A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

habitation --- c.1374, from O.Fr. habitation "act of dwelling," from L. habitationem (nom. habitatio) "act of dwelling," from habitare (see habitat). Habitable (1388) is from O.Fr. habitable, from L. habitabilis "that is fit to live in," from habitare.

hacienda --- 1760, from Sp., "estate, plantation," from L. facienda "things to be done," from facere "to do" (see factitious).

hack (1) --- in O.E. tohaccian "hack to pieces," from W.Gmc. *khak- (cf. O.Fris. hackia, Du. hakken, O.H.G. hacchon), perhaps infl. by O.N. höggva "to hack, hew," from PIE *kau- "to hew, strike." Sense of "short, dry cough" is 1802. Noun meaning "an act of hacking" is from 1836; fig. sense of "a try, an attempt" is first attested 1898. Slang sense of "cope with" (such as in can't hack it) is first recorded in Amer.Eng. 1955, with a sense of "get through by some effort," as a jungle.

hack (2) --- c.1700, originally, "person hired to do routine work," short for hackney "an ordinary horse" (c.1300), probably from place name Hackney (Middlesex), from O.E. Hacan ieg "Haca's Isle" (or possibly "Hook Island"). Now well within London, it was once pastoral. Apparently nags were raised on the pastureland there in early medieval times and taken to Smithfield horse market (cf. Fr. haquenée "ambling nag," an Eng. loan-word). Extended sense of "horse for hire" (1393) led naturally to "broken-down nag," and also "prostitute" (1579) and "drudge" (1546). Special sense of "one who writes anything for hire" led to hackneyed "trite" (1749); hack writer is first recorded 1826, though hackney writer is at least 50 years earlier. Sense of "carriage for hire" (1704) led to modern slang for "taxicab." Hacker "one who gains unauthorized access to computer records" is 1983, said to be from slightly earlier tech slang sense of "one who works like a hack at writing and experimenting with software, one who enjoys computer programming for its own sake," 1976, reputedly a usage that evolved at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (however an MIT student from the late 1960s recalls hack (n.) being used then and there in the general sense of "creative prank," which clouds its sense connection with the "writing for hire" word, and there may be a source or an influence here in hack (1)). Hack (v.) "illegally enter a computer system" is first recorded 1984.

hackle --- O.E. hacele "cloak, mantle" (cf. O.H.G. hachul, Goth. hakuls "cloak;" O.N. hekla "hooded frock"). Sense of "bird plumage" is first recorded 1496, though this may be from unrelated M.E. hackle "flax comb" (see heckle) on supposed resemblance of comb to ruffled feathers. Metaphoric extension found in raise one's hackles (as a cock does when angry) is first recorded 1881.

hackney --- c.1300, see hack (2).

haddock --- 1286, of unknown origin. The suffix appears to be a diminutive. O.Fr. hadot and Gaelic adag, sometimes cited as sources, were apparently borrowed from Eng.

Hades --- 1597, from Gk. Haides, in Homer the name of the god of the underworld, of unknown origin. The name of the god transferred in later Gk. writing to his kingdom.

hadith --- collected Islamic tradition, 1817, from Arabic, lit. "tradition," related to hadith "new, young," hadatha "it happened, occurred," and Heb. hadash "new."

haft --- O.E. hæft "handle," related to hæft "fetter," from P.Gmc. *haftjom (cf. Du. hecht, O.H.G. hefti, Ger. Heft "handle;" see capable). Etymologists connect this word either with the root of have or that of heave.

