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how
1[ hou ]
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.
how
2[ hou ]
interjection
- (used as a greeting in imitation of American Indian speech.)
how
1/ ʊ /
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 something
how about a cup of tea?
how about asking her?
- 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, etc
how is that for endurance?
- how's that?
- what is your opinion?
- cricket (an appeal to the umpire) is the batsman out? Also writtenhowzatʊˈzæt
- how now? or how so? archaic.what is the meaning of this?
- not_standard.Alsoas how that
he told me as how the shop was closed
- in whatever way
do it how you wish
- used in exclamations to emphasize extent
how happy I was!
- and how!intensifier very much so!
- here's how!(as a toast) good health!
noun
- the way a thing is done
the how of it
how
2/ ʊ /
sentence substitute
- a greeting supposed to be or have been used by American Indians and often used humorously
Sensitive Note
Word History and Origins
Origin of how1
Origin of how2
Word History and Origins
Origin of how1
Origin of how2
Idioms and Phrases
- and how! Informal. certainly! you bet!:
Am I happy? And how!
- 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?
- Here's how, Informal. (used as a toast.)
More idioms and phrases containing how
- and how
Example Sentences
It's not yet clear how the fire started.
He did not offer details, but said it led him to understand "how damaging it can be to a student".
That is not to denigrate for a moment how much they matter in the places where they are happening, nor the extent to which they will mould the mood of national politics in their aftermath.
The Conservatives have spent weeks talking up how down they feel about these elections.
The next few days will give us a sense of how or whether, albeit up to four years out from choosing the next government, that is a plausible claim.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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