Hottering, hot′er-ing, adj. (prov.) raging.
Houdah. See Howdah.
Houdan, hōō′dang, n. a valued breed of domestic fowls, orig. from Houdan in Seine-et-Oise.
Hough, hok, Hock, hok, n. the joint on the hind-leg of a quadruped, between the knee and fetlock, corresponding to the ankle-joint in man: in man, the back part of the knee-joint: the ham.—v.t. to hamstring:—pr.p. hough′ing; pa.p. houghed (hokt). [A.S. hóh, the heel.]
Hound, hownd, n. a dog used in hunting: a cur: a caitiff.—v.t. to set on in chase: to hunt: to urge, pursue, harass (with on).—ns. Hound′fish, same as Dogfish; Hounds′-berr′y, the common dogwood; Hound's′-tongue, a plant, so called from the shape of its leaves.—Gabriel hounds, a popular name for the noise made by distant curlews, ascribed to damned souls whipped on by the angel Gabriel; Master of hounds, the master of a pack of hounds. [A.S. hund; Gr. kyōn, kynos, L. canis, Sans. çvan.]
Hour, owr, n. 60 min., or the 24th part of a day: the time indicated by a clock, &c.: an hour's journey, or three miles: a time or occasion; (pl., myth.) the goddesses of the seasons and the hours: set times of prayer, the canonical hours, the offices or services prescribed for these, or a book containing them.—ns. Hour′-cir′cle, a circle passing through the celestial poles and fixed relatively to the earth: the circle of an equatorial which shows the hour-angle of the point to which the telescope is directed; Hour′-glass, an instrument for measuring the hours by the running of sand from one glass vessel into another; Hour′-hand, the hand which shows the hour on a clock, &c.—adj. Hour′ly, happening or done every hour: frequent.—adv. every hour: frequently.—n. Hour′plate, the plate of a timepiece on which the hours are marked: the dial.—At the eleventh hour, at the last moment possible (Matt. xx. 6, 9); In a good, or evil, hour, acting under a fortunate, or an unfortunate, impulse—from the old belief in astrological influences; Keep good hours, to go to bed and to rise early: to lead a quiet and regular life; The hour is come, the destined day of fate has come (John, xiii. 1); The small hours, the early hours of the morning; Three hours service, a service held continuously on Good Friday, from noon to 3 P.M., in commemoration of the time of Christ's agony on the cross. [O. Fr. hore (Fr. heure)—L. hora—Gr. hōra.]
Houri, how′ri, hōō′ri, n. a nymph of the Mohammedan paradise. [Pers. huri—Ar. hūriya, a black-eyed girl.]
House, hows, n. a building for dwelling in: a dwelling-place: an inn: household affairs: a family: kindred: a trading establishment: one of the twelve divisions of the heavens in astrology: one of the estates of the legislature (House of Lords or Upper House, House of Commons or Lower House; also Upper and Lower Houses of Convocation, House of Representatives, &c.): at Oxford, 'The House,' Christ Church College: the audience at a place of entertainment, a theatre, &c. (a full house, a thin house): (coll.) the workhouse:—pl. Houses (howz′ez).—v.t. House (howz), to protect by covering: to shelter: to store: to provide houses for.—v.i. to take shelter: to reside.—ns. House′-ā′gent, one who has the letting of houses; House′-boat, a barge with a deck-cabin that may serve as a dwelling-place; House′-bote, wood that a tenant may take to repair his house, or for fuel; House′-break′er, one who breaks open and enters a house by day for the purpose of stealing; House′-break′ing; House′-carl, a member of a king or noble's bodyguard, in Danish and early English history; House′-dū′ty, -tax, a tax laid on inhabited houses; House′-fac′tor (Scot.), a house-agent; House′-fa′ther, the male head of a household or community; House′-flag, the distinguishing flag of a shipowner or company of such; House′-fly, the common fly universally distributed; House′hold, those who are held together in the same house, and compose a family.—adj. pertaining to the house and family.—ns. House′holder, the holder or tenant of a house; House′keeper, a female servant who keeps or has the chief care of the house: one who stays much at home; House′keeping, the keeping or management of a house or of domestic affairs: hospitality.—adj. domestic.—n. House′-leek, a plant with red star-like flowers and succulent leaves that grows on the roofs of houses.—adj. House′less, without a house or home: having no shelter.—ns. House′-line (naut.), a small line of three strands, for seizings, &c.; House′maid, a maid employed to keep a house clean, &c.; House′-mate, one sharing a house with another; House′-moth′er, the mother of a family, the female head of a family; House′-room, room or place in a house; House′-stew′ard, a steward who manages the household affairs of a great family; House′-sur′geon, the surgeon or medical officer in a hospital who resides in the house—so also House′-physi′cian; House′-warm′ing, an entertainment given when a family enters a new house, as if to warm it; Housewife (hows′wīf, huz′wif, or huz′if), the mistress of a house: a female domestic manager: a small case for articles of female work.—adj. House′wifely.—n. House′wifery—(Scot.) House′wifeskep.—House of call, a house where the journeymen of a particular trade call when out of work; House of correction, a jail; House of God, prayer, or worship, a place of worship; House of ill fame, a bawdy-house.—A household word, a familiar saying; Bring down the house, to evoke very loud applause in a place of entertainment; Cry from the house-top, to announce in the most public manner possible; Household gods, one's favourite domestic things—a playful use of the Roman penates (q.v.); Household suffrage, or franchise, the right of householders to vote for members of parliament; Household troops, six regiments whose peculiar duty is to attend the sovereign and defend the metropolis; Housemaid's knee, an inflammation of the sac between the knee-pan and the skin, to which housemaids are specially liable through kneeling on damp floors.—Inner House, the higher branch of the Scotch Court of Session, its jurisdiction chiefly appellate; Outer House, the lower branch of the Court of Session.—Keep a good house, to keep up a plentifully supplied table; Keep house, to maintain or manage an establishment; Keep open house, to give entertainments to all comers; Keep the house, to be confined to the house; Like a house afire, with astonishing rapidity; The Household, the royal domestic establishment. [A.S. hús; Goth. hus, Ger. haus.]
Housel, howz′el, n. the Eucharist: the act of taking the same.—n. Hous′eling-cloth, a linen cloth held or stretched beneath the communicants.—adj. Hous′ling (Spens.), sacramental. [A.S. húsel, sacrifice.]
Housing, howz′ing, n. an ornamental covering for a horse: a saddle-cloth: (pl.) the trappings of a horse. [O. Fr. housse, a mantle, of Teut. origin.]