hag --- c.1225, shortening of O.E. hægtesse "witch, fury" (on assumption that -tesse was a suffix), from P.Gmc. *hagatusjon-, of unknown origin. Similar shortening derived Du. heks, Ger. Hexe "witch" from cognate M.Du. haghetisse, O.H.G. hagzusa. First element is probably cognate with O.E. haga "enclosure" (see hedge). O.N. had tunriða and O.H.G. zunritha, both lit. "hedge-rider," used of witches and ghosts. Or second element may be connected with Norw. tysja "fairy, crippled woman," Gaul. dusius "demon," Lith. dvasia "spirit," from PIE *dhewes- "to fly about, smoke, be scattered, vanish." One of the magic words for which there is no male form, suggesting its original meaning was close to "diviner, soothsayer," which were always female in northern European paganism, and hægtesse seem at one time to have meant "woman of prophetic and oracular powers" (Ælfric uses it to render the Gk. "pythoness," the source of the Delphic oracle), a figure greatly feared and respected. Later, the word was used of village wise women. Haga is also the haw- in hawthorn, which is a central plant in northern European pagan religion. There may be several layers of folk-etymology here. If the hægtesse was once a powerful supernatural woman (in Norse it is an alternate word for Norns, the three weird sisters, the equivalent of the Fates), it may have originally carried the hawthorn sense. Later, when the pagan magic was reduced to local scatterings, it might have had the sense of "hedge-rider," or "she who straddles the hedge," because the hedge was the boundary between the "civilized" world of the village and the wild world beyond. The hægtesse would have a foot in each reality. Even later, when it meant the local healer and root collector, living in the open and moving from village to village, it may have had the mildly pejorative sense of hedge- in M.E. (hedge-priest, etc.), suggesting an itinerant sleeping under bushes, perhaps. The same word could have contained all three senses before being reduced to its modern one.

haggaday --- c.1475, "a kind of door latch," and still the name for rings for raising thumb-latches in the north of England, appears to be what it looks like: what you say when you open the door (cf. the 1414 record of them as hafgooddays).

haggard --- 1567, "wild, unruly," from M.Fr. haggard, probably from O.Fr. faulcon hagard "wild falcon," lit. "falcon of the woods," from M.H.G. hag "hedge, copse, wood," from P.Gmc. *khag-. Sense perhaps reinforced by Low Ger. hager "gaunt, haggard." Sense of "with a haunted expression" first recorded 1697, that of "careworn" first recorded 1853. Sense infl. by association with hag (q.v.).

haggis --- c.1420, now chiefly Scot., but common in M.E., perhaps from O.Fr. agace "magpie," on analogy of the odds and ends the bird collects. The other theory traces it to O.E. haggen "to chop" (see hack (1)).

haggle --- 1577, "to cut unevenly" (implied in haggler), freq. of haggen "to chop" (see hack (1)). Sense of "argue about price" first recorded 1602, probably from notion of chopping away.

hagiology --- study of saints' lives, 1807, from Gk. hagios "holy" + logia "study." First element probably cognate with Gk. agnos "chaste," Skt. yajati "reveres (a god) with sacrifices, worships," O.Pers. ayadana "temple." Hagiographical is attested from 1585.

hag-ridden --- 1684, from hag (q.v.) + pp. of ride. An old term for sleep paralysis, the sensation of being held immobile in bed, often by a heavy weight, and accompanied by a sense of alien presence. A holed stone hung over the bed was said to prevent it.

haiku --- 1899, from Japanese, where it is singular of haikai, in haikai no renga "jesting linked-verse;" originally a succession of haiku linked together into one poem. The form developed mid-16c.

hail (1) --- greetings! c.1200, from O.N. heill "health, prosperity, good luck;" and O.E. hals, shortening of wæs hæil "be healthy" (see health and cf. wassail). The verb meaning "to call from a distance" is 1563, originally nautical. Hail fellow well met is 1581, from a familiar greeting. Hail Mary (c.1300) is the angelic salutation (L. ave Maria), cf. Luke i.58, used as a devotional recitation.

hail (2) --- frozen rain, O.E. hægl, hagol, from W.Gmc. *haglaz (cf. O.H.G. hagal, O.N. hagl, Ger. hagel "hail"), probably from PIE *kaghlo- "pebble" (cf. Gk. kakhlex "round pebble").

