hood

¹

[ hood ]

noun

1. a soft or flexible covering for the head and neck, either separate or attached to a cloak, coat, or the like.
2. something resembling or suggesting such a covering, especially in shape, as certain petals or sepals.
3. the hinged, movable part of an automobile body covering the engine.
4. British. the roof of a carriage.
5. a metal cover or canopy for a stove, ventilator, etc.
6. Falconry. a cover for the entire head of a hawk, used when the bird is not in pursuit of game.
7. an ornamental ruffle or fold on the back of the shoulders of an academic gown, jurist's robe, etc.
8. a crest or band of color on the head of certain birds and animals.

verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with a hood.
2. to cover with or as if with a hood.

hood

²

[ hood, hood ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a hoodlum.

'hood

³

or hood

[ hood ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a neighborhood, especially an urban neighborhood inhabited predominantly by African Americans of low socioeconomic status:

   It’s hard for these kids to break the cycle of poverty and get out of the 'hood.

Hood

⁴

[ hood ]

noun

1. John Bell, 1831–79, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
2. Raymond Math·ew·son [math, -yoo-s, uh, n], 1881–1934, U.S. architect.
3. Robin. Robin Hood.
4. Thomas, 1799–1845, English poet and humorist.
5. Mount, a volcanic peak in N Oregon, in the Cascade Range. 11,253 feet (3,430 meters).

-hood

⁵

1. a native English suffix denoting state, condition, character, nature, etc., or a body of persons of a particular character or class, formerly used in the formation of nouns: childhood; likelihood; knighthood; priesthood .

hood

¹

/ hʊd /

noun

1. slang.
   short for hoodlum

Hood

²

/ hʊd /

noun

1. Robin
   HoodRobin See Robin Hood
2. HoodSamuel, 1st Viscount17241816MBritishMILITARY: admiral Samuel, 1st Viscount. 1724–1816, British admiral. He fought successfully against the French during the American Revolution and the French Revolutionary Wars
3. HoodThomas17991845MBritishWRITING: poetWRITING: humorous writer Thomas. 1799–1845, British poet and humorist: his work includes protest poetry, such as The Song of the Shirt (1843) and The Bridge of Sighs (1844)

'hood

³

/ hʊd /

noun

1. slang.
   short for neighbourhood

hood

⁴

/ hʊd /

noun

1. a loose head covering either attached to a cloak or coat or made as a separate garment
2. something resembling this in shape or use
3. the US and Canadian name for bonnet
4. the folding roof of a convertible car
5. a hoodlike garment worn over an academic gown, indicating its wearer's degree and university
6. falconry a close-fitting cover, placed over the head and eyes of a falcon to keep it quiet when not hunting
7. biology a structure or marking, such as the fold of skin on the head of a cobra, that covers or appears to cover the head or some similar part

verb

1. tr to cover or provide with or as if with a hood

-hood

⁵

suffix forming nouns

1. indicating state or condition of being

   manhood

   adulthood

2. indicating a body of persons

   priesthood

   knighthood

Derived Forms

• ˈhoodless, adjective
• ˈhoodˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• hoodless adjective
• hoodlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hood¹

First recorded before 900, in 1925–30 hood ¹fordef 3 (an Americanism); Middle English hode, Old English hōd; cognate with Old Frisian hōde, Dutch hoed, German Hut hat

Origin of hood²

First recorded in 1925–30; by shortening

Origin of hood³

First recorded in 1965–70; African American Vernacular English; by shortening

Origin of hood⁴

Middle English -hode, -hod, Old English -hād (cognate with German -heit ), special use of hād condition, state, order, quality, rank

Word History and Origins

Origin of hood¹

Old English hōd; related to Old High German huot hat, Middle Dutch hoet, Latin cassis helmet; see hat

Origin of hood²

Old English -hād

Example Sentences

Much of the problem with VPNs is that you can’t look under the hood and see what’s going on with your data.

From TechCrunch

Newsom cast the step, enshrined in an executive order he signed on the hood of an electric Ford Mustang Mach-E, as an economic opportunity as the state transitions away from fossil fuel production and consumption.

From Fortune

Next, we pull the hood off of our NBA RAPTOR model and talk a little bit about why it hates the Los Angeles Lakers.

From FiveThirtyEight

Arthrex will continue manufacturing the face shields and protection hoods for as long as needed during this unprecedented time.

From Fortune

Since the onset of the pandemic, Arthrex has manufactured and donated thousands of face shields and protection hoods to date.

From Fortune

Micah is 10 years old and he had a coat geared to the season, a Patagonia winter jacket with a hood.

From The Daily Beast

As McSpadden wailed in grief, Head climbed on the hood of the car to console her.

From The Daily Beast

They should put dude down in the hood and let him get what he deserves.

From The Daily Beast

Was there a brief window where I relished it, where it proved something about the passage of teenager-hood to manhood?

From The Daily Beast

But it is clear why they consider him some Robin Hood and others considered him the devil.

From The Daily Beast

The strains of the syren at last woke her uncle, and brought back Miss Hood, who suggested that it was late.

From Project Gutenberg

She wore a little red hood, and looked wistfully after Davy as the shop went out of sight.

From Project Gutenberg

Robin Hood stared at him for a moment with a puzzled expression, and then walked into his little shop, and Davy turned away.

From Project Gutenberg

Jefferson Davis disguised himself in the hood, shawl, and dress of his wife in 1865.

From Project Gutenberg

No, there was nothing to worry about as long as that relentless hunter of criminals known as the Black Hood kept off their tail.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• gangster
• goon
• hooligan
• punk
• tough
• tough guy