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[hen] 
–noun
| 1. | the female of the domestic fowl. |
| 2. | the female of any bird, esp. of a gallinaceous bird. |
| 3. | Informal: Often Disparaging and Offensive. a woman, esp. a busybody or gossip. |
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE hen(n) (cf. OE hana cock); c. G Henne; akin to L canere to sing
bef. 1000; ME; OE hen(n) (cf. OE hana cock); c. G Henne; akin to L canere to sing
Related forms:
henlike, adjective
hennish, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To hen
| hen (hěn) n.
[Middle English, from Old English; see kan- in Indo-European roots.] hen'nish adj., hen'nish·ly adv., hen'nish·ness n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Hen
Hen\, n. [AS. henn, hen, h[ae]n; akin to D. hen, OHG. henna, G. henne, Icel. h?na, Dan. h["o]na; the fem. corresponding to AS. hana cock, D. haan, OHG. hano, G. hahn, Icel. hani, Dan. & Sw. hane. Prob. akin to L. canere to sing, and orig. meaning, a singer. Cf. Chanticleer.] (Zo["o]l.) The female of the domestic fowl; also, the female of grouse, pheasants, or any kind of birds; as, the heath hen; the gray hen. Note: Used adjectively or in combination to indicate the female; as, hen canary, hen eagle, hen turkey, peahen. Hen clam. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A clam of the Mactra, and allied genera; the sea clam or surf clam. See Surf clam. (b) A California clam of the genus Pachydesma. Hen driver. See Hen harrier (below). Hen harrier (Zo["o]l.), a hawk (Circus cyaneus), found in Europe and America; -- called also dove hawk, henharm, henharrow, hen driver, and usually, in America, marsh hawk. See Marsh hawk. Hen hawk (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of large hawks which capture hens; esp., the American red-tailed hawk (Buteo borealis), the red-shouldered hawk (B. lineatus), and the goshawk.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : hen
Spanish:
gallina,
German:
die Henne,
Japanese:
めんどり
hen
O.E. hen, from W.Gmc. *khannjo (cf. M.Du. henne, O.H.G. henna), fem. of *khan(e)ni "male fowl, cock" (cf. O.E. hana "cock"), lit. "bird who sings for sunrise," from PIE base *kan- "to sing" (see chant). The original masc. word survives in Ger. (Hahn "cock"), Swed., Dan., etc.; extension to "female of any bird species" is c.1325 in Eng. Hen as slang for "woman" dates from 1626; hence hen party "gathering of women," first recorded 1887. Henpecked is from 1680.
"The henpect Man rides behind his Wife, and lets her wear the Spurs and govern the Reins." [Samuel Butler]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Hen
common in later times among the Jews in Palestine (Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34). It is noticeable that this familiar bird is only mentioned in these passages in connection with our Lord's lamentation over the impenitence of Jerusalem.
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
