hairhair /hɛr/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1
ON HEAD [uncountable] the mass of thin things like threads that grows on your head: My dad has some gray hair. A young woman with short red hair walked into the office. Don’t forget to brush your hair. I get my hair done at a salon down the street (=have it cut or colored there). She cut a lock of hair from the baby’s head to save (=thick bunch of hair).2ON BODY [uncountable] the short thin things like thread that grow on some parts of your body, for example on your legs or under your arms: The device will take away unwanted facial hair.3ON ANIMALS [uncountable] the mass of thin things that grows on the bodies of some animals, used especially when it has come off the animal’s body: There is cat hair all over the couch.4ONE HAIR [countable] one human or animal hair: Yuck! There’s a hair in my sandwich.5SMALL AMOUNT a hair a small amount: Larson won the race by a hair.6pull/tear your hair out informal to be very anxious or angry about something: I was pulling my hair out trying to find someone to help me.7not harm/touch a hair on somebody’s head used to emphasize that a person or animal would not harm someone in any way: The dog wouldn’t harm a hair on the kid’s head.8not have a hair out of place to have a very neat appearance: Joel never has a hair out of place.9let your hair down informal to enjoy yourself and start to relax, especially after working very hard: Come out with us tonight, and let your hair down a little.10a bad hair day humorous a)a day on which your hair will not do what you want it to do b)a day when everything seems to go wrong for you11make somebody’s hair stand on end to make someone very frightened: The thought of a lawsuit was enough to make his hair stand on end.12make your hair curl informal if a story, experience, etc. makes your hair curl, it is very surprising, frightening, or shocking: The stories they tell about him would make your hair curl.13a/the hair of the dog (that bit you) humorous an alcoholic drink that is supposed to make you feel better after drinking too much alcohol the night before: What you need this morning is a little hair of the dog.[Origin: Old English hær] → see also -haired, a head of hair at head1 (29), not see hide nor hair of somebody at hide2 (4), split hairs at split1 (7)USAGE: cut your hair, have/get your hair cutIf you cut your own hair, say: I cut my hair. If someone else cuts it for you, it is clearer to say: I had/got my hair cut.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesbrown/dark/black hair He’s about six feet tall, with dark hair and blue eyes.blond/blonde/fair hair (=yellowish-white in colour) She has long blonde hair and blue eyes.brown/chestnut hair Her hair was light brown. She had a fine head of chestnut hair.sandy hair (=yellowish-brown) He wore his long, sandy brown hair in a ponytail.mousy hair (=an unattractive dull brown) I have pale mousy hair that is dull and lacks shine.red/auburn hair The whole family had red hair.white/gray/silver hair She was about 70, with gray hair.short/long hair I like your hair when it’s short like that. A few of the boys had long hair.shoulder-length/medium-length He had shoulder-length reddish hair.straight hair A girl with long straight hair stood by the door.curly hair When he was young, his hair was thick and curly.frizzy hair (=tightly curled) She had dark frizzy hair which might have been permed.wavy hair (=with loose curls) Her golden wavy hair fell around her shoulders.thick hair She had thick hair down to her waist.fine hair (=thin) Her hair is so fine that it’s really hard to style.spiky hair (=stiff and standing up on top of your head) Billy had black spiky hair.glossy/shiny hair She combed her hair until it was smooth and glossy.lustrous hair literary (=very shiny and attractive) Her lustrous dark hair blew back in the wind.dull hair (=not shiny) The conditioner made my hair look dull.greasy hair (=containing too much oil) The ad said the shampoo was ideal for greasy hair.dry hair (=lacking oil) Try a shampoo for dry hair.lank hair especially literary (=thin, straight, and unattractive) A scruffy young man with lank hair was waiting for the bus.thinning hair (=becoming thinner because you are losing your hair) His dark hair was thinning on top.somebody’s hair is receding (=gradually disappearing so that it is high on your forehead) The man was in his late thirties, and his hair was receding slightly.verbshave ... hair She has beautiful dark shiny hair.brush/comb your hair He dried his hair and brushed it.wash your hair He showered and washed his hair.do/fix your hair (=arrange it in a style) She’s upstairs doing her hair.have your hair cut/done/permed (also get your hair cut/done etc.) (=by a hairdresser) I need to get my hair cut.cut somebody’s hair My mom always cuts my hair.color/dye your hair (blonde/red etc.) (=change its color, especially using chemicals) Bonnie has dyed her hair blonde.wear your hair long/in a ponytail etc. (=have that style of hair) He wore his hair in a ponytail.grow your hair (long) (=let it grow longer) I’m growing my hair long, but it’s taking forever.lose your hair (=become bald) He was a small round man who was losing his hair.run your fingers through somebody’s hair (=touch someone’s hair in a loving way) He ran his fingers gently through her hair.ruffle somebody’s hair (=rub it in a kind friendly way) He patted me on the back and ruffled my hair.hair + nounshair loss The drug can cause hair loss.hair color (=the natural color of someone’s hair, or a color that they dye it) Genes control characteristics such as your hair and eye color.hair dye The survey showed that 75% of women have used hair dye.
