Definition of have-a in English English dictionary
- have-a-go hero
- An ordinary member of the public who intervenes, often at personal risk, to stop a troublemaker, hooligan or ne'er-do-well in the act of committing a crime
- Houston, we have a problem
- A phrase used to indicate a major problem; often humorously used for reporting any kind of problem
We're running out of oil! The petroleum that fuels our daily lives is getting harder to find.
- I have AIDS
- Indicates that the speaker has acquired immune deficiency syndrome
- I have a cold
- I am suffering from a cold
- I have a dream
- Used to imply that the speaker has a vision or idea on a grand scale, usually about an ideal future
I have a dream that I will one day wake up and see two equal peoples living next to each other, coexisting in the land of Palestine, stretching from the Mediterranean to the Jordan.
- I have a fever
- Indicates that the speaker has higher than normal body temperature, which is usually a symptom of a disease
- I have asthma
- Indicates that the speaker is afflicted with asthma
- I have cancer
- Indicates that the speaker is afflicted with some form of cancer
- I have diabetes
- Indicates that the speaker has diabetes
- I have high blood pressure
- Indicates that the speaker has hypertension (high blood pressure)
- I have low blood pressure
- Indicates that the speaker has hypotension (low blood pressure)
- I have no money
- Indicates that the speaker has no money
- I have to love you and leave you
- Used as an affectionate way of saying goodbye
- I'd like to have sex with you
- Indicates that the speaker would like to engage in sexual activities with the listener
- as luck would have it
- As it happened; how it turned out; by good fortune; fortunately or luckily
I didn't plan to stop there, but as luck would have it, they were open when I went by.
- better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all
- Having experience of love, even if it ended, is better than having no experience of love
- better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all
- Love is worthwhile despite the pain involved in separation
- could have done with
- Simple past of could do with
- could have done without
- Past participle form of both can do without and could do without
- do you have a boyfriend
- Used to ask whether the interlocutor has a boyfriend
- do you have a menu in English
- A question used to ask for a menu in the English language
- do you have any pets
- Used to ask whether the interlocutor is an owner of pets
- do you have children
- Used to ask whether the interlocutor is a parent of children
- have
- Allow
You're a very naughty boy. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. I won't have you chasing the geese!.
- have
- To depict as being
Their stories differed; he said he'd been at work when the incident occurred, but her statement had him at home that entire evening.
- have
- To be affected by an occurrence. (Used in supplying a topic that is not a verb argument.)
I've had three people today tell me my hair looks nice.
- have
- To trick, to deceive
Yeah! You had me alright! Between your threatening stance and your armed-to-the-teeth men, I never would've thought that was just a joke.
- have
- To cause to be
The lecture's ending had the entire audience in tears.
- have
- To possess, own, hold
Look what I have here — a frog I found on the street!.
- have
- To be afflicted with, to suffer from, to experience something negative
We had a hard year last year, with the locust swarms and all that.
- have
- To give birth to
My wife is having the baby right now!.
- have
- Used in forming the perfect aspect and the past perfect aspect
I had already eaten.
- have
- must
Note: there's a separate entry for have to.
I must've made a mistake.
- I must have made a mistake.
Your mother must've been beautiful when she was young.
- Your mother must have been beautiful when she was young.
- have
- To feel or be (especially painfully) aware of
Dan certainly has arms today, probably from scraping paint off four columns the day before.
- have
- To be able to speak a language
I have no German.
- have
- Used as interrogative auxiliary verb with a following pronoun to form tag questions. (For further discussion, see "Usage notes" below)
UK usage He has some money, hasn't he?.
- have
- To engage in sexual intercourse with
He's always bragging about how many women he's had.
- have
- To cause to, by a command or request
They had me feed their dog while they were out of town.
- have
- To be related in some way to (with the object identifying the relationship)
The dog down the street has a lax owner.
- have
- To defeat in a fight; take
I could have him!.
- have
- To partake of a particular substance (especially a food or drink) or action
I'm going to have some pizza and some Pepsi right now.
