horn

[ hawrn ]

/ hɔrn /

noun

one of the bony, permanent, hollow paired growths, often curved and pointed, that project from the upper part of the head of certain ungulate mammals, as cattle, sheep, goats, or antelopes.

a similar growth, sometimes of hair, as the median horn or horns on the snout of the rhinoceros, or the tusk of the narwhal.

antler.

a process projecting from the head of an animal and suggestive of such a growth, as a feeler, tentacle, or crest.

the bony substance of which such animal growths are composed.

any similar substance, as that forming tortoise shell, hoofs, nails, or corns.

an article made of the material of an animal horn or like substance, as a thimble, spoon, or shoehorn.

any projection or extremity resembling the horn of an animal.

something resembling or suggesting an animal horn: a drinking horn.

a part resembling an animal horn attributed to deities, demons, etc.: the devil's horn.

Usually horns. the imaginary projections on a cuckold's brow.

Music.

a wind instrument, originally formed from the hollow horn of an animal but now usually made of brass or other metal or plastic.
French horn.

something used as or resembling such a wind instrument.

Slang. a trumpet.

an instrument for sounding a warning signal: an automobile horn.

Aeronautics. any of certain short, armlike levers on the control surfaces of an airplane.

Radio.

a tube of varying cross section used in some loudspeakers to couple the diaphragm to the sound-transmitting space.
Slang. a loudspeaker.

Slang. a telephone or radiotelephone: I've been on the horn all morning.

the high protuberant part at the front and top of certain saddles; a pommel, especially a high one.

Carpentry. (in a door or window frame) that part of a jamb extending above the head.

one of the curved extremities of a crescent, especially of the crescent moon.

a crescent-shaped tract of land.

a pyramidal mountain peak, especially one having concave faces carved by glaciation.

a symbol of power or strength, as in the Bible: a horn of salvation.

each of the alternatives of a dilemma.

the narrow, more pointed part of an anvil.

ear tuft.

Metalworking. a projection at the side of the end of a rolled sheet or strip, caused by unevenness of the roll due to wear.

Horology. (in a lever escapement) either of the two prongs at the end of the lever fork guarding against overbanking when the guard pin is in the crescent.

verb (used with object)

to cuckold.

to butt or gore with the horns.

Shipbuilding. to set up (a frame or bulkhead of a vessel being built) at a proper angle to the keel with due regard to the inclination of the keel on the ways; plumb.

adjective

made of horn.

Idioms for horn

blow/toot one's own horn, Informal. to publicize or boast about one's abilities or achievements: He's a bright fellow, but likes to blow his own horn too much.

draw/pull in one's horns, to restrain oneself or become less belligerent; retreat: Since he lost so much gambling, he's drawn in his horns a bit.

horn in, Informal. to thrust oneself forward obtrusively; intrude or interrupt: Every time we try to have a private conversation, the boss horns in.

lock horns, to conflict, quarrel, or disagree: The administration and the staff locked horns over the proposed measures.

on the horns of a dilemma, confronted with two equally disagreeable choices.

Origin of horn

before 900; Middle English horn(e) (noun), Old English horn; cognate with Dutch horen, Old Norse, Danish, Swedish horn, German Horn, Gothic haurn, Latin cornu cornu, Irish, Welsh corn; akin to Greek kéras horn (see cerat-)

OTHER WORDS FROM horn

horn·ish, adjective horn·less, adjective horn·less·ness, noun horn·like, adjective

Words nearby horn

hormone replacement therapy, hormones, hormonogenesis, hormonopoiesis, hormuz, horn, horn chair, horn fly, horn in, horn in on, horn of africa

British Dictionary definitions for pull in one's horns (1 of 2)

