How


[hou] /haʊ/

adverb
1.
in what way or manner; by what means?:
How did the accident happen?
2.
to what extent, degree, etc.?:
How damaged is the car?
3.
in what state or condition?:
How are you?
4.
for what reason; why?:
How can you talk such nonsense?
5.
to what effect; with what meaning?:
How is one to interpret his action?
6.
what?:
How do you mean? If they don’t have vanilla, how about chocolate?
7.
(used as an intensifier):
How seldom I go there!
8.
by what title or name?:
How does one address the president?
9.
at what price:
How are the new cars going, cheaper than last year’s models?
10.
by what amount or in what measure or quantity?:
How do you sell these tomatoes?
11.
in what form or shape?:
How does the demon appear in the first act of the opera? How does the medication come?
conjunction
12.
the manner or way in which:
He couldn’t figure out how to solve the problem.
13.
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.
14.
in whatever manner or way; however:
You can travel how you please.
15.
Informal. that:
He told us how he was honest and could be trusted.
noun
16.
a question concerning the way or manner in which something is done, achieved, etc.:
a child’s unending whys and hows.
17.
a way or manner of doing something:
to consider all the hows and wherefores.
18.
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter H.
Idioms
19.
and how!, Informal. certainly! you bet!:
Am I happy? And how!
20.
Here’s how, Informal. (used as a toast).
21.
how come?, Informal. how is it that? why?:
How come you never visit us anymore?
22.
how so?, how does it happen to be so? why?:
You haven’t any desire to go? How so?
[hou] /haʊ/
interjection, Facetious.
1.
(used as a greeting in imitation of American Indian speech.)
[hou] /haʊ/
noun, adjective, Scot. and North England.
1.
.
[hou] /haʊ/ Scot. and North England
noun
1.
a hole.
2.
the hold of a ship.
3.
a ; dell.
adjective
4.
.
5.
.
/haʊ/
adverb
1.
in what way? in what manner? by what means?: how did it happen? Also used in indirect questions: tell me how he did it
2.
to what extent?: how tall is he?
3.
how good? how well? what…like?: how did she sing?, how was the holiday?
4.
how about?, used to suggest something: how about asking her?, how about a cup of tea?
5.
how are you?, what is your state of health?
6.
(informal) how come?, what is the reason (that)?: how come you told him?
7.
how’s that for…?

8.
how’s that?

9.
(archaic) how now?, how so?, what is the meaning of this?
10.
(not standard) Also as how. that: he told me as how the shop was closed
11.
in whatever way: do it how you wish
12.
used in exclamations to emphasize extent: how happy I was!
13.
(intensifier) and how!, very much so!
14.
here’s how!, (as a toast) good health!
noun
15.
the way a thing is done: the how of it
/haʊ/
sentence substitute
1.
a greeting supposed to be or have been used by American Indians and often used humorously
/haʊ/
noun
1.
(Scot & Northern English, dialect) a depression in the earth’s surface, such as a basin or valley
/haʊ/
noun
1.
Elias. 1819–67, US inventor of the sewing machine (1846)
2.
Gordon, known as Gordie. born 1928, US ice-hockey player, who scored1071 goals in a professional career lasting 32 years.
3.
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)
4.
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)
5.
his brother, William, 5th Viscount Howe. 1729–1814, British general; commander in chief (1776–78) of British forces in the War of American Independence
adv.

Old English hu, from West Germanic *hwo- (cf. Old Saxon hwo, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch hu. Dutch hoe, German wie, Gothic hvaiwa “how”), from common PIE interrogative pronomial stem *kwo- (see who). How come? for “why?” is recorded from 1848. And how! emphatic, first recorded 1865. The formulation was common in book and article titles by then, e.g. The National Debt, and How to Pay It), but Pennsylvania writer Bayard Taylor, in whom it is first recorded, seems to regard it as a German or German-American expression.
interj.

Native American greeting, Siouxan (cf. Dakota hao, Omaha hau); first recorded 1817 in English, but noted early 17c. by French missionary Jean de Brebeuf among Hurons as an expression of approval (1636).

Related Terms

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  • Howbeit

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