian war has come on the departments in a headless state.
1891 R. F. Horton Hist. Rom. xxvi. 231 A..series of events robbed the Marians of their leaders and left them, headless as it were, to be scattered by the victorious might of Sulla.
1918 C. H. Grasty Flashes from Front xiii. 225 The losses were terrible; her own house had been left headless.
2001 Daily Tel. 12 Jan. 10/7 Covent Garden, headless since Christmas, will be run in the meantime by John Seekings.
3. Brainless, foolish; senseless, stupid. In later use chiefly in collocation with heartless, and somewhat rare.
a. Of a person or group of people.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > [adjective]
sloweOE
stuntc960
dullOE
hardOE
stuntlyc1000
sotc1050
dillc1175
dulta1225
simplea1325
heavy1340
astonedc1374
sheepishc1380
dull-witteda1387
lourd1390
steerishc1411
ass-likea1425
brainless?a1439
deafc1440
sluggishc1450
short-witted1477
obtuse1509
peakish1519
wearish1519
deaf, or dumb as a beetle1520
doileda1522
gross1526
headlessa1530
stulty1532
ass-headed1533
pot-headed1533
stupid?1541
sheep's head1542
doltish1543
dumpish1545
assish1548
blockish1548
slow-witted1548
blockheaded1549
surd1551
dull-headed1552
hammer-headed1552
skit-brained?1553
buzzardly1561
witless1562
log-headeda1566
assy1566
sottish1566
dastardly1567
stupidious1567
beetle-headed1570
calvish1570
bluntish1578
cod's-headed1578
grout-headed1578
bedaft1579
dull-pated1580
blate1581
buzzard-like1581
long-eared1582
dullard1583
woodena1586
duncical1588
leaden-headed1589
buzzard1592
dorbellical1592
dunstical1592
heavy-headeda1593
shallow-brained1592
blunt-witted1594
mossy1597
Bœotian1598
clay-brained1598
fat1598
fat-witted1598
knotty-pated1598
stupidous1598
wit-lost1599
barren1600
duncifiedc1600
lourdish1600
stockish1600
thick1600
booby1603
leaden-pated1603
partless1603
thin-headed1603
leaden-skulledc1604
blockhead1606
frost-brained1606
ram-headed1608
beef-witted1609
insulse1609
leaden-spirited1609
asininec1610
clumse1611
blockheadly1612
wattle-headed1613
flata1616
logger-headeda1616
puppy-headeda1616
shallow-patedc1616
thick-brained1619
half-headed1621
buzzard-blinda1625
beef-brained1628
toom-headed1629
thick-witted1634
woollen-witted1635
squirrel-headed1637
clod-pated1639
lean-souled1639
muddy-headed1642
leaden-witteda1645
as sad as any mallet1645
under-headed1646
fat-headed1647
half-witted1647
insipid1651
insulsate1652
soft-headed1653
thick-skulleda1657
muddish1658
non-intelligent1659
whey-brained1660
sap-headed1665
timber-headed1666
leather-headeda1668
out of (one's) tree1669
boobily1673
thoughtless1673
lourdly1674
logger1675
unintelligenta1676
Bœotic1678
chicken-brained1678
under-witted1683
loggerhead1684
dunderheaded1692
unintelligible1694
buffle-headed1697
crassicc1700
numbskulled1707
crassous1708
doddy-polled1708
haggis-headed1715
niddy-noddy1722
muzzy1723
pudding-headed1726
sumphish1728
pitcher-souleda1739
duncey1743
hebete1743
chuckheaded1756
dumb1756
duncely1757
imbecile1766
mutton-headed1768
chuckle-headed1770
jobbernowl1770
dowfarta1774
boobyish1778
wittol1780
staumrel1787
opaquec1789
stoopid1791
mud-headed1793
borné1795
muzzy-headed1798
nog-headed1800
thick-headed1801
gypit1804
duncish1805
lightweight1809
numbskull1814
tup-headed1816
chuckle-pate1820
unintellectuala1821
dense1822
ninnyish1822
dunch1825
fozy1825
potato-headed1826
beef-headed1828
donkeyish1831
blockheadish1833
pinheaded1837
squirrel-minded1837
pumpkin-headed1838
tomfoolish1838
dundering1840
chicken-headed1842
like a bump on a log1842
ninny-minded1849
numbheadeda1852
nincompoopish1852
suet-brained1852
dolly1853
mullet-headed1853
sodden1853
fiddle-headed1854
numb1854
bovine1855
logy1859
crass1861
unsmart1861
off his chump1864
wooden-headed1865
stupe1866
lean-minded1867
duffing1869
cretinous1871
doddering1871
thick-head1873
doddling1874
stupido1879
boneheaded1883
woolly-headed1883
leaden-natured1889
suet-headed1890
sam-sodden1891
dopey1896
turnip-headed1898
bonehead1903
wool-witted1905
peanut-headed1906
peanut-brained1907
dilly1909
torpid-minded1909
retardate1912
nitwitted1917
meat-headed1918
mug1922
cloth-headed1925
loopy1925
nitwit1928
lame-brained1929
dead from the neck up1930
simpy1932
nail-headed1936
square-headed1936
dingbats1937
pinhead1939
dim-witted1940
pea-brained1942
clueless1943
lobotomized1943
retarded1949
pointy-headed1950
clottish1952
like a stunned mullet1953
silly (or crazy) as a two-bob watch1954
out to lunch1955
pin-brained1958
dozy1959
eejity1964
out of one's tiny mind1965
doofus1967
twitty1967
twittish1969
twatty1975
twattish1976
blur1977
dof1979
goofus1981
dickheaded1991
dickish1991
numpty1992
cockish1996
a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) iii. f. CCxxv That the kyng of heuen wolde mary his onely eternall sone to a hedles woman.
1549 J. Cheke Hurt of Sedicion sig. C3 Nether..touched of hedles captains, nor holden of braynlesse rebels.
1648 J. Taylor Brown Dozen of Drunkards 8 Bacchus his headlesse, brainlesse, staggering and party-coloured Senate.
1757 Monthly Rev. Jan. 81 Such helpless, headless, heartless men.
1884 Pall Mall Gaz. 12 Sept. 4/2 A landowner, perfectly heartless and headless.
1999 P. Plagens Time for Robo 306 He became a heartless idiot. Now, confused and panicked, he's a headless idiot as well.
b. Of a thing, action, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > [adjective] > of actions, ideas, etc.
sloweOE
bluntc1175
simplea1425
headless1563
sottish1592
thick1600
stupid1609
incrassate1659
crass1660
simple-minded1774
bright1830
simplistic1844
noodly1870
unelectric1876
dinlo1907
clunky1965
1563 R. Reynolds Foundacion of Rhetorike f. xxxviiiv Their miseries will driue them to..hedlesse aduentures.
?1565 A. Hartwell tr. W. Haddon Sight of Portugall Pearle sig. Diiii You are neuer weried in darting out whole quiuers full of sleueles slaundering and hedlesse hatred.
1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 86/1 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) II Their bare words or headlesse saiengs.
a1620 M. Fotherby Atheomastix (1622) i. ix. §2. 62 Headlesse Old-wiues Tales.
1647 Vindic. Army under Sir T. Fairfax (title page) A confused and headlesse peece, so surreptitiously crept forth.
1701 W. Paterson Proposals Council of Trade Introd. sig. **v The main hazard..will be, of a Rash, Raw, Giddy and Headless Direction.
1837 Dublin Univ. Mag. May 603/1 Literature had not expanded into a wholesale manufacture of headless and heartless workhouse ware.
1842 G. Griffin Talis Qualis iv. 68 His precipitate and headless conduct.
2011 Kildare Nationalist (Nexis) 14 Sept. There was no reason not to believe they wouldn't get one last chance in injury time.., but their headless behaviour ended any hope of that.
Compounds
headless cross n. a cross without a head or top part; a T-shaped cross; = tau cross n. at tau n. Compounds 3.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > indication > insignia > heraldic devices collective > charge: device on shield > cross > [noun] > tau cross
tau cross1474
headless cross1483
cross commisse1688
tau1704
1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. cccvii/1 Thau is made lyke an hedeles Crosse.
1563 in Vicary's Anat. Bodie of Man (1888) App. iii. 163 There shalbe CC blew hedles Crosses made with all convenient spede.
1658 T. Pugh Brittish & Out-landish Prophesies 63 At the headless Cross besides Gloster shal many thousand be slain.
1853 H. W. Herbert Chevaliers of France 30 I can lead you to the great chestnut, and to the headless cross in the beech woods.
1998 R. Houlbrooke Death, Relig., & Family (2000) iii. 69 In 1550 a young single man..was found sitting on the cliff-top by a headless cross on Ascension Day reading the Word of God in English.
headless horse n. an apparition in the form of a horse with no head; cf. headless horseman n.
ΚΠ
1713 J. Gay Wife of Bath iii. i. 26 Many a dark Night have I seen the Headless Horse, and have had the Honour to Converse with the Queen of the Fairies.
1811 Weekly Visitor 11 May 5/2 He..was returning, by moonlight, petrified with fear and endeavouring to whistle away from remembrance the story of the Tall Woman in white, and her Headless Horse.
1903 Quiver 979/1 Among the dread superstitions of our forefathers, a headless horse..stopping before a door and striking it with his hoof, as a sure sign of coming death, was one of the weirdest.
2006 V. Khatri True Ghosts & Spooky Incidents 107 The horrible sight of a headless horse galloping across the moors near Calverley Hall in West Yorkshire has scared quite a number of people.
headless horseman n. an apparition or ghost in the form of a headless man riding a horse.
ΚΠ
1820 W. Irving Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Sketch Bk. II. iv. 98 The stories..turned upon the favourite spectre of Sleepy Hollow, the headless horseman who had been heard several times of late.
1866 M. Reid Headless Horseman Prol. 2 Heedless of the affrighted deer..the Headless Horseman rides on.
1906 E. Z. Elliott Old Schuylkill Tales 106 Sleepy Hollow was not the only locality that boasted of a headless horseman. Schuylkill County had one also, but there was no Washington Irving to immortalize him.
2000 Times 28 Oct. (Weekend section) 3/1 The Trust..is promoting its haunted houses for Hallowe'en with tales of headless horsemen,..and a ‘blue woman’ who shakes beds.
Derivatives
ˈheadlessness n. [perhaps compare earlier headlesshood n.] the state or condition of being headless (in various senses).
ΚΠ
1706 E. H. & L. M. Jonas & Joshua 26 Jos. The word Avery..being a Church without a Head or Bishop belonging to it. Jo. Or a Barn either: What a peice of Headlessness is this.
1829 Edinb. Lit. Jrnl. 11 Apr. 308/1 The phantom..looked steadfastly in all its awful headlessness at the unfortunate pair.
1876 L. Tollemache in Fortn. Rev. Jan. 112 This singular example of sanitary headlessness.
1905 Canad. Mag. Dec. 184/1 The headlessness and chaos of Russian affairs.
1993 Daily Mail (Nexis) 3 Apr. 7 Many a decapitated marble torso in many an Italian park owes its headlessness to the British souvenir-hunters of an earlier era.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.OE