Horn

/ (hɔːn) /

noun

Cape See Cape Horn

British Dictionary definitions for pull in one's horns (2 of 2)

horn

/ (hɔːn) /

noun

either of a pair of permanent outgrowths on the heads of cattle, antelopes, sheep, etc, consisting of a central bony core covered with layers of keratin Related adjectives: corneous, keratoid

the outgrowth from the nasal bone of a rhinoceros, consisting of a mass of fused hairs

any hornlike projection or process, such as the eyestalk of a snail

the antler of a deer

the constituent substance, mainly keratin, of horns, hooves, etc
(in combination)horn-rimmed spectacles

a container or device made from this substance or an artificial substitute a shoe horn; a drinking horn

an object or part resembling a horn in shape, such as the points at either end of a crescent, the point of an anvil, the pommel of a saddle, or a cornucopia

a primitive musical wind instrument made from the horn of an animal

any musical instrument consisting of a pipe or tube of brass fitted with a mouthpiece, with or without valves See hunting horn, French horn, cor anglais

jazz slang any wind instrument

a device for producing a warning or signalling noise
(in combination)a foghorn

(usually plural) the hornlike projection attributed to certain devils, deities, etc

(usually plural) the imaginary hornlike parts formerly supposed to appear on the forehead of a cuckold

Also called: horn balance an extension of an aircraft control surface that projects in front of the hinge providing aerodynamic assistance in moving the control

Also called: acoustic horn, exponential horn a hollow conical device coupled to the diaphragm of a gramophone to control the direction and quality of the sound
any such device used to spread or focus sound, such as the device attached to an electrical loudspeaker in a public address system
Also called: horn antenna a microwave aerial, formed by flaring out the end of a waveguide

geology another name for pyramidal peak

a stretch of land or water shaped like a horn

British slang an erection of the penis

Bible a symbol of power, victory, or success in my name shall his horn be exalted

blow one's horn US and Canadian to boast about oneself; brag Brit equivalent: blow one's own trumpet

draw in one's horns or pull in one's horns

to suppress or control one's feelings, esp of anger, enthusiasm, or passion
to withdraw a previous statement
to economize

on the horns of a dilemma

in a situation involving a choice between two equally unpalatable alternatives
in an awkward situation

verb (tr)

to provide with a horn or horns

to gore or butt with a horn

Derived forms of horn

hornless, adjective hornlike, adjective

Word Origin for horn

Old English; related to Old Norse horn, Gothic haurn, Latin cornu horn

Medical definitions for pull in one's horns

horn

[ hôrn ]

n.

One of the hard, usually permanent structures projecting from the head of certain mammals, such as cattle, consisting of a bony core covered with a sheath of keratinous material.

A hard protuberance that is similar to or suggestive of a horn.

The hard, smooth keratinous material forming the outer covering of animal horns.

Any of the major subdivisions of the lateral ventricle in the cerebral hemisphere of the brain: the frontal horn, occipital horn, and temporal horn. cornu

Scientific definitions for pull in one's horns

horn

[ hôrn ]

Either of the bony growths projecting from the upper part of the head of certain hoofed mammals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats. The horns of these animals are never shed, and they consist of bone covered by keratin.

A hard growth that looks like a horn, such as an antler or a growth on the head of a giraffe or rhinoceros. Unlike true horns, antlers are shed yearly and have a velvety covering, and the horns of a rhinoceros are made not of bone but of hairy skin fused with keratin.

The hard durable substance that forms the outer covering of true horns. It consists of keratin.

Idioms and Phrases with pull in one's horns (1 of 2)

pull in one's horns

Also, draw in one's horns.

Retreat, back down, restrain oneself, as in The town manager wanted higher taxes but public reaction made him draw in his horns. This expression alludes to the snail's habit of drawing in the soft projecting parts of its body when it is threatened. The idea was first expressed in the 15th century as shrink one's horns, and the idiom with draw developed about the same time. The idiom with pull did not appear until a century later.

Reduce expenses, as in That drop in profits will force the company to pull in its horns. [Late 1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with pull in one's horns (2 of 2)

horn

In addition to the idioms beginning with horn

horn in on
horns of a dilemma, on the

also see:

blow one's own horn
lock horns
pull in one's horns
take the bull by the horns

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

horn