hair --- O.E. hær, from P.Gmc. *khæran (cf. O.S., O.N., O.H.G. har, O.Fris. her, Du., Ger. haar "hair"), from PIE *ker(s)- "to bristle" (cf. Lith. serys "bristle"). Modern spelling infl. by O.E. haire "haircloth," from O.Fr. haire, from Frank. *harja. Hairy in slang sense of "difficult" is first recorded 1848. Hairbreadth (1561) is said to have been formerly a formal unit of measure equal to one-forty-eighth of an inch. Hairdresser is first recorded 1771; hairdo is 1932, from do (v.). A hairpin turn, etc., is from 1906. A hair-trigger (1830) was originally a secondary trigger in a firearm which sprung free a mechanism (hair) which, when set, allowed the main trigger to be released by very slight force. Hair-raising "exciting" is first attested 1897. To let one's hair down "become familiar" is first recorded 1850. To split hairs "make over-fine distinctions" is first recorded 1652, as to cut the hair. Phrase hair of the dog that bit you (1546), homeopathic remedy, is in Pliny.

hajj --- pilgrimage to Mecca, from Arabic hajj "pilgrimage." One who has made it is a hajji.

hake --- c.1310, probably from O.E. haca "a hook" (in hacod "pike" the fish), or O.N. haki "hook," from the shape of its jaw.

hakeem --- 1585, physician in Arab countries, from Arabic hakim "wise," from stem of hakuma "he was wise;" whence also hakam "judge," hikmah "wisdom, science."

Hakenkreuz --- 1931, proper Ger. name for the Nazi swastika (q.v.).

halal --- 1855, from Arabic, lit. "lawful." Halal food has been prepared in a manner prescribed by Islamic law.

halberd --- 1495, from M.Fr. hallebarde, from M.H.G. halmbarte "broad-axe with handle," from halm "handle" + barte "hatchet," from P.Gmc. bardoz beard." Alternate etymology traces first element to helm "helmet," making the weapon an axe for smashing helmets.

halcyon (adj.) --- 1545, in halcyon dayes (L. alcyonei dies, Gk. alkyonides hemerai), 14 days of calm weather at the winter solstice, when a mythical bird (identified with the kingfisher) was said to breed in a nest floating on calm seas. From halcyon (n.), 1390, from L. halcyon, from Gk. halkyon, variant (perhaps a misspelling) of alkyon "kingfisher," from hals "sea, salt" + kyon "conceiving," prp. of kyein "to conceive," lit. "to swell," from PIE base *keue- "to swell." Identified in mythology with Halcyone, daughter of Aeolus, who when widowed threw herself into the sea and became a kingfisher.

hale (adj.) --- healthy, O.E. hal "healthy" (see health). The Scottish and northern English form of whole, it was given a literary sense of "free from infirmity" (1734).

hale (v.) --- drag, summon, c.1205, from O.Fr. haler "to pull, haul," from Frank. *halon or O.Du. halen, both from P.Gmc.; probably also from O.E. geholian "obtain" (see haul).

half --- O.E. half, halb (Mercian), healf (W. Saxon) "side, part" (original sense preserved in behalf), from P.Gmc. *khalbas "something divided" (cf. O.N. halfr, O.Fris., M.Du. half, Ger. halb, Goth. halbs "half"). Used also in O.E. phrases as in modern Ger., to mean "one half unit less than," cf. þridda healf "two and a half," lit. "half third." The construction in two and a half, etc., is first recorded c.1200. Of time, in half past ten, etc., first attested 1750; in Scottish, the half often is prefixed to the following hour, as in Ger. (halb elf "ten thirty"). Half-and-half "ale and porter" is from 1756; half-baked in sense of "silly" is from 1855; half-breed "mixed race" is from 1760; half-blooded in this sense is from 1605. Half-brother (c.1330) and half-sister (c.1205) were in M.E.. Halftime in football is from 1871. half-truth is first recorded 1658; half-hearted is from 1611. To go off half-cocked "speak or act too hastily" (1833) is in allusion to firearms.

half seas over --- slang for "drunk," 1736, sometimes said to be from notion of a ship heavy-laden and so low in the water that small waves (half seas) wash over the deck. This suits the sense, but the phrase is not recorded in this alleged literal sense. Half seas over "halfway across the sea" is recorded from 1551, however, and it was given a figurative extension to "halfway through a matter" by 1697. What drunkenness is halfway to is not clear.

half-assed --- ineffectual, 1932, perhaps a humorous mispronunciation of haphazard.

