Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
I wash my hair every night.
He has black hair.
...a girl with long blonde hair.
I get some grey hairs but I pull them out.
Synonyms: locks, mane, tresses, shock More Synonyms of hair
2. variable noun
Hair is the short, fine threads that grow on different parts of your body.
The majority of men have hair on their chest.
It tickled the hairs on the back of my neck.
3. variable noun
Hair is the threads that cover the body of an animal such as a dog, or make up a horse's mane and tail.
I am allergic to cat hair.
...dog hairs on the carpet.
4. countable noun [usually plural]
Hairs are short, very fine threads that grow on some insects and plants.
The stinging nettle has a square stem and little hairs.
5.
See to let your hair down
6.
See to make your hair stand on end
7.
See not a hair out of place
8.
See not turn a hair
9.
See split hairs
usage note: Hair can be both a count and an uncount noun. When you are describing people, you usuallyuse the uncount sense. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes. ...the girl with red hair and freckles. However, when you particularly want to refer to one or several of the individualstrands that grow from your head or body, you can use the count sense. There were some blonde hairs in the car... A single fibre thinner than a hair.
hair in British English
(hɛə)
noun
1.
any of the threadlike pigmented structures that grow from follicles beneath the skin of mammals and consist of layers of dead keratinized cells
2.
a growth of such structures, as on the human head or animal body, which helps prevent heat loss from the body
3. botany
any threadlike outgrowth from the epidermis, such as a root hair
4.
a.
a fabric or material made from the hair of some animals
b.
(as modifier)
a hair carpet
a hair shirt
5. another word for hair's-breadth
to lose by a hair
6. get in someone's hair
7. hair of the dog
8. keep your hair on!
9. let one's hair down
10. not turn a hair
11. split hairs
Derived forms
hairlike (ˈhairˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
Old English hær; related to Old Norse hār, Old High German hār hair, Norwegian herren stiff, hard, Lettish sari bristles, Latin crescere to grow
hair in American English
(hɛr; hær)
noun
1.
any of the fine, threadlike outgrowths from the skin of an animal or human being
2.
a growth of these
; esp.,
a.
the growth covering the human head
b.
the growth covering all or part of the skin of most mammals
3.
material woven from hair
4.
an extremely small space, margin, degree, etc.
to miss by a hair
5. Botany
a threadlike growth on a plant; trichome
adjective
6.
made of or with hair
7.
for the care of the hair
hair tonic
Idioms:
get in one's hair
hair of the dog (that bit one)
have (or get) by the short hairs
let one's hair down
make one's hair stand on end
not turn a hair
split hairs
to a hair
Derived forms
hairlike (ˈhairˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
ME here < OE hær (akin to Ger haar, Frank *harja) & < ? OFr haire, hair shirt < Frank *harja < IE base *er(s)-, to bristle
More idioms containing
hair
someone hasn't seen hide nor hair of someone
wear a hair shirt
pull your hair out
not turn a hair
not a hair out of place
make your hair curl
make someone's hair stand on end
let your hair down
keep your hair on
keep someone out of your hair
a hair of the dog
get out of someone's hair
get in someone's hair
COBUILD Collocations
hair
armpit hair
bleached hair
chest hair
cropped hair
dyed hair
excess hair
floppy hair
frizzy hair
glossy hair
pluck hairs
pull hair
unruly hair
Examples of 'hair' in a sentence
hair
You have to remember they have had hair and make-up and styling.
The Sun (2016)
If he was 20 years older than her, no one would turn a hair.
The Sun (2016)
The other had brown hair and brown eyes.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The soundtrack alone makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They suit pale skin and dark hair best.
The Sun (2016)
Thought of it makes my hair stand on end!
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Teacher friends say they can count their female pupils with short hair on the fingers of one hand.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Being overweight is the biggest concern, followed by hair loss and body shape worries.
The Sun (2017)
You have to remember they have had hair and make-up and styling.
The Sun (2016)
If he was 20 years older than her, no one would turn a hair.
The Sun (2016)
Not being allowed to have any body hair.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Female players stick to either very long or very short hair.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We need some hair of the dog.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
She had dark hair pulled roughly back and a noticeably bad complexion.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
My hair turned a strange shade of green.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The rain keeps her hair in place.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Where ancient myths and spellbinding tales will set your imagination alight and your hair on end.
The Sun (2013)
Her blonde hair is tied up in a simple ponytail.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
My fine hair felt healthier and more manageable after the first wash.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There are five different kits that will help hair grow stronger and thicker.
The Sun (2014)
How do you feel about body hair?
The Sun (2014)
He has brown hair and cruel eyes.
Bee, Helen The Developing Child (7th edn.) (1995)
This was the hair of the dog cure.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It was also a relief to get my hair back again.
Steel, Elizabeth Coping With Sudden Hair Loss (1988)
His hair turned grey almost overnight and he wondered how they would bounce back.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
She also had locks of hair placed in her hand.
