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H to Hack
H
(H) the eighth letter of the English alphabet, is classed among the consonants, and is formed with the
mouth organs in the same position as that of the succeeding vowel. It is used with certain consonants
to form digraphs representing sounds which are not found in the alphabet, as sh, th, &thlig, as in shall,
thing, &thligine (for zh see §274); also, to modify the sounds of some other letters, as when placed after
c and p, with the former of which it represents a compound sound like that of tsh, as in charm with the
latter, the sound of f, as in phase, phantom. In some words, mostly derived or introduced from foreign
languages, h following c and g indicates that those consonants have the hard sound before e, i, and
y, as in chemistry, chiromancy, chyle, Ghent, Ghibelline, etc.; in some others, ch has the sound of
sh, as in chicane. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 153, 179, 181-3, 237-8.
The name (aitch) is from the French ache; its form is from the Latin, and this from the Greek H, which
was used as the sign of the spiritus asper (rough breathing) before it came to represent the long vowel,
Gr. &eta. The Greek H is from Phœnician, the ultimate origin probably being Egyptian. Etymologically
H is most closely related to c; as in E. horn, L. cornu, Gr. ke`ras; E. hele, v. t., conceal; E. hide, L.
cutis, Gr. ky`tos; E. hundred, L. centum, Gr. "e- kat-on, Skr. &csdot;ata.
H piece (Mining), the part of a plunger pump which contains the valve.
H
(H) (Mus.) The seventh degree in the diatonic scale, being used by the Germans for B natural. See
B.
Ha
(Ha) interj. [AS.] An exclamation denoting surprise, joy, or grief. Both as uttered and as written, it
expresses a great variety of emotions, determined by the tone or the context. When repeated, ha, ha,
it is an expression of laughter, satisfaction, or triumph, sometimes of derisive laughter; or sometimes it is
equivalent to "Well, it is so."
Ha-has, and inarticulate hootings of satirical rebuke. Carlyle. Haaf
(Haaf) n. [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. & Sw. haf the sea, Dan. hav, perh. akin to E. haven.] The
deepsea fishing for cod, ling, and tusk, off the Shetland Isles.
Haak
(Haak) n. (Zoöl.) A sea fish. See Hake. Ash.
Haar
(Haar) n. [See Hoar.] A fog; esp., a fog or mist with a chill wind. [Scot.] T. Chalmers.
Habeas corpus
(||Ha"be*as cor"pus) (ha"be*as kôr"pus). [L. you may have the body.] (Law) A writ having
for its object to bring a party before a court or judge; especially, one to inquire into the cause of a person's
imprisonment or detention by another, with the view to protect the right to personal liberty; also, one to
bring a prisoner into court to testify in a pending trial. Bouvier.
Habendum
(||Ha*ben"dum) n. [L., that must be had.] (Law) That part of a deed which follows the part
called the premises, and determines the extent of the interest or estate granted; — so called because it
begins with the word Habendum. Kent.
Haberdash
(Hab"er*dash) v. i. [See Haberdasher.] To deal in small wares. [R.]
To haberdash in earth's base ware. Quarles. Haberdasher
(Hab"er*dash`er) n. [Prob. fr. Icel. hapurtask trumpery, trifles, perh. through French. It
is possibly akin to E. haversack, and to Icel. taska trunk, chest, pocket, G. tasche pocket, and the
orig. sense was perh., peddler's wares.]
1. A dealer in small wares, as tapes, pins, needles, and thread; also, a hatter. [Obs.]
The haberdasher heapeth wealth by hats. Gascoigne.
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