- have a ball
- To enjoy thoroughly; to have lots of fun or excitement
And everybody havin' a ball (Hah, ho, Yippie Yi Yo)''.
- have a bath
- To wash oneself in a bath; to bath
- have a bone in one's leg
- Used as a fatuous excuse to avoid doing something
No, I can't. I've got a bone in my leg..
- have a bone to pick
- To have a complaint or grievance with somebody
I have a bone to pick with the accountant who made that costly mistake.
- have a break
- To rest; to temporarily discontinue a specified activity
- have a bun in the oven
- To be pregnant; to be expecting a baby
Her parents were surprised to learn that she had a bun in the oven.
- have a clue
- To be knowledgeable about a topic or situation
- have a couple
- To drink enough alcohol to be slightly drunk
For even the puniest, wouldn’t know a muscle if it shook his hand at a party and said ‘Hello, I’m Mister Bicep,’ foul-mouthed, inconsiderate, insensitive, ‘isn’t a feeling what you do with your hands?’ oaf– once he's had a couple (and he is dreaming of coupling) – voila!.
- have a cow
- To get angry; have a fit
My mom had a cow when I came in late.
- have a crack at
- To attempt (something); to try to do (something)
Let me have a crack at it.
- have a few
- To drink enough alcohol to be slightly drunk
The phone at the lake house rings and rings, until my father's voice, very groggy — it's the way he sounds once he's had a few — is finally heard.
- have a fit
- To become suddenly enraged
She'll have a fit when she finds out a younger woman got the job she was hoping for.
- have a fit
- To experience an epileptic seizure
She needs to keep her sugar level low or she'll have a fit.
- have a frog in one's throat
- To feel the need to cough; to have a tickle in one's throat; to have a scratchy or uneven voice
I just woke up and I have a frog in my throat. Give me a minute.
- have a go
- To attack or criticize
Yes, we had a go.
- have a go
- Shout at or tell off unnecessarily or excessively
My teacher had a go at me earlier, just for missing one sodding homework. I was fuming.
- have a go
- To make an attempt; to try
I've never tried karate before, but I'm willing to have a go.
- have a good time
- To enjoy oneself
- have a handle on
- To be in control; to understand or grasp
To work efficiently, it's important to have a handle on the procedures involved.
- have a head for
- to be capable with, to be knowledgeable about
I can't come rock climbing because I don't have a head for heights.
- have a heart
- To be kind or sympathetic; to treat others kindly
Have a heart and be lenient with him; he's only a child.
- have a laugh
- To enjoy oneself; have fun
- have a laugh
- To joke; kid around
- have a laugh
- To laugh
- have a look
- To examine, to observe
- have a look-see
- Take a look
I’ve had a look-see at your work, and I think you’ve done a pretty good job of things.
- have a memory like a sieve
- Alternative form of have a mind like a sieve
- have a mind like a sieve
- To have a poor memory; to have difficulty remembering things
Oh, that's right. You said that yesterday, didn't you? I have a mind like a sieve.
- have a mind of one's own
- To form one's personal opinions and choose one's actions without being governed by the views or choices of others; to be independently minded; to think for oneself
Be a little audacious — disagree on at least one thing so they know you have a mind of your own.
- have a nice day
- Goodbye
- have a pair
- To be manly
Sound off like you got a pair! (drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket).
- have a quiet word
- To speak to someone in private
- have a quiet word
- When you get a moment I'd like to have a quiet word
- have a screw loose
- To be insane or irrational
I think old Mr. Jacobs has a screw loose; he keeps trying to feed his cats bird seed.
- have a seat
- To sit down; to take a seat
- have a seat
- A polite directive to sit down
Thanks for coming in. Please, have a seat.
- have a stab
- To make an attempt, a try
- have a wank
- To masturbate
- have a way with
- To be skilled, adept, or graceful in something
She has a way with animals, and they seem instinctively to trust her.
- have a whale of a time
- To enjoy oneself greatly
We had a whale of a time at the party Saturday night.