The Sun (2011)
This will add shine and protect the ends of the hair when blow drying.
The Sun (2010)
The fine hairs stood up on the back of her neck as she endured the sensation of threat and retribution.
Christina Dodd SOMEDAY MY PRINCE (1999)
They have the same dark hair, the same eyebrows and the same facial features.
The Sun (2009)
The hair and make-up is pretty dowdy too.
The Sun (2010)
If the hair was cut short on top, it seemed to stand up on its own.
The Times Literary Supplement (2008)
She had wigs prepared so as to limit her hair and make-up time.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
hair
British English: hair /hɛə/ NOUN
Your hair is the mass of fine thread-like strands that grow on your head.
I wash my hair every night.
American English: hair
Arabic: شَعْر
Brazilian Portuguese: cabelo
Chinese: 头发
Croatian: kosa
Czech: vlasy
Danish: hår
Dutch: haar
European Spanish: pelo
Finnish: karva
French: cheveux
German: Haar
Greek: μαλλιά
Italian: capelli
Japanese: 髪
Korean: 머리카락
Norwegian: hår
Polish: włosy
European Portuguese: cabelo
Romanian: păr
Russian: волосы
Latin American Spanish: pelo
Swedish: hår
Thai: ผม
Turkish: saç
Ukrainian: волосся
Vietnamese: tóc
All related terms of 'hair'
big hair
a hairstyle with volume created by hair products or styling techniques such as backcombing , etc
body hair
hair that grows on the body as opposed to the head or face
dyed hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
good hair
hair that is typically long and straight , or in loose waves
hair bulb
the end of a hair follicle containing active hair-growing cells; situated under the skin
hair care
Hair care is all the things people do to keep their hair clean , healthy-looking, and attractive .
hair cell
any of the nerve cells of the inner ear having groups of projecting , hairlike receptors that are sensitive to vibrations and sound waves
hair clip
an item used to hold the hair up or in place
hair gel
a jelly-like substance applied to the hair before styling in order to retain the shape of the style
hair-lock
a curl of the hair of the head
hair loss
the loss of human hair from the head; balding
hair net
a cap of loose net , as of silk or nylon , for holding the hair in place
hair oil
an oily cosmetic preparation designed to improve the condition of the hair
hair seal
any earless seal , esp the harbour seal, having a coat of stiff hair with no underfur
pull hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
root hair
any of the hollow hairlike outgrowths of the outer cells of a root , just behind the tip , that absorb water and salts from the soil
angel hair
a kind of pasta in the shape of very fine long strands
armpit hair
Hair is the short, fine threads that grow on different parts of your body.
camel-hair
A camel-hair coat is made of a kind of soft , thick woollen cloth , usually creamy-brown in colour.
chest hair
Hair is the short, fine threads that grow on different parts of your body.
crepe hair
artificial hair, usually plaited and made of wool or vegetable fibre , used in theatrical make-up
excess hair
Hair is the short, fine threads that grow on different parts of your body.
facial hair
hair growing on the face
floppy hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
frizzy hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
glossy hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
guard hair
any of the coarse hairs that form the outer fur in certain mammals , rising above the underfur
hair colour
the colour or shade of someone's hair
hair cream
a cosmetic preparation used to improve the condition of, and/or to style the hair
hair-curler
a cylindrical device, usually electronic and heated, used to curl the hair
hair grass
any grass of the genera Aira, Deschampsia, etc, having very narrow stems and leaves
hair roller
a small Velcro cylinder used for rolling up and curling or styling the hair
hair salon
a person whose business is cutting , curling , colouring , and arranging hair, esp that of women
hair sheep
any variety of sheep growing hair instead of wool , yielding hides with a finer and tougher grain than those of wool sheep
hair shirt
A hair shirt is a shirt made of rough uncomfortable cloth which some religious people used to wear to punish themselves.
hair slide
a hinged clip with a tortoiseshell , bone , or similar back, used to fasten the hair
hair space
the thinnest of the metal spaces used in setting type to separate letters or words
hair spray
a liquid sprayed from a spray can onto the hair , to hold it in place
hair stroke
a very fine line in a written character
hair style
a style of cutting , arranging , or combing the hair; hairdo; coiffure
Pele's hair
fine threads of volcanic glass formed from molten lava by the action of wind, explosion , etc
pubic hair
the hair that grows above the genitals
to a hair
exactly ; right in every detail
unruly hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
vellus hair
short fine unpigmented hair covering the human body
Venus'-hair
a maidenhair fern ( Adiantum capillus-veneris ) of tropical America and the S U.S.
bleached hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
camel's hair
the hair of the camel
cropped hair
Your hair is the fine threads that grow in a mass on your head.
