həum n.,
adj., adv., & v. --n. 1 a
the place where one lives; the fixed
residence of a
family or
household. b a dwelling-house. 2 the members of a family collectively; one's family
background (comes
from a
good home). 3 the
native land of a
person or of a person's ancestors. 4 an
institution for persons needing
care, rest, or
refuge (nursing home). 5 the place where a
thing originates or is native or
most common. 6 a the finishing-point in a race. b (in games) the place where one is
free from
attack; the
goal. c
Lacrosse a
player in an attacking
position near the opponents' goal. 7
Sport a home match or
win. --attrib.adj. 1 a of or
connected with one's home. b carried
on,
done, or
made, at home. c
proceeding from home. 2 a carried on or produced in one's
own country (home industries; the home market). b dealing with the
domestic affairs of a country. 3 Sport played on one's own ground etc. (home match; home win). 4 in the
neighbourhood of home. --adv. 1 a to one's home or country (go home). b arrived at home (is he home yet?). c US at home (stay home). 2 a to the
point aimed at (the
thrust went home). b as
far as
possible (drove the
nail home; pressed
his advantage home). --v. 1 intr. (esp. of a trained pigeon)
return home (cf.
HOMING 1). 2 intr. (often foll. by on, in on) (of a
vessel,
missile, etc.) be guided
towards a
destination or
target by a
landmark,
radio beam, etc. 3 tr.
send or
guide homewards. 4 tr.
provide with a home. øat home 1 in one's own
house or native land. 2 at
ease as if in one's own home (make
yourself at home). 3 (usu. foll. by
in, on, with)
familiar or well
informed. 4
available to callers. at-home n. a
social reception in a person's home.
come home to
become fully realized
by. come home to roost see
ROOST(1). home
and dry having achieved one's
purpose. home
away from home = home from home. home-bird a person
who likes to stay at home. home-brew
beer or
other alcoholic drink brewed at home. home-brewed (of beer etc.) brewed at home. home-coming
arrival at home. Home Counties the counties closest to London. home
economics the
study of household
management. home
farm Brit. a farm (one of
several on an estate) set
aside to provide
produce for the
owner. home-felt felt intimately. home from home a place other
than one's home where one feels at home; a place
providing homelike amenities. home-grown
grown or produced at home. Home
Guard hist. 1 the
British citizen army organized in 1940 to
defend the UK
against invasion, and disbanded in 1957. 2 a
member of
this. home
help Brit. a
woman employed to help in a person's home,
esp. one
provided by a
local authority. home, James! joc.
drive home quickly! home-made made at home. home-making
creation of a (pleasant) home. home
movie a
film made at home or of one's own activities. Home
Office 1 the British
government department dealing with
law and
order, immigration,
etc., in England and Wales. 2 the
building used for this. home of
lost causes Oxford
University. home-owner a person who owns his or
her own home. home perm a
permanent wave made with domestic
equipment. home
plate Baseball a plate
beside which the batter stands. home
port the port from which a
ship originates. home
rule the government of a country or
region by
its own citizens. home
run Baseball a
hit that allows the batter to
make a
complete circuit of the
bases. Home
Secretary (in the UK) the Secretary of
State in
charge of the Home Office. home signal a signal indicating
whether a
train may proceed into a
station or to the
next section of the line. home
straight (US stretch) the concluding
stretch of a
racecourse. home
town the town of one's
birth or
early life or present fixed residence. home
trade trade carried on
within a country. home
truth basic but
unwelcome information concerning oneself. home
unit Austral. a
private residence, usu. occupied by the owner, as one of several in a building. near home affecting one closely. øøhomelike adj. [OE
ham f. Gmc]