- have a word
- To speak to someone in private, often with a negative implication
She knew she was in big trouble when the teacher asked to have a word with her after class.
- have a word in someone's ear
- To speak to someone in private
- have a word in someone's ear
- When you get a moment I'd like to have a word in your ear
- have an ax to grind
- Alternative spelling of have an axe to grind
- have an axe to grind
- To have a dispute, resentment, or grudge, sometimes with a disposition to act on that resentment covertly; to have a bias; to take issue with something
He said: This guy has an axe to grind because Colonel Tim embarrassed him in front of his troops..
- have an eye for
- To have good taste; to have the ability to discriminate or identify quality
He has an eye for fine porcelain dishes and figurines.
- have another thing coming
- Alternative form of have another think coming
- have another think
- To reflect on a frustrating or disappointing event; to reframe such an event
- have another think coming
- To be deluded, to be mistaken; to need to rethink something one has determined; to need to reconsider one's plans or expectations
If you think you're going to marry my daughter, you have another think coming.
- have another thought coming
- Alternative form of have another think coming
- have ants in one's pants
- To be sexually excited
- have ants in one's pants
- To be agitated and constantly fidgeting
- have at
- To attack; to engage in combat with
The Prince of Venosa was in their midst, shouting: Have at the traitor! Kill! Kill!.
- have at you
- an exclamation indicating that one is about to strike the person addressed, typically with a sword or other hand-held weapon. E.g., "Dark and sinister man, have at thee." Barrie JM (1904), Peter Pan
- have bats in one's belfry
- To be crazy or eccentric
You would certainly take the prize for bats in the belfry!--flying off on a wild-goose chase across a country where even the geese need a compass to keep to the course.
- have been around
- To be experienced in worldly matters; to be seasoned, not naive
Williams: She has been around. She has met world leaders.
- have been around the block
- Alternative form of have been around
- have butterflies in one's stomach
- To be nervous, uncertain, or anxious
He had butterflies in his stomach the morning of his wedding.
- have egg on one's face
- To suffer embarrassment or humiliation; to damage one's reputation
I hope the bishop of Hereford comes out of this with a great deal of egg on his face. - The Obverser, 01/04/2007, Bishop blocks gay youth worker's job,.
- have eyes bigger than one's belly
- To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy
Your eyes are bigger than your belly.
- have eyes bigger than one's stomach
- To take more food on one's plate than one can eat; to be greedy
Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.
- have eyes for
- To be romantically interested in
The moon maybe high but I can't see a thing in the sky, 'Cause I only have eyes for you.
- have eyes in the back of one's head
- To be particularly, especially uncannily, observant; a perceived ability to see in all directions at once
It's so busy at our office you need eyes in the back of your head to work there!.
- have fun
- To enjoy oneself
- have fun
- Used to wish somebody a good and enjoyable time when they're about to do something
- have got
- To have, own or possess
She's got three children. One boy and two girls.
- have got
- To be obliged or obligated
I've got to do my homework.
- have got someone's back
- To be prepared and willing to support or defend (someone)
- have had it up to here
- to have become very frustrated or angry; to have reached the limit of one's patience or forbearance
I have had it up to here with your nonsense!.
- have had one's Weet-Bix today
- To exhibit plenty of vitality or strength or other superior performance
- have had one's chips
- To be dead or finished
He must have had his chips, she thought, and our children will be born fatherless.
- have had one's day
- Alternative form of have seen one's day
- have in mind
- To consider, to contemplate, to intend
I had in mind buying you a present when I went to the store.
- have it
- To have died
He didn't survive the operation - he's had it.
- have it
- To understand or believe
Conventional wisdom has it that heat rises, but in fact heat diffuses: hot air rises.
- have it
- To be beyond repair
These socks have had it - there are holes in both toes.
- have it coming
- To deserve or merit, as the consequences of one's actions
Although one might baulk at giving an 83-year-old a hard time, this particular 83-year-old has it coming.
