Head (noun) is the top part of the body, containing the brain, eyes, and mouth. It also means the most important or senior person in an organisation. Head (verb) means to lead a group or to move towards a particular place or direction.
What Does Head Mean?
Head derives from Old English heafod, related to Old High German haubit and the Proto-Germanic root *haubid-. It has been a core English word since before the Norman Conquest and has generated an exceptionally wide range of meanings and collocations over the centuries.
At its most literal, head is the body part above the neck. From this concrete meaning, English speakers have extended it metaphorically to describe anything at the top or front of a structure — a head of state, the head of a queue, the head of a river (its source). The idea of "being first" or "most important" connects all of these senses.
As a verb, to head means either to lead ('She heads the project') or to travel in a direction ('We headed south'). In football, to head the ball means to strike it with the forehead. The word is also the root of a large family of compound words and phrasal verbs: headline, headquarters, headache, overhead, ahead, behead.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| She wore a hat on her head because it was cold outside. | A2 — head as body part |
| She is the head of the language department. | B1 — head meaning senior person |
| After the meeting, we headed straight to the café for lunch. | B1 — head as verb: move towards |
| The crisis in funding finally came to a head when three teachers resigned. | B2 — idiomatic: reach a critical point |
| The committee, headed by a former diplomat, submitted its findings to parliament. | C1 — headed (past participle used as modifier) in formal register |
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning & example |
|---|---|
| head teacher | The principal of a school. The head teacher addressed the whole school at assembly. |
| head office | The main office of an organisation. All applications must be sent to head office. |
| head of state | The official leader of a country. The two heads of state signed the agreement. |
| shake one's head | Move the head from side to side to show disagreement. He shook his head and said nothing. |
| nod one's head | Move the head up and down to show agreement. She nodded her head and smiled. |
| lose one's head | Panic and stop thinking clearly. Don't lose your head — stay calm. |
| keep one's head | Remain calm under pressure. She kept her head during the emergency. |
| a head start | An early advantage over others. Starting young gives learners a real head start. |
| off the top of one's head | From memory, without preparation. Off the top of my head, I'd say about fifty people attended. |
| come to a head | Reach a critical point requiring action. The dispute came to a head at last week's meeting. |
Usage Notes
- Noun vs verb: The same spelling is used for both parts of speech. Context determines which is meant: She is the head (noun) vs She heads the team (verb).
- Head of vs head: In formal British English, titles often use head of department or head of year rather than just head alone, especially in educational and institutional settings.
- Heads or tails: When tossing a coin, British English says heads or tails — heads is the side showing a person's face (traditionally the monarch on British coins).
- Per head: The fixed phrase per head (meaning per person) takes no article: The cost is £20 per head, not per a head.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
She is a head of the department.
She is the head of the department. (use the definite article; there is only one head)
We headed to north after the conference.
We headed north after the conference. (compass directions after head take no preposition or article)
He loosed his head during the presentation.
He lost his head during the presentation. (the idiom is lose one's head, not loose)