head for

British  

verb

1. to go or cause to go (towards)

2. to be destined for

   to head for trouble

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head for Idioms  

1. Proceed or go in a certain direction, as in I'm heading for town, or I believe Karen and Jane are heading for a big quarrel. This expression, which uses head in the sense of “advance toward,” is occasionally amplified with a figurative destination, especially in the American West. For example, head for the hills means “to run away to high and safer ground” or “to flee from danger.” It is often used facetiously, as in Here comes that old bore—head for the hills! Head for the setting sun alludes to where a wanted man or outlaw went when a law-enforcement agent was close behind him, that is, farther west, and head for the last roundup means “to die.” [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

head for

I head for another feast, another set of fires.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

And something of a kick in the head for those feeling smugly pessimistic about the future of American education.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Stokes' absence as a leader and all-rounder have been noticeable as England head for their third successive defeat in Tests at The Oval.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026

‘My Government Means to Kill Me,’ a hard-edged, cameo-filled novel of AIDS-riddled 1980s New York, has been ‘bubblng’ in Newson’s head for years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026

My shoulders slump, and I shake my head for him to stop.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• advance
• blow
• carry
• change
• climb
• cross
• drift
• drive
• flow
• fly
• go
• jump
• leave
• migrate
• proceed
• progress
• propel
• push
• relocate
• remove