horn

[ hawrn ]

/ hɔrn /

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See synonyms for: horn / horned / horning / hornlike on Thesaurus.com

noun

one of the bony, permanent, hollow paired growths, often curved and pointed, that project from the upper part of the head of certain hooved mammals, as cattle, sheep, goats, or antelopes.

a similar growth, sometimes of hair, as the median horn or horns on the snout of the rhinoceros, or the tusk of the narwhal.

antler.

a process projecting from the head of an animal and suggestive of such a growth, as a feeler, tentacle, or crest.

the bony substance of which such animal growths are composed.

any similar substance, as that forming tortoise shell, hoofs, nails, or corns.

an article made of the material of an animal horn or like substance, as a thimble, spoon, or shoehorn.

any projection or extremity resembling the horn of an animal.

something resembling or suggesting an animal horn: a drinking horn.

a part resembling an animal horn attributed to deities, demons, etc.: the devil's horn.

Usually horns. the imaginary projections on a cuckold's brow.

Music.

a wind instrument, originally formed from the hollow horn of an animal but now usually made of brass or other metal or plastic.
French horn.

something used as or resembling such a wind instrument.

Slang. a trumpet.

an instrument for sounding a warning signal: an automobile horn.

Aeronautics. any of certain short, armlike levers on the control surfaces of an airplane.

Radio.

a tube of varying cross section used in some loudspeakers to couple the diaphragm to the sound-transmitting space.
Slang. a loudspeaker.

Slang. a telephone or radiotelephone: I've been on the horn all morning.

the high protuberant part at the front and top of certain saddles; a pommel, especially a high one.

Carpentry. (in a door or window frame) that part of a jamb extending above the head.

one of the curved extremities of a crescent, especially of the crescent moon.

a crescent-shaped tract of land.

a pyramidal mountain peak, especially one having concave faces carved by glaciation.

a symbol of power or strength, as in the Bible: a horn of salvation.

each of the alternatives of a dilemma.

the narrow, more pointed part of an anvil.

ear tuft.

Metalworking. a projection at the side of the end of a rolled sheet or strip, caused by unevenness of the roll due to wear.

Horology. (in a lever escapement) either of the two prongs at the end of the lever fork guarding against overbanking when the guard pin is in the crescent.

verb (used with object)

to cuckold.

to butt or gore with the horns.

Shipbuilding. to set up (a frame or bulkhead of a vessel being built) at a proper angle to the keel with due regard to the inclination of the keel on the ways; plumb.

adjective

made of horn.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about horn

blow / toot one's own horn, Informal. to publicize or boast about one's abilities or achievements: He's a bright fellow, but likes to blow his own horn too much.

draw / pull in one's horns, to restrain oneself or become less belligerent; retreat: Since he lost so much gambling, he's drawn in his horns a bit.

horn in, Informal. to thrust oneself forward obtrusively; intrude or interrupt: Every time we try to have a private conversation, the boss horns in.

lock horns, to conflict, quarrel, or disagree: The administration and the staff locked horns over the proposed measures.

on the horns of a dilemma, confronted with two equally disagreeable choices.

Origin of horn

First recorded before 900; Middle English horn(e) (noun), Old English horn; cognate with Dutch horen, Old Norse, Danish, Swedish horn, German Horn, Gothic haurn, Latin cornu “horn,” Irish, Welsh corn; akin to Greek kéras “horn” (see cerat-); see also cornu

OTHER WORDS FROM horn

hornish, adjectivehornless, adjectivehorn·less·ness, nounhornlike, adjective

Words nearby horn

hormonal, hormone, hormone replacement therapy, hormones, Hormuz, horn, hornbag, hornbeam, hornbill, hornblende, hornblende schist

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use horn in a sentence

Another car behind it in line was behaving “obnoxiously,” honking its horn and blasting music, he said.
Those Ticketed for Seditious Language Say Their Only Crime Was Talking Back|Kate Nucci|September 9, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Carolina Garcia, 35, director of original series at NetflixMy parents always say, “Toma el toro por las astas,” which means, “Grab the bull by the horns.”
The advice that helped this year’s 40 under 40 find their own path|kdunn6|September 3, 2020|Fortune
He took pictures of the lizard and measured the size and shape of its body parts, such as the length of its nose-horn and head.
A nose-horned dragon lizard lost to science for over 100 years has been found|Dyna Rochmyaningsih|June 9, 2020|Science News
To transform a horse into a unicorn, you could try adding a horn from a related animal, Paul Knoepfler says.
What would it take to make a unicorn?|Carolyn Wilke|March 4, 2020|Science News For Students