- have it going on
- To be attractive or socially successful or have an aura of success
- have it going on
- To instigate, observe, or allow an event to continue
- have it in for
- To be very angry at; to have a grudge against; to have little tolerance for
My boss must really have it in for me; that was the third lecture this week!.
- have it large
- To engage intensely in pleasure-seeking activities
On the dance floor, people are having it large: hands in the air, whooping and yelling, boogieing in a sweaty drug fueled mass.
- have it made
- To have accomplished all there is to do; to have no further work or difficulty; to have achieved a lifestyle characterized by good fortune and comfort
It's a great idea, and if it catches on and sells well, we'll have it made.
- have it off
- to engage in sexual intercourse
- have it your way
- Do something the way you want to, but be prepared for the consequences
OK, have it your way, format the hard disk and see what happens.
- have kittens
- To become extremely upset
- have mercy
- To show mercy or compassion; to stop inflicting punishment or a barrage
The mean boss would have mercy on the marginally performing employee, except he was in a foul mood today and decided to say what he really thought of her.
- have more chins than a Chinese phone book
- To be exceedingly fat, especially under the chin (as in a "double chin")
My friend, Hank Zona, used to nod his head in someone's direction and whisper, That guy has more chins than a Chinese phone book..
- have not
- singular variant of have nots
- have nots
- The poor or underprivileged, contrasted to those who have possessions, power or wealth: the haves
- have one's cake and eat it too
- To seek to have two things which are mutually incompatible (such as eating a piece of cake and yet still possessing that piece for future use)
Do you seriously want to break up with her and still have sex with her? You can't have your cake and eat it too!.
- have one's ducks in a row
- To be organized; to have one's affairs in order; specifically, to have a multi-person effort coordinated towards the exact same goal
Wouldn't it be nice to have our ducks in a row and not have to search for the papers every time we needed them?.
- have one's ears lowered
- To get a haircut
When you need a haircut, you go to a barber, so here I am at Tommy's Bronxville's tonsorial prepared to get clipped. Or, as we said as kids, have my ears lowered.
- have one's feet on the ground
- To be a practical person. To be sensible
We think we can trust John with this new position as he has his feet on the ground.
- have one's fingers in many pies
- to be involved in many different things
- have one's hand out
- To be requesting benefits, especially if not entitled to them
Whenever there was an appropriations bill, he always had his hand out for his guys.
- have one's hands full
- To be busy or thoroughly preoccupied
He already has his hands full with two kids and a full-time job, yet he still makes time to volunteer.
- have one's hands tied
- to be powerless to act, to be thwarted
I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. My hands are tied.
- have one's head in the clouds
- To daydream; to think about matters other than the present reality
He sat there with his head in the clouds all day, when he should have been minding the store.
- have one's head in the clouds
- To have fantastic or impractical dreams; to think impractically
He has his head in the clouds when it comes to finances, with no idea how much that lifestyle will cost.
- have one's heart set on
- to want or desire deeply, regardless of practicality or rationality
He should buy a truck for his job, but he has his heart set on a sports car.
- have one's name on it
- To be reserved for someone
That new bartender has got my name all over her, hands off!.
- have one's number on it
- Te be destined for someone
I'll catch that fish. It has my number on it.
- have one's way
- to make love with someone
- have one's way
- to obtain the circumstances one wishes for; to do what one wishes to do, or to have others do what one wishes them to do
He held out to me a bowl of steaming broth, that filled the room with a savour sweeter, ten thousand times, to me than every rose and lily of the world; yet would not let me drink it at a gulp, but made me sip it with a spoon like any baby. Thus while I drank, he told me where I was, namely, in an attic at the Why Not?, but would not say more then, bidding me get to sleep again, and I should know all afterwards. And so it was ten days or more before youth and health had their way, and I was strong again; and all that time Elzevir Block sat by my bed, and nursed me tenderly as a woman. So piece by piece I learned the story of how they found me.
