Thesaurus: had

Related headwords

Definitions

1. imp. & p. p. See Have.
2. imp. & p. p. of Have
3. See Have. Had as lief, Had rather, Had better, Had as soon, etc., with a nominative and followed by the infinitive without to, are well established idiomatic forms. The original construction was that of the dative with forms of be, followed by the infinitive. See Had better, under Better. And lever me is be pore and trewe. [And more agreeable to me it is to be poor and true.] C. Mundi (Trans. ). Him had been lever to be syke. [To him it had been preferable to be sick.] Fabian. For him was lever have at his bed's head Twenty bookes, clad in black or red, . . . Than robes rich, or fithