pronunciation note: The auxiliary verb is pronounced (həd, STRONG hæd). For the main verb, and for the meanings [sense 2] to , [sense 5], the pronunciation is (hæd).
1.
Had is the past tense and past participle of have1.
2. auxiliary verb
Had is sometimes used instead of 'if' to begin a clause which refers to a situation that might have happened but did not. For example, the clause 'had she been elected' means the same as 'if she had been elected'.
Had he succeeded, he would have acquired a monopoly. [AUX n -ed]
Had I known what the problem was, we could have addressed it. [AUX n -ed]
3.
See to be had
4.
See to have had it
5.
See to have had it
English Easy Learning GrammarConditional clausesConditional sentences consist of a main clause and a conditional clause (sometimescalled an if-clause). The conditional clause usually begins with if ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarHaveThe verb have is used as an auxiliary verb She has run a lovely, deep, bubble bath. Katie had read about the concert in the newspaper. and also as a main ... Read more
had in British English
(hæd)
verb
the past tense and past participle of have
had in American English
(hæd)
verb transitive
pt. & pp. of
have
, also used to indicate preference or necessity, with adverbs, adjectives, and phrasesof comparison, such as rather, better, as well (Ex.: I had better leave)
Word origin
ME hadde, had < OE hæfde
Examples of 'had' in a sentence
had
She had very dark blue eyes that were almost black, like Marianne's.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
He certainly didn't look like his wife had just been killed.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
She handed me the exhibit, which she had brought with her to the deposition.
Lisa Scottoline RUNNING FROM THE LAW (2002)
All related terms of 'had'
have
You use the forms have and has with a past participle to form the present perfect tense of verbs .
had best
If you say that someone had best do something or that they ' d best do it, you mean they ought to do it. Some people consider this to be non-standard.
had better
would be wise , sensible , etc to
had rather
to consider or find preferable that
had sooner
would rather; would prefer to
to be had
If you have been had , someone has tricked you, for example by selling you something at too high a price .
have had it
to be exhausted , defeated, or killed
have at
to make an opening attack on, esp in fencing
have in
to ask (a person) to give a service
have on
to wear
have up
to cause to appear for trial
have out
to settle (a matter) or come to (a final decision ), esp by fighting or by frank discussion (often in the phrase have it out )
has had its day
If you say that something has had its day , you mean that the period during which it was most successful or popular has now passed .
have had enough
If you say that you have had enough , you mean that you are unhappy with a situation and you want it to stop .
to have had it
If you say that someone has had it , you mean they are in very serious trouble or have no hope of succeeding .
have had one's chips
to be defeated, condemned to die , killed , etc
have had your chips
to have completely failed in something that you were trying to do
have had a drop too much
to be drunk
have had one's fill of sth
If you have had your fill of something, you have had enough of it, and do not want to experience it any more or do it any more.
if I had/given my druthers
You can say that you would do something if I had my druthers or given my druthers when you mean that you would do it if you were able to choose .
someone has had their day
said to mean that the period during which someone was most successful has now passed
to have had a good war
to have made the most of the opportunities presented to one during wartime
has been around/had been around
If someone has been around , they have had a lot of experience of different people and situations .
have had a bellyful of something
to find something very irritating or boring , and not want to experience it any longer
have had your fill of something
to have had as much of something bad as you can manage
have done something more than someone has had hot dinners
to have done something a great number of times
Chinese translation of 'had'
had
(hæd)
pt, pp
ofhave
have
(hæv)
Word forms:ptpphad
vt
(= possess) 有 (yǒu)
he has or he has got blue eyes/dark hair他长(長)着(著)蓝(藍)眼睛/黑头(頭)发(髮) (tā zhǎngzhe lán yǎnjing/hēi tóufa)
do you have or have you got a car/phone?你有车(車)/电(電)话(話)吗(嗎)? (nǐ yǒu chē/diànhuà ma?)
I have or I have got an idea我有个(個)主意 (wǒ yǒu gè zhǔyi)
to have or have got sth to do有必须(須)得做的事 (yǒu bìxū děi zuò de shì)
she had her eyes closed她闭(閉)上了眼睛 (tā bìshàng le yǎnjing)
(with meals, drinks)
to have breakfast吃早饭(飯) (chī zǎofàn)
to have a drink/a cigarette喝一杯/抽支烟(煙) (hē yī bēi/chōu zhī yān)
(with activity)
to have a swim/bath游泳/洗澡 (yóuyǒng/xǐzǎo)
to have a meeting/party开(開)会(會)/开(開)派对(對) (kāihuì/kāi pàiduì)
(= receive, obtain) 得到 (dédào)
can I have a packet of sugar, please?请(請)给(給)我一包糖，好吗(嗎)？ (Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bāo táng, hǎo ma?)
can I have your address?能告诉(訴)我你的地址吗(嗎)？ (néng gàosù wǒ nǐ de dìzhǐ ma?)
you can have it for £5付5英镑它就是你的了 (fù wǔ yīngbàng tā jiùshì nǐ de le)
I must have it by tomorrow明天以前我必须(須)得到它 (míngtiān yǐqián wǒ bìxū dédào tā)
(= give birth to)
to have a baby生孩子 (shēng háizi)
(= allow) 容忍 (róngrěn)
I won't have it!我绝(絕)不允许(許)！ (wǒ jué bù yǔnxǔ!)
we can't have that我们(們)绝(絕)不允许(許)那样(樣) (wǒmen jué bù yǔnxǔ nàyàng)
to have sth done指使/安排做某事 (zhǐshǐ/ānpái zuò mǒushì)
to have one's hair cut理发(髮) (lǐfà)
(= experience, suffer)
to have a headache头(頭)痛 (tóutòng)
to have a cold/flu/diabetes得感冒/流感/糖尿病 (dé gǎnmào/liúgǎn/tángniàobìng)
to have a heart attack心脏(臟)病发(發)作 (xīnzàngbìng fāzuò)
to have an operation动(動)手术(術) (dòng shǒushù)
she had her bag stolen/her arm broken她的包被偷了/她的胳膊断(斷)了 (tā de bāo bèi tōu le/tā de gēbo duàn le)
(inf, = dupe)
to be had被骗(騙) (bèipiàn)
you've been had!你被骗(騙)了！ (nǐ bèi piàn le!)
(inf)
to have had it (= be in trouble) 没(沒)希望了 (méi xīwàng le)
aux vb
to have arrived/gone已到了/走了 (yǐ dàole/zǒule)
has he told you?他已经(經)告诉(訴)你了吗(嗎)？ (tā yǐjīng gàosù nǐ le ma?)
when she had dressed, she went downstairs穿好衣服后(後)，她下了楼(樓) (chuānhǎo yīfu hòu, tā xiàle lóu)
having lived abroad for years, I wasn't familiar with ... 已在国(國)外呆(獃)了多年，我都对(對) ... 不熟悉了 (yǐ zài guówài dāile duōnián, wǒ dōu duì ... bù shúxī le)
I haven't seen him for ages/since July我已经(經)很久/自7月以来(來)就没(沒)见(見)过(過)他了 (wǒ yǐjīng hěn jiǔ/zì qīyuè yǐlái jiù méi jiànguo tā le)