Longman Dictionary English

Explore Hair & beauty Topic Show all entries from Topic: Hair & beauty
Word family noun hair hairiness adjective hairless ≠ hairy
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Related topics: Human, Hair & beauty
hairhair /heə $ her/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 [uncountable]HBH the mass of things like fine threads that grows on your head Her hair was short and dark. a short fat man with no hair on his headfair-haired/dark-haired/long-haired etc He’s a tall fair-haired guy.GRAMMAR: Countable or uncountable?Hair is only used as an uncountable noun in this meaning: He has black hair. ✗Don’t say: He has black hairs.2 [countable]HBHHBA one of the long fine things like thread that grows on people’s heads and on other parts of their bodies, or similar things that grow on animals The cat has left white hairs all over the sofa. I’m starting to get a few grey hairs.long-haired/short-haired long-haired cats3 → be tearing/pulling your hair out4 → let your hair down5 → bad hair day6 → keep your hair on7 → get in somebody’s hair8 → make somebody’s hair stand on end9 → make somebody’s hair curl10 → not have a hair out of place11 → not turn a hair12 → not harm/touch a hair of/on somebody’s head13 → the hair of the dog (that bit you) → have a good/fine/thick etc head of hair at head1(14), → not see hide nor hair of at hide2(5), → split hairs at split1(8)COLLOCATIONScolourdarkHe’s about six feet tall, with dark hair and blue eyes.blackhis long black hairjet black literary (=completely black)She had shiny jet black hair, and skin as white as snow.fairHer long fair hair fell untidily over her shoulders.blond/blonde (=yellowish-white in colour)long blonde hair and blue eyesgoldenthe beautiful girl with the long golden hairbrownHer hair was pale brown.chestnut literary (=dark brown)She had a fine head of chestnut hair.sandy (=yellowish-brown)He wore his long, sandy brown hair in a ponytail. mousy (=an unattractive dull brown)I have pale, mousy hair that is dull and lacks shine. redThe whole family had red hair.ginger British English (=orange-brown in colour)a cheeky little boy with ginger hairauburn literary (=orange-brown in colour)He gazed at her long neck and beautiful auburn hair.whitean old man with white hairgrey British English, gray American EnglishShe was about 70, with grey hair.silverHer father’s hair was starting to turn silver. lengthshortI like your hair when it’s short like that.longA few of the boys had long hair.shoulder-length/medium-lengthHe had shoulder-length reddish hair.typestraighta girl with long straight haircurlyWhen he was young, his hair was thick and curly.frizzy (=tightly curled)She had dark frizzy hair which might have been permed.wavy (=with loose curls)Her golden wavy hair fell around her shoulders.thickShe had thick hair down to her waist.fine (=thin)Her hair is so fine, it’s difficult to style.spiky (=stiff and standing up on top of your head)Billy had black spiky hair.conditionin good/bad/terrible etc conditionHow do you keep your hair in such perfect condition?out of condition (=no longer in good condition)If your hair is out of condition, this may be because you are eating the wrong foods.glossy/shinyShe combed her hair until it was all glossy.lustrous literary (=very shiny and attractive)her lustrous dark hair flowing on to her shouldersdull (=not shiny)a shampoo for dull hairgreasy (=containing too much oil)This shampoo is ideal for greasy hair.dry (=lacking oil)a shampoo for dry hairlank especially literary (= thin, straight, and unattractive)a scruffy young man with lank hairthinning (=becoming thinner because you are losing your hair)His dark hair was thinning on top.receding (=gradually disappearing, so that it is high on your forehead)The man was in his late thirties, and his hair was receding slightly.dishevelled especially literary (=very untidy)His face was bright red and his hair looked dishevelled.tousled especially literary (=a little untidy, in a way that looks attractive)his youthfully handsome face and tousled hair that hung untidily over his collar windswept especially literary (=blown around by the wind)Her hair was all windswept when they came off the beach.verbshave ... hairShe has beautiful blonde hair.brush/comb your hairHe cleaned his teeth and brushed his hair.wash your hairHe showered and washed his hair.do your hair (also fix your hair American English) (=arrange it in a style)She’s upstairs doing her hair.have your hair cut/done/permed (also get your hair cut etc) (=by a hairdresser)I need to get my hair cut.cut somebody’s hairMy mum always cuts my hair.dye your hair (blonde/red etc) (=change its colour, especially using chemicals)Craig has dyed his hair black.wear your hair long/in a ponytail etc (=have that style of hair)He wore his hair in a ponytail.grow your hair (long) (=let it grow longer)I’m growing my hair long, but it’s taking forever.lose your hair (=become bald)He was a small, round man who was losing his hair.run your fingers through somebody’s hair (=touch someone’s hair in a loving way)He ran his fingers through her smooth silky hair.ruffle somebody’s hair (=rub it in a kind friendly way)He patted me on the back and ruffled my hair.hair + NOUNhair lossThe drug can cause hair loss.hair colour British English, hair color American EnglishGenes control characteristics such as hair colour and eye colour.hair dyeThe survey showed that 75% of women have used hair dye.phrasesa strand/wisp of hair (=a thin piece of hair)She brushed away a strand of hair from her eyes.a lock of hair (=a fairly thick piece of hair)She tossed a stray lock of hair back off her forehead.a mop of hair (=a large amount of thick untidy hair)He had an unruly mop of brown hair.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘I cut my hair’ if another person cut your hair for you. Say I had my hair cut.
Examples from the Corpus
hair• Yuck! There's a hair in my sandwich.• She ran her hand approvingly through her wavy auburn hair.• He was in a cheerful mood, in spite of his severe look, his scraped-back hair, conservative clothes and businesslike glasses.• The Trinity House records of the time describe him as 5 feet 8 inches tall, with black hair and dark complexion.• a small boy with blond hair and blue eyes• The couch is covered in cat hair.• Pride, all in her hair.• His hair was dishevelled, his beard had grown around his neck as if he had spent the past four months away from civilisation.• He scratched a bite on his arm and the little hairs bristled.• Brandi has nice long hair.• pubic hair• Let him see the hand go through the hair, as if combing the wetness out.HairHair a musical (=a play that uses singing and dancing to tell a story) from the 1960s about hippies. When it was first performed it was considered to be very shocking by most people, because it includes scenes in which the actors do not wear any clothes.Origin hair Old English hær
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