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Nearby words
Idioms
Origin of how
1before 900; Middle English how, hu, Old English hū; cognate with Old Frisian hū, ho, Dutch hoe; akin to German wie (Old High German hweo), Gothic hwaiwa
Definition for how (2 of 4)
how
2[ hou ]
/ haʊ /
interjection Facetious.
(used as a greeting in imitation of American Indian speech.)
Origin of how
2First recorded in 1810–20; of uncertain origin
Definition for how (3 of 4)
Definition for how (4 of 4)
howe
or how
[ hou ]
/ haʊ /
noun
adjective
Origin of howe
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for how (1 of 4)
how
1/ (haʊ) /
adverb
noun
the way a thing is donethe how of it
Word Origin for how
Old English hu; related to Old Frisian hū, Old High German hweo
British Dictionary definitions for how (2 of 4)
how
2/ (haʊ) /
sentence substitute
a greeting supposed to be or have been used by American Indians and often used humorously
Word Origin for how
C19: of Siouan origin; related to Dakota háo
British Dictionary definitions for how (3 of 4)
howe
/ (haʊ) /
noun
Scot and Northern English dialect a depression in the earth's surface, such as a basin or valley
Word Origin for howe
C16: from hole
British Dictionary definitions for how (4 of 4)
Howe
/ (haʊ) /
noun
Elias. 1819–67, US inventor of the sewing machine (1846)
Gordon, known as Gordie . born 1928, US ice-hockey player, who scored1071 goals in a professional career lasting 32 years.
Howe of Aberavon, Baron, title of (Richard Edward) Geoffrey Howe . born 1926, British Conservative politician; Chancellor of the Exchequer (1979–83); foreign secretary (1983–89); deputy prime minister (1989–90)
Richard, 4th Viscount Howe. 1726–99, British admiral: served (1776–78) in the War of American Independence and commanded the Channel fleet against France, winning the Battle of the Glorious First of June (1794)
his brother, William, 5th Viscount Howe. 1729–1814, British general; commander in chief (1776–78) of British forces in the War of American Independence
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 how
how
In addition to the idioms beginning with how
- how about
- how about that?
- how are you?
- how come?
- how does that grab you?
- how do you do?
- how goes it
- howling success
- how so?
- how the land lies
- how the wind blows
also see:
- and how
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.