ON HEAD [uncountable] the mass of thin things like threads that grows on your head: My dad has some gray hair. A young woman with short red hair walked into the office. Don’t forget to brush your hair. I get my hair done at a salon down the street (=have it cut or colored there). She cut a lock of hair from the baby’s head to save (=thick bunch of hair).2ON BODY [uncountable] the short thin things like thread that grow on some parts of your body, for example on your legs or under your arms: The device will take away unwanted facial hair.3ON ANIMALS [uncountable] the mass of thin things that grows on the bodies of some animals, used especially when it has come off the animal’s body: There is cat hair all over the couch.4ONE HAIR [countable] one human or animal hair: Yuck! There’s a hair in my sandwich.5SMALL AMOUNT a hair a small amount: Larson won the race by a hair.6pull/tear your hair out informal to be very anxious or angry about something: I was pulling my hair out trying to find someone to help me.7not harm/touch a hair on somebody’s head used to emphasize that a person or animal would not harm someone in any way: The dog wouldn’t harm a hair on the kid’s head.8not have a hair out of place to have a very neat appearance: Joel never has a hair out of place.9let your hair down informal to enjoy yourself and start to relax, especially after working very hard: Come out with us tonight, and let your hair down a little.10a bad hair day humorous a)a day on which your hair will not do what you want it to do b)a day when everything seems to go wrong for you11make somebody’s hair stand on end to make someone very frightened: The thought of a lawsuit was enough to make his hair stand on end.12make your hair curl informal if a story, experience, etc. makes your hair curl, it is very surprising, frightening, or shocking: The stories they tell about him would make your hair curl.13a/the hair of the dog (that bit you) humorous an alcoholic drink that is supposed to make you feel better after drinking too much alcohol the night before: What you need this morning is a little hair of the dog.[Origin: Old English hær] → see also -haired, a head of hair at head1 (29), not see hide nor hair of somebody at hide2 (4), split hairs at split1 (7)USAGE: cut your hair, have/get your hair cutIf you cut your own hair, say: I cut my hair. If someone else cuts it for you, it is clearer to say: I had/got my hair cut.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesbrown/dark/black hair He’s about six feet tall, with dark hair and blue eyes.blond/blonde/fair hair (=yellowish-white in colour) She has long blonde hair and blue eyes.brown/chestnut hair Her hair was light brown. She had a fine head of chestnut hair.sandy hair (=yellowish-brown) He wore his long, sandy brown hair in a ponytail.mousy hair (=an unattractive dull brown) I have pale mousy hair that is dull and lacks shine.red/auburn hair The whole family had red hair.white/gray/silver hair She was about 70, with gray hair.short/long hair I like your hair when it’s short like that. A few of the boys had long hair.shoulder-length/medium-length He had shoulder-length reddish hair.straight hair A girl with long straight hair stood by the door.curly hair When he was young, his hair was thick and curly.frizzy hair (=tightly curled) She had dark frizzy hair which might have been permed.wavy hair (=with loose curls) Her golden wavy hair fell around her shoulders.thick hair She had thick hair down to her waist.fine hair (=thin) Her hair is so fine that it’s really hard to style.spiky hair (=stiff and standing up on top of your head) Billy had black spiky hair.glossy/shiny hair She combed her hair until it was smooth and glossy.lustrous hair literary (=very shiny and attractive) Her lustrous dark hair blew back in the wind.dull hair (=not shiny) The conditioner made my hair look dull.greasy hair (=containing too much oil) The ad said the shampoo was ideal for greasy hair.dry hair (=lacking oil) Try a shampoo for dry hair.lank hair especially literary (=thin, straight, and unattractive) A scruffy young man with lank hair was waiting for the bus.thinning hair (=becoming thinner because you are losing your hair) His dark hair was thinning on top.somebody’s hair is receding (=gradually disappearing so that it is high on your forehead) The man was in his late thirties, and his hair was receding slightly.verbshave ... hair She has beautiful dark shiny hair.brush/comb your hair He dried his hair and brushed it.wash your hair He showered and washed his hair.do/fix your hair (=arrange it in a style) She’s upstairs doing her hair.have your hair cut/done/permed (also get your hair cut/done etc.) (=by a hairdresser) I need to get my hair cut.cut somebody’s hair My mom always cuts my hair.color/dye your hair (blonde/red etc.) (=change its color, especially using chemicals) Bonnie has dyed her hair blonde.wear your hair long/in a ponytail etc. (=have that style of hair) He wore his hair in a ponytail.grow your hair (long) (=let it grow longer) I’m growing my hair long, but it’s taking forever.lose your hair (=become bald) He was a small round man who was losing his hair.run your fingers through somebody’s hair (=touch someone’s hair in a loving way) He ran his fingers gently through her hair.ruffle somebody’s hair (=rub it in a kind friendly way) He patted me on the back and ruffled my hair.hair + nounshair loss The drug can cause hair loss.hair color (=the natural color of someone’s hair, or a color that they dye it) Genes control characteristics such as your hair and eye color.hair dye The survey showed that 75% of women have used hair dye.