half-life --- 1864, with meaning "unsatisfactory way of living;" the sense in physics, "amount of time it takes half a given amount of radioactivity to decay" is first attested 1907.

half-wit --- 1678, originally "a would-be wit whose abilities are mediocre;" sense of "simpleton" (one lacking all his wits) is first attested 1755. "Half-wits are fleas; so little and so light, We scarce could know they live, but that they bite." [Dryden, "All for Love"]

halibut --- 1396, from hali "holy" + butte "flatfish;" supposedly so called from its being eaten on holy days (cf. cognate Du. heilbot, Low Ger. heilbutt, Swed. helgeflundra, Dan. helleflynder). The second element is a general Gmc. name applied to various kinds of flat fishes; cf. O.Swed. but "flatfish," M.E. butt (c.1300), perhaps ult. from PIE *bhauh- "to strike."

halite --- rock salt, 1868, coined as Mod.L. halites (Glocker, 1847), from Gk. hals (gen. halos) "salt" + chemical noun suffix -ite.

halitosis --- bad breath, 1874, coined from L. halitus "breath," related to halare "to breathe" + Gk.-based noun suffix -osis.

hall --- O.E. heall "place covered by a roof, spacious roofed residence, temple," from P.Gmc. *khallo "to cover, hide" (cf. O.H.G. halla, Ger. halle, Du. hal, O.N. höll "hall;" O.E. hell, Goth. halja "hell"), from PIE base *kel- "to hide, conceal" (see cell). Sense of "entry, vestibule" evolved 17c., at a time when the doors opened onto the main room of a house. Older sense preserved in town hall, music hall, etc., and in university dormitory names. Hall of Fame first attested 1901, in ref. to Columbia College.

hallelujah --- 1535, from Heb. hallalu-yah "praise Jehovah," from hallalu, pl. imper. of hallel "to praise" also "song of praise," from hillel "he praised," of imitative origin, with primary sense being "to trill." Second element is yah, shortened form of Yahweh, name of God. Replaced variant formation alleluia (12c.).

hallmark --- 1721, official stamp of purity in gold and silver articles, from Goldsmiths' Hall in London, site of the assay office. General sense of "mark of quality" first recorded 1864.

hallow --- O.E. halgian "to make holy, to honor as holy," related to halig "holy," from P.Gmc. *khailig (cf. O.S. helagon, M.Du. heligen, O.N. helga; see health). Used in Christian translations to render L. sanctificare.

Halloween --- c.1745, Scottish shortening of Allhallow-even "Eve of All Saints, last night of October" (1556), the last night of the year in the old Celtic calendar, where it was Old Year's Night, a night for witches. Another pagan holiday given a cursory baptism and sent on its way. Hallowmas "All-saints" is first attested 1389.

Hallstatt --- 1866, Iron Age civilization of Europe, from the name of a village in Upper Austria, where implements from this period were found.

hallucinate --- 1604, "deceive," from L. alucinatus, later hallucinatus, pp. of alucinari "wander (in the mind), dream," probably from Gk. alyein, Attic halyein "be distraught," probably related to alasthai "wander about." The L. ending probably was influenced by vaticinari "to prophecy," also "to rave." Sense of "to have illusions" is from 1652. Hallucination in the pathological/psychological sense of "seeing or hearing something which is not there" is first recorded 1646; distinct from illusion in not necessarily involving a false belief. Hallucinogen "drug which induces hallucinations" is first recorded 1954; hallucinogenic (adj.) in this sense is from 1952.

halo --- 1563, from L. halo (acc.), from Gk. halos "disk of the sun or moon, ring of light around the sun or moon" (also "threshing floor" and "disk of a shield"), of unknown origin. Sense of "light around the head of a holy person or deity" first recorded 1646.

halogen --- 1842, from Swedish, coined by Swed. chemist Baron Jöns Jakob Berzelius (1779-1848) from Gk. hals (gen. halos) "salt" + -gen "to produce;" so called because a salt is formed in reactions involving these elements.

