homing

[ hoh-ming ]

/ ˈhoʊ mɪŋ /

adjective

capable of returning home, usually over a great distance: We saw the homing birds at dusk.

guiding or directing homeward or to a destination, especially by mechanical means: the homing instinct; a homing beacon.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?

Question 1 of 10

earnest

full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.

a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.

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Origin of homing

First recorded in 1860–65; home + -ing²

Words nearby homing

homiletic, homiletics, homiliary, homilist, homily, homing, homing device, homing guidance, homing pigeon, hominid, hominids

Definition for homing (2 of 2)

home

[ hohm ]

/ hoʊm /

noun

a house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household.

the place in which one's domestic affections are centered.

an institution for the homeless, sick, etc.: a nursing home.

the dwelling place or retreat of an animal.

the place or region where something is native or most common.

any place of residence or refuge: a heavenly home.

a person's native place or own country.

(in games) the destination or goal.

a principal base of operations or activities: The new stadium will be the home of the local football team.

Baseball. home plate.

Lacrosse. one of three attack positions nearest the opposing goal.

adjective

of, relating to, or connected with one's home or country; domestic: home products.

principal or main: the corporation's home office.

reaching the mark aimed at: a home thrust.

Sports. played in a ball park, arena, or the like, that is or is assumed to be the center of operations of a team: The pitcher didn't lose a single home game all season.Compare away(def 11).

adverb

to, toward, or at home: to go home.

deep; to the heart: The truth of the accusation struck home.

to the mark or point aimed at: He drove the point home.

Nautical.

into the position desired; perfectly or to the greatest possible extent: sails sheeted home.
in the proper, stowed position: The anchor is home.
toward its vessel: to bring the anchor home.

verb (used without object), homed, hom·ing.

to go or return home.

(of guided missiles, aircraft, etc.) to proceed, especially under control of an automatic aiming mechanism, toward a specified target, as a plane, missile, or location (often followed by in on): The missile homed in on the target.

to navigate toward a point by means of coordinates other than those given by altitudes.

to have a home where specified; reside.

verb (used with object), homed, hom·ing.

to bring or send home.

to provide with a home.

to direct, especially under control of an automatic aiming device, toward an airport, target, etc.

Origin of home

before 900; Middle English hom, Old English hām (noun and adv.); cognate with Dutch heim, Old Norse heimr, Danish hjem, Swedish hem, German Heim home, Gothic haims village; akin to haunt

SYNONYMS FOR home

1 abode, dwelling, habitation; domicile. See house.

2 hearth, fireside.

3 asylum.

OTHER WORDS FROM home

min·i·home, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH home

home house (see synonym study at house)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for homing

In fact, Lew has a well-deserved reputation for homing in on the values that lurk behind the numbers.
Will Jack Lew Win the Future?|Megan McArdle|January 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Over the years, she has facilitated the transporting, homing, and re-homing of more than 250 dogs.
Back Home, Service Dogs Sleep in Beds—and Sniff the Sofa for Mines|Sandra McElwaine|September 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Like a homing device, it zipped over the net, into the corner of the court, and past the helpless Dabul to win the point.
Federer Breaks His Silence|Joshua Robinson|September 6, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Or possibly these factors or the need to find food and security overcame the homing tendency.
An Experimental Translocation of the Eastern Timber Wolf|Thomas F. Weise

The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
The Quickening|Francis Lynde
Owners of homing pigeons had been registered, and the importation of the birds or their conveyance by rail prohibited.
The Annual Register 1914|Anonymous
The song of Auberon Herbert is the homing cry of the sea-swallows swaying on the crest of the waves.
Critical Studies|Ouida
And Ginger, beaming happily, swooped on Sally's table like a homing pigeon.
The Adventures of Sally|P. G. Wodehouse

British Dictionary definitions for homing (1 of 3)

homing

/ (ˈhəʊmɪŋ) /

noun (modifier)

zoology relating to the ability to return home after travelling great distanceshoming instinct

(of an aircraft, a missile, etc) capable of guiding itself onto a target or to a specified point

British Dictionary definitions for homing (2 of 3)

Home

/ (hjuːm) /

noun

Baron See Home of the Hirsel

British Dictionary definitions for homing (3 of 3)

home

/ (həʊm) /

noun

the place or a place where one liveshave you no home to go to?

a house or other dwelling

a family or other group living in a house or other place

a person's country, city, etc, esp viewed as a birthplace, a residence during one's early years, or a place dear to one

the environment or habitat of a person or animal

the place where something is invented, founded, or developedthe US is the home of baseball

a building or organization set up to care for orphans, the aged, etc
an informal name for a mental home

sport one's own groundthe match is at home

the objective towards which a player strives in certain sports
an area where a player is safe from attack

lacrosse

one of two positions of play nearest the opponents' goal
a player assigned to such a positioninside home

baseball another name for home plate

NZ informal, obsolete Britain, esp England

a home from home a place other than one's own home where one can be at ease

at home

in one's own home or country
at ease, as if at one's own home
giving an informal party at one's own home
British such a party

at home in, at home on or at home with familiar or conversant with

home and dry British informal definitely safe or successfulwe will not be home and dry until the votes have been counted Austral. and NZ equivalent: home and hosed

near home concerning one deeply

adjective (usually prenominal)

of, relating to, or involving one's home, country, etc; domestic

(of an activity) done in one's househome taping

effective or deadlya home thrust

sport relating to one's own grounda home game

US central; principalthe company's home office

adverb

to or at homeI'll be home tomorrow

to or on the point

to the fullest extenthammer the nail home

(of nautical gear) into or in the best or proper positionthe boom is home

bring home to

to make clear to
to place the blame on

come home nautical (of an anchor) to fail to hold

come home to to become absolutely clear to

nothing to write home about informal to be of no particular interestthe film was nothing to write home about

verb

(intr) (of birds and other animals) to return home accurately from a distance

(often foll by on or onto) to direct or be directed onto a point or target, esp by automatic navigational aids

to send or go home

to furnish with or have a home

(intr; often foll by in or in on) to be directed towards a goal, target, etc

Derived forms of home

homelike, adjective

Word Origin for home

Old English hām; related to Old Norse heimr, Gothic haims, Old High German heim, Dutch heem, Greek kōmi village

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

Idioms and Phrases with homing

home

In addition to the idioms beginning with home

home free
home in on
home run
home truth

also see:

at home
bring home
bring home the bacon
chickens come home to roost
close to home

Drive Homeeat someone out of house and homemake oneself at homenobody homenothing to write home abouttill the cows come home.

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homing

adjective

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Origin of homing

Words nearby homing

Definition for homing (2 of 2)

noun

adjective

adverb

verb (used without object), homed, hom·ing.

verb (used with object), homed, hom·ing.

Origin of home

SYNONYMS FOR home

OTHER WORDS FROM home

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH home

Example sentences from the Web for homing

British Dictionary definitions for homing (1 of 3)

noun (modifier)

British Dictionary definitions for homing (2 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for homing (3 of 3)

noun

adjective (usually prenominal)

adverb

verb

Derived forms of home

Word Origin for home

Idioms and Phrases with homing