Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - history

~ n 1 »PAST EVENTS« all the things that happened in the past, especially the political, social, or economic development of a nation  (India has been invaded several times during its history. | Throughout history the achievements of women have been largely ignored. | change the course of history)  (Those decisions made at the Yalta Conference changed the course of history.) 2 »SUBJECT OF STUDY« the study of history, especially as a subject in school or university  (a degree in European history) 3 »DEVELOPMENT OF STH« the development of a subject, activity, institution etc since it started  (the worst disaster in the history of space travel) 4 »BOOK« a book about past events  (a history of World War II) 5 »PAST LIFE« a history of if someone has a history of illness, problems, or criminal activity, these things have happened to them or been done by them in the past  (The defendant had a history of violent assaults against women.) 6 make history to do something important that will be recorded and remembered  (Lindbergh made history when he flew across the Atlantic in .) 7 will go down in history something that will go down in history, is important enough to be remembered and recorded  (This day will go down in history as the start of a new era in South Africa.) 8 ...and the rest is history used to say that everyone knows the rest of a story you have been telling 9 that's past/ancient history spoken used to say that something is not important now any more 10 history repeats itself used to say that things often happen in the same way as they happened before  (- see also natural history, case history)