how

[ hou ]

/ haʊ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR how ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

in what way or manner; by what means?: How did the accident happen?

to what extent, degree, etc.?: How damaged is the car?

in what state or condition?: How are you?

for what reason; why?: How can you talk such nonsense?

to what effect; with what meaning?: How is one to interpret his action?

what?: How do you mean? If they don't have vanilla, how about chocolate?

(used as an intensifier): How seldom I go there!

by what title or name?: How does one address the president?

at what price: How are the new cars going, cheaper than last year's models?

by what amount or in what measure or quantity?: How do you sell these tomatoes?

in what form or shape?: How does the demon appear in the first act of the opera? How does the medication come?

conjunction

the manner or way in which: He couldn't figure out how to solve the problem.

about the manner, condition, or way in which: I don't care how you leave your desk when you go. Be careful how you act.

in whatever manner or way; however: You can travel how you please.

Informal. that: He told us how he was honest and could be trusted.

noun

a question concerning the way or manner in which something is done, achieved, etc.: a child's unending whys and hows.

a way or manner of doing something: to consider all the hows and wherefores.

a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter H.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!

Question 1 of 10

Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.

Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for how

and how! Informal. certainly! you bet!: Am I happy? And how!

Here's how, Informal. (used as a toast).

how come? Informal. how is it that? why?: How come you never visit us anymore?

how so? how does it happen to be so? why?: You haven't any desire to go? How so?

Origin of how

before 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

Words nearby how

hovering vessel, hoverport, hovertrain, hovey, hovhaness, how, how about, how about that?, how are you?, how come?, how do

Definition for hows (2 of 3)

how³

[ hou ]

/ haʊ /

noun, adjective Scot. and North England.

howe.

Definition for hows (3 of 3)

howe

or how

[ hou ]

/ haʊ /

Scot. and North England

noun

a hole.

the hold of a ship.

a hollow; dell.

adjective

hollow.

deep.

Origin of howe

1325–75; Middle English (north and Scots), alteration of holl; see hollow

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

Example sentences from the Web for hows

As lead counsel, Cuccinelli fielded questions about the legal whys and hows of the suit.
Unemployed Ken Cuccinelli Finds a Job With Rand Paul Suing Obama|Michelle Cottle|February 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is the divine method of meeting all the hows and whys of infidel reason.
Notes on the Book of Deuteronomy, Volume I|Charles Henry Mackintosh
Then, partly at least to test Nishkas knowledge, he added in English, Hows for looking at my room before we go out on the town?
Satan and the Comrades|Ralph Bennitt
When the band had arrived at the house the Indians dismounted, and after a series of "Hows?"
The Ranche on the Oxhide|Henry Inman

Hows'ever, none on 'em answered; so they gave out that he'd run away, and she kep' on the bis'ness.
The Pickwick Papers|Charles Dickens
The field-guns were well up from the start, and the 'hows' soon advanced.
The Leicestershires beyond Baghdad|Edward John Thompson

British Dictionary definitions for hows (1 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 hows (2 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

British Dictionary definitions for hows (3 of 4)

how¹

/ (haʊ) /

adverb

in what way? in what manner? by what means?: how did it happen? Also used in indirect questions: tell me how he did it

to what extent?how tall is he?

how good? how well? what…like?how did she sing?; how was the holiday?

how about? used to suggest somethinghow about asking her?; how about a cup of tea?

how are you? what is your state of health?

how come? informal what is the reason (that)?how come you told him?

how's that for…?

is this satisfactory as regards…?how's that for size?
an exclamation used to draw attention to a quality, deed, etchow is that for endurance?

how's that?

what is your opinion?
cricket (an appeal to the umpire) is the batsman out?Also written: howzat (haʊˈzæt)

how now? or how so? archaic what is the meaning of this?

Also: as how not standard thathe told me as how the shop was closed

in whatever waydo it how you wish

used in exclamations to emphasize extenthow happy I was!

and how! (intensifier) very much so!

here's how! (as a toast) good health!

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 hows (4 of 4)

how²

/ (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

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 hows

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

how

adverb

conjunction

noun

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Idioms for how

Origin of how

Words nearby how

Definition for hows (2 of 3)

noun, adjective Scot. and North England.

Definition for hows (3 of 3)

or how

noun

adjective

Origin of howe

Words related to hows

Example sentences from the Web for hows

British Dictionary definitions for hows (1 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for howe

British Dictionary definitions for hows (2 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for hows (3 of 4)

adverb

noun

Word Origin for how

British Dictionary definitions for hows (4 of 4)

sentence substitute

Word Origin for how

Idioms and Phrases with hows