Researchers have found certain genes that are turned off or on when animals are growing their horns.
What would it take to make a unicorn?|Carolyn Wilke|March 4, 2020|Science News For Students
So I asked the driver to honk the horn, which he does, and Rod looks over.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Reportedly, George Custer wore a Stetson into Little Big Horn.
My Love Letter to the Stetson|Mark McKinnon|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A car parked at a red light honked its horn in rhythm with the chant as the crowd passed in front of it.
‘They Let Him Off?’ Scenes from NYC in Disbelief|Jacob Siegel|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He told the court he called the retired captain to see exactly where he lived so he knew when to sound the cruise ship horn.
The Costa Concordia’s Randy Reckless Captain Takes the Stand|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Available at Jonathan Adler Whisky Tumbler Set—Light Horn, $65 This is drinking at its most fashionable.
The Daily Beast’s 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Angelina Jolie in Your Life|Allison McNearney|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Before the outlaw can comply with this small request the horn sounds again.
Physiology of The Opera|John H. Swaby (AKA "Scrici")
Also our six-shooters reposed in their scabbards, the four belts hooked over the horn of MacRae's saddle.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
There's one called ze, on top of a hill shaped almost like a horn; she showed me a picture of it.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
The second barrel was discharged with no better result, except that a splinter of its horn was knocked off.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
A huge string game-bag was slung over his back, and in an antelope's horn or a crane's bill bullets were carried.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike

British Dictionary definitions for horn (1 of 2)

horn

/ (hɔːn) /

noun

either of a pair of permanent outgrowths on the heads of cattle, antelopes, sheep, etc, consisting of a central bony core covered with layers of keratinRelated adjectives: corneous, keratoid

the outgrowth from the nasal bone of a rhinoceros, consisting of a mass of fused hairs

any hornlike projection or process, such as the eyestalk of a snail

the antler of a deer

the constituent substance, mainly keratin, of horns, hooves, etc
(in combination)horn-rimmed spectacles

a container or device made from this substance or an artificial substitutea shoe horn; a drinking horn

an object or part resembling a horn in shape, such as the points at either end of a crescent, the point of an anvil, the pommel of a saddle, or a cornucopia

a primitive musical wind instrument made from the horn of an animal

any musical instrument consisting of a pipe or tube of brass fitted with a mouthpiece, with or without valvesSee hunting horn, French horn, cor anglais

jazz slang any wind instrument

a device for producing a warning or signalling noise
(in combination)a foghorn

(usually plural) the hornlike projection attributed to certain devils, deities, etc

(usually plural) the imaginary hornlike parts formerly supposed to appear on the forehead of a cuckold

Also called: horn balance an extension of an aircraft control surface that projects in front of the hinge providing aerodynamic assistance in moving the control

Also called: acoustic horn, exponential horn a hollow conical device coupled to the diaphragm of a gramophone to control the direction and quality of the sound
any such device used to spread or focus sound, such as the device attached to an electrical loudspeaker in a public address system
Also called: horn antenna a microwave aerial, formed by flaring out the end of a waveguide

geology another name for pyramidal peak

a stretch of land or water shaped like a horn

British slang an erection of the penis

Bible a symbol of power, victory, or successin my name shall his horn be exalted

blow one's horn US and Canadian to boast about oneself; bragBrit equivalent: blow one's own trumpet

draw in one's horns or pull in one's horns

to suppress or control one's feelings, esp of anger, enthusiasm, or passion
to withdraw a previous statement
to economize

on the horns of a dilemma

in a situation involving a choice between two equally unpalatable alternatives
in an awkward situation

verb (tr)

to provide with a horn or horns

to gore or butt with a horn

Derived forms of horn

hornless, adjectivehornlike, adjective

Word Origin for horn

Old English; related to Old Norse horn, Gothic haurn, Latin cornu horn

British Dictionary definitions for horn (2 of 2)

Horn

/ (hɔːn) /

noun

Cape See Cape Horn

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

Scientific definitions for horn

horn

[ hôrn ]

Either of the bony growths projecting from the upper part of the head of certain hoofed mammals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats. The horns of these animals are never shed, and they consist of bone covered by keratin.

A hard growth that looks like a horn, such as an antler or a growth on the head of a giraffe or rhinoceros. Unlike true horns, antlers are shed yearly and have a velvety covering, and the horns of a rhinoceros are made not of bone but of hairy skin fused with keratin.

The hard durable substance that forms the outer covering of true horns. It consists of keratin.

Other Idioms and Phrases with horn

horn

In addition to the idioms beginning with horn

horn in on
horns of a dilemma, on the

also see:

blow one's own horn
lock horns
pull in one's horns
take the bull by the horns

horn

Idioms about horn

Origin of horn

OTHER WORDS FROM horn

Words nearby horn

Words related to horn

How to use horn in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for horn (1 of 2)

Derived forms of horn

Word Origin for horn

British Dictionary definitions for horn (2 of 2)

Scientific definitions for horn

Other Idioms and Phrases with horn