headstand

American

[hed-stand] / ˈhɛdˌstænd /

noun

an act or instance of supporting the body in a vertical position by balancing on the head usually with the aid of the hands.

verb (used without object)

headstood, headstanding

to perform a headstand.

headstand British

/ ˈhɛdˌstænd /

noun

the act or an instance of balancing on the head, usually with the hands as support

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of headstand

First recorded in 1930–35; head + stand

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Just like you are not going to be able to do a headstand in your first yoga session.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 26, 2023

Irene Martínez does a headstand on her own, legs arching back in a physics-defying curve.

From New York Times • Jan. 15, 2023

And, “a headstand is not a good idea for someone with neck arthritis.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 18, 2022

A feral Jake Gyllenhaal does a headstand on each crate.

From Slate • Aug. 26, 2021

"I'd do a headstand on a pyramid for just one flavor."

From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023