hair clippers
a type of clippers used to cut human hair close, used esp by barbers on head and facial hair
Chinese translation of 'hair'
hair
(hɛəʳ)
n(u/c)
(human)
(on head) 头(頭)发(髮) (tóufa)
(on body) 汗毛 (hànmáo)
(= single strand) 毛发(髮) (máofà) (根, gēn)
(c/u) (animal on body, single strand) 毛毛 (máomao)
(c) (on plants and insects) 绒(絨)毛 (róngmáo)
to do one's hair梳头(頭) (shūtóu)
to have or get one's hair done (styled) 打理头(頭)发(髮) (dǎlǐ tóufa)
to have or get one's hair cut剪头(頭)发(髮) (jiǎn tóufa)
by a hair's breadth (fig) 极(極)端的距离(離) (jíduān de jùlí)
to let one's hair down (fig) 放松(鬆)一点(點) (fàngsōng yīdiǎn)
to make sb's hair stand on end (fig) 使某人毛骨悚然 (shǐ mǒurén máo gǔ sǒngrán)
not a hair out of place衣着(著)一丝(絲)不乱(亂) (yīzhuó yī sī bù luàn)
he didn't turn a hair泰然处(處)之 (tàirán chǔzhī)
to get in sb's hair惹恼(惱)某人 (rěnǎo mǒurén)
All related terms of 'hair'
hair gel
发(髮)胶(膠) fàjiāo
to do one's hair
梳头(頭) shūtóu
his hair is thinning
他的头(頭)发(髮)变(變)得稀疏了 tā de tóufa biàn de xīshū le
to get in sb's hair
惹恼(惱)某人 rěnǎo mǒurén
he didn't turn a hair
泰然处(處)之 tàirán chǔzhī
to cut one's finger/hair
割破手指/剪头(頭)发(髮) gēpò shǒuzhǐ/jiǎn tóufa
to do one's teeth/hair
刷牙/做头(頭)发(髮) shuāyá/zuò tóufa
to dry one's hands/hair
擦干(乾)手/头(頭)发(髮) cāgān shǒu/tóufa
to get one's hair cut
理发(髮) lǐfà
to have one's hair cut
理发(髮) lǐfà
to let one's hair down
( fig ) 放松(鬆)一点(點) fàngsōng yīdiǎn
her hair came to her waist
她的头(頭)发(髮)长(長)到腰的位置了 tā de tóufa zhǎng dào yāo de wèizhì le
not a hair out of place
衣着(著)一丝(絲)不乱(亂) yīzhuó yī sī bù luàn
to have one's hair permed
烫(燙)头(頭)发(髮) tàng tóufa
slide
( in playground ) 滑梯 huátī [ 个(個) gè ]
to get or have one's hair cut
剪发(髮) jiǎnfà
to have or get one's hair cut
剪头(頭)发(髮) jiǎn tóufa
to have or get one's hair done
( styled ) 打理头(頭)发(髮) dǎlǐ tóufa
to have streaks in one's hair
头(頭)发(發)有不同颜(顏)色的条(條)缕(縷) tóufa yǒu bùtóng yánsè de tiáolǚ
to make sb's hair stand on end
使某人毛骨悚然 shǐ mǒurén máo gǔ sǒngrán
to wash one's face/hands/hair
洗脸(臉)/手/头(頭)发(髮) xǐ liǎn/shǒu/tóufa
your hair wants cutting/washing
你的头(頭)发(髮)要剪剪/洗洗了 nǐ de tóufa yào jiǎnjian/xǐxi le
他长(長)着(著)蓝(藍)眼睛/黑头(頭)发(髮) tā zhǎngzhe lán yǎnjing/hēi tóufa
mop (of hair)
蓬乱(亂)的(头(頭)发(髮)) péngluàn de (tóufa)
(noun)
Definition
a mass of such outgrowths, such as on a person's head or an animal's body
a girl with long blonde hair
Synonyms
locks
mane
tresses
shock
a very old priest with a shock of white hair
mop
He was dark-eyed with a mop of tight curls.
head of hair
idioms
See by a hair
See get in someone's hair
See let your hair down
See make someone's hair stand on end
See not turn a hair
See split hairs
related words
related maniatrichomania
figurative note
Hair has long been a focus of care and attention for humans, even seen as our `crowning glory'. The extended meanings and idioms involving hair tend to refer either to the physical appearance of hair or the emotions. A hair describes a very small amount or distance in the expression by a hair ('s breadth), meaning `very close', which is also like the phrase by a whisker. Physical fineness of hair is also referenced in the expression split hairs whereby petty distinctions are made. Other expressions with hair allude to emotional states, such as get in your hair meaning `annoy'. The idea that emotions can affect the hair has its foundation in fact in that cold, fear, and shock cause body hair to erect, literally hair-raising or making your hair stand on end. In olden times, the elaborate hairdressing of ladies and gentlemen in public meant that they would only let their hair down in private, thus the meaning of relaxing, or becoming confidential, developed.