halt (adj.) --- lame, in O.E. lemphalt "limping," from P.Gmc. *haltaz (cf. O.Fris. halt, O.N. haltr, O.H.G. halz, Goth. halts "lame"), from PIE *qelad, from base *qela- "to break" (cf. Rus. koldyka "lame," Gk. kolobos "broken, curtailed").

halt (n.) --- stop, 1622, from Fr. halte or It. alto, ult. from Ger. Halt, imperative from O.H.G. halten "to hold" (see hold). A Ger. military command borrowed into the Romance languages 16c.

halter --- O.E. hælftre "halter for horses," from W.Gmc. *halftra- "that by which something is held" (cf. O.H.G. halftra, M.Du. halfter, see helve). In women's clothing sense, originally "strap attached to the top of a backless bodice and looped around the neck," 1935, later extended to the tops themselves.

halve --- M.E. halfen "to divide in halves," c.1300 (see half).

halyard --- 1611, from M.E. halier, from halen "to haul" (see hale (v.)). Spelling infl. by yard "long beam that supports a sail."

ham (1) --- meat of a hog's hind leg used for food, 1637, from O.E. hamm "hollow or bend of the knee," from P.Gmc. *kham- (cf. O.N. höm, M.Du. hamme), from PIE *konemo- "shin bone," originally "be crooked" (cf. Gk. kneme "part between the knee and ankle," O.Ir. cnaim "bone"). Ham-fisted (1928) was originally in reference to pilots who were heavy on the controls.

ham (2) --- overacting performer, 1882 Amer.Eng., apparently a shortening of hamfatter (1880) "actor of low grade," said to be from an old minstrel show song, "The Ham-fat Man" (1863). The song itself, a black-face number, has nothing to do with acting, so the connection must be with the quality of acting in minstrel shows, where the song was popular. The notion of "amateurish" led to the sense of "amateur radio operator" (1919). The verb in the performance sense is first recorded 1933.

hamadryad --- c.1386, from Gk. hamadryas "wood-nymph" (pl. hamadryades), fabled to die with her tree, from hama "together" + drus (gen. dryos) "tree."

hamburger --- 1889, hamburg steak, from the Ger. city of Hamburg, though no certain connection has ever been put forth, and there may not be one beyond that of Hamburg being a major port of departure for Ger. immigrants to U.S. Shortened form burger attested from 1939; beefburger was attempted 1940, in an attempt to make the main ingredient more explicit, after the -burger had taken on a life of its own as a suffix (cf. cheeseburger, first attested 1938).

Hamitic --- 1842, language group that included ancient Egyptian, Berber, Galla, etc.; from Ham, second son of Noah (Gen. ix.18-19).

hamlet --- c.1330, from O.Fr. hamelet, dim. of hamel "village," itself a dim. of ham "village," from Frank. *haim (see home). Especially a village without a church.

hammer --- O.E. hamor, from P.Gmc. *khamur. The O.N. cognate hamarr meant "stone, crag" (it's common in Eng. place names), and suggests an original sense of "tool with a stone head," from PIE *komor- "hammer," from base *akm- "sharp (stone)," cf. Slav. kamy, Rus. kameni "stone." The verb is first attested c.1430. Hammerhead shark is from 1861.

hammock --- 1555, from Sp. hamaca, from Arawakan (Haiti) word apparently meaning "fish nets" (cf. Yukuna hamaca, Taino amaca).

Hammond --- type of electric organ favored by 1960s rock bands, trademark name (1935), invented 1929 by U.S. inventor and clockmaker Laurens Hammond (1895-1973).

hamper (n.) --- large basket, 1316, contraction of Anglo-Fr. hanaper (Anglo-L. hanepario), from O.Fr. hanepier "case for holding a large goblet or cup," from hanap "goblet," from Frank. (cf. O.S. hnapp "cup, bowl;" O.H.G. hnapf).

hamper (v.) --- c.1350, hampren "to surround, imprison, confine," later "to pack in a container," of unknown origin, possibly from hamper (n.), or somehow connected to M.E. hamelian "to maim." The noun meaning "things important for a ship but in the way at certain times" (1835) is from Fr. hamper "to impede."