- have one's way with
- To engage in sexual intercourse with
- have one's wicked way
- To have sexual intercourse
- have one's wits about one
- To remain calm, composed, or aware
It is important for emergency responders to have their wits about them at all times.
- have one's work cut out for one
- To face a large task or project
If he plans to translate all the idioms, he has his work cut out for him.
- have other fish to fry
- To have more important things to do
No, for certain. I have other fish to fry here..
- have second thoughts
- To change one's opinion, or be uneasy about a previous decision
At first it seemed a good idea, but now it's getting close I'm having second thoughts.
- have seen better days
- To be in poor condition, to be worn-out
Your sofa has certainly seen better days, isn't it time you got a new one?.
- have seen one's day
- To be at the point in a life cycle or career of no longer being useful or effective; to be worn-out
Written off by most observers as a champion who had seen his day, the Sampras who stalked the courts as world number one for six straight years in the 1990s rose from the ashes to add to his lustre with a record-setting 14th Grand Slam title.
- have sex
- To take part in a sexual act
- have someone by the short hairs
- To have someone in a difficult situation in which he or she is without alternatives and can be controlled
The Saudis know that as long as we consume 7 billion barrels per year (4 billion of them imported from abroad), they have us by the short hairs.
- have someone's back
- To be prepared and willing to support or defend (someone)
- have someone's guts for garters
- To reprimand severely
If you go out and play and get your clothes dirty, I'll have your guts for garters!.
- have someone's hide
- To punish or subdue someone
Why doesn't The St. Petersburg Times scrape together $30 million and purchase football's Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Then, when I tell John McKay how to coach, he'd listen or I'd have his hide.
- have someone's number
- To understand a person's character, capabilities, or situation
Llodra, a doubles specialist who is ranked 38 in singles, was charging to the net at every opportunity and played some brilliant shots but Murray seemed to have his number at that stage.
- have something to eat
- To eat anything
- have the biscuit
- To be of no further use; to be near death
- have the blues
- To be depressed, to have a low morale
I've had the blues ever since my sweetheart left.
- have the floor
- To have permission or time to speak, especially in a formal situation
The representative from New Hampshire has the floor.
- have the hots for
- to be attracted to somebody (sexually or romantically)
I think Donnie has the hots for Lisa.
- have the run of
- To have permission or freedom to move around throughout an area or to use something at will
The dog usually has the run of the house and yard, so he was perplexed when we tied him up in back during the party.
- have the time
- To be available, to have nothing more important to do
I can't do it yet, I don't have the time.
- have the time
- To know the current time, or be able to consult a device which does
Hey, do you have the time? I think I'm late for work.
- have the time of one's life
- To enjoy oneself more than ever before
- have the time of one's life
- To enjoy oneself immensely
- have the wind up
- To be frightened or disturbed
- have the wolf by the ear
- To be in a sticky situation – a dangerous situation from which one cannot disengage, but in which one cannot safely remain
- have tickets on oneself
- To be conceited
Our nickname for him was Tickets, because he had tickets on himself, Mr Thompson said. He was a good sportsman, but he also loved to tell us how good he was..
- have to
- Must; need to; to be required to. Indicates obligation
You have to wear a seat belt.
- have to
- Must (logical conclusion)
It has to be an electrical fault.
- have to do with the price of fish
- have to do with the price of tea in China
- have truck with
- to have dealings with; to truck with
I've had no truck with them for some time.
- have up
- To accuse, arrest, try for a criminal act
If Richard Dawkins had his way, a fair number of you and, as it happens, me, would be had up for child abuse. According to him, that's what religious indoctrination of children by their parents is.
- have words
- To argue, to have an argument
That sort don't have words, Ellen. They just sit and goggle..
- have words
- To speak sternly, angrily, or in an argumentative manner to
This man is highly irresponsible, a spokeswoman tells the Post. We definitely want to have words with him..
- have-not
- singular variant of have nots
- have-nots
- Alternative spelling of have nots
- if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail
- If a person is familiar with a certain, single subject/has with them a certain, single instrument, they may have a confirmation bias to believe that it is the answer to/involved in everything
- if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail
- With limited tools, single-minded people apply them inappropriately or indiscriminately
- let someone have it
- To verbally assail someone
When I came home, he let me have it for wrecking the car.
- let someone have it
- To attack someone with great force
At dawn we really let 'em have it with a 30 minute artillery barrage.
- little pitchers have big ears
- Small children often overhear more of what is said than adults realize or desire
I suppose he might say pushed or went woowoo, but took a shit is, I fear, very much in the ballpark (little pitchers have big ears, after all).
- little pitchers have long ears
- Alternative form of little pitchers have big ears
- mistakes have been made
- Alternative form of mistakes were made
- must have killed a Chinaman
- Figurative explanation for bad luck one is suffering
The left hand side of my body has really been hammered the last six months; I must have killed a Chinaman in a previous life or something, I don't know, mused Vogels.
- must-have
- essential to own
- not have a bean
- to be destitute or penniless
- not have a leg to stand on
- To lack support, as in an argument, debate, or negotiation
There are still those who argue that the Earth is flat, but with modern technology and satellite photos they really do not have a leg to stand on.
- not have the faintest
- To not know; to have no idea
Talking to him for a few minutes, it was clear he hadn't the faintest what to do.
- some mothers do have them
- Used to comment on someone clumsy or foolish
- the terrorists will have won
- Phrase used to indicate that if a specified activity is not continued or carried out, those who seek to disrupt normal activities through terror will have succeeded, which is an unacceptable result
If we have to wear sweaters and turn down our thermostat, the terrorists will have won.
- there have been
- Past participle of there be
- there you have it
- That is it; that is the situation or state of things
- there you have it
- Used to introduce a speaker's interpretation of what has just transpired or been described
- walls have ears
- There is a risk of being heard, so pay attention to what you say
- what does that have to do with the price of tea in China
- A comment used to indicate that a previous comment is irrelevant or unimportant
- what have you
- Any of several additional, unmentioned things
So you might not have a million-seller every time, 'cause you're not movin' around and what have you, but at least you'll have a good track record.
- what-have-you
- Alternative spelling of what have you
- who are you and what have you done with someone
- Said to express surprise due to a perceived drastic change of behaviour of a person
- who'd have thunk it
- Who would have thought that would happen?; Who would have guessed it?
- would have liked to
- nearly; almost
I'd have liked to died laughing!.
- you have the advantage of me
- You know my name, but I do not know yours; what is it, please?; you know me but I do not know you
- you shouldn't have
- Used to express gratitude at unnecessary generosity, especially when receiving a gift
What a lovely vase! You shouldn't have!.
- have a lot on one's mind
- (Ev ile ilgili) Have many things to worry about; to be preoccupied
- have big shoes to fill
- (Ev ile ilgili) Have to meet high expectations about something that came before
- have got
- have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense; "She has $1,000 in the bank"; "He has got two beautiful daughters"; "She holds a Master's degree from Harvard"
- have got
- there is, there are, there exists
- have had enough
- exasperated, out of patience, sick and tired, fed up
- to have seen better days
- witnessed happier times in the past; not in very good shape
- have a bat
- (Ev ile ilgili) Engage in the act of masturbation
- have a ring to it
- (Ev ile ilgili) (never in continuous tenses) If a word or idea has a ring to it, it sounds interesting or attractive
- have a trick up one's sleeve
- (Ev ile ilgili) Hide something from someone, have a fall-back plan
- have one's cake and have it
- (deyim) To wish to have one's cake and eat it too or simply have one's cake and eat it (sometimes eat one's cake and have it too) is to want more than one can handle or deserve, or to try to have two incompatible things. This is a popular English idiomatic proverb, or figure of speech
- have one's cake and have it too
- (deyim) To wish to have one's cake and eat it too or simply have one's cake and eat it (sometimes eat one's cake and have it too) is to want more than one can handle or deserve, or to try to have two incompatible things. This is a popular English idiomatic proverb, or figure of speech