Hampshire --- reduced from O.E. Hamtunscir; named for the city of Southampton, which originally was simply Hamtun. Norman scribes mangled the county name to Hauntunescire, later Hantescire, hence the abbrev. Hants.

hamster --- 1607, from Ger. Hamster, from M.H.G. hamastra "hamster," probably from O.C.S. chomestoru "hamster" (the animal is native to S.E. Europe), perhaps a blend of Rus. chomiak and Lith. staras, both meaning "hamster." The older Eng. name for it was German rat.

hamstring (v.) --- 1641, "to disable, render useless," a figurative verbal extension from the noun hamstring "tendon at the back of the knee" (1565), from ham "bend of the knee" (see ham (1)) + string. Cutting this would render a person or animal lame.

Han --- Chinese dynasty, 206 B.C.E.-220 C.E., its rule marked by prosperity, military success, and the introduction of Buddhism.

hand --- O.E. hond, from P.Gmc. *khanduz (cf. O.S., O.Fris., Du., Ger. hand, O.N. hönd, Goth. handus). The original O.E. plural handa was superseded in M.E. by handen, later hands. Meaning "person who does something with his hands" is from 1590, hence "hired workman" (1655) and "sailor in a ship's crew" (1669). Clock and watch sense is from 1575. Meaning "round of applause" is from 1838. The linear measure of 4 inches (originally 3) is from 1561, now used only in giving the height of horses. The meaning "playing cards held in one player's hand" is from 1630; that of "a round at a card game" is from 1622. The verb is from 1642. First hand, second hand, etc. (1439) are from the notion of something being passed down from hand to hand. Out of hand (1597) is opposite of in hand "under control" (c.1200). Hand over fist (1825) is suggestive of sailors and fishermen hauling in nets. Hands-on (adj.) is first recorded 1969; hands-off (adj.) is from 1902. Hand-jive is from 1958. Hand job is 1940s; hand-me-down as a modifier is first recorded 1874. To win something hands down (1867) is from horse racing, from a jockey's gesture of letting the reins go loose in an easy victory. To hand it to (someone) "acknowledge someone's ability" is slang from c.1906. Handy is from c.1310; handful was in O.E. Phrase on the one hand ... on the other hand is recorded from 1638, a fig. use of the physical sense of hand in reference to position on one side or the other side of the body (as in the lefthand side), which goes back to O.E. Hands up! as a command from a policeman, robber, etc., is from 1873. Hand-to-mouth is from 1509.

hand of glory --- 1707, originally a piece of mandrake root, from Fr. maindeglorie, from a corruption of L. mandragora "mandrake" (see mandrake). The dead man's hand charm is described from 1440, but not by this name.

handbook --- O.E. handboc, translating L. manualis. Displaced in M.E. by manual (from O.Fr.), and later in part by Gk. enchiridion. Reintroduced 1814, but execrated through much of 19c. as "that very ugly and very unnecessary word." [Trench]

handcuff (n.) --- 1775, from hand + cuff. The verb is first attested 1720. O.E. had hondcops "a pair of hand cuffs," but the modern word is a re-invention.

handfast (v.) --- betroth, bind in wedlock, c.1200, from hand + fast (see fasten).

handicap --- c.1653, from hand in cap, a game whereby two bettors would engage a neutral umpire to determine the odds in an unequal contest. The bettors would put their hands holding forfeit money into a hat or cap. The umpire would announce the odds and the bettors would withdraw their hands -- hands full meaning that they accepted the odds and the bet was on, hands empty meaning they did not accept the bet and were willing to forfeit the money. If one forfeited, then the money went to the other. If both agreed on either forfeiting or going ahead with the wager, then the umpire kept the money as payment. The custom, though not the name, is attested from 14c. Reference to horse racing is 1754 (Handy-Cap Match), where the umpire decrees the superior horse should carry extra weight as a "handicap;" this led to sense of "encumbrance, disability" first recorded 1890. The verb sense of "equalize chances of competitors" is first recorded 1852, but is implied in the horse-race sense. Meaning "put at a disadvantage" is 1864. The main modern sense, "disability," is the last to develop; handicapped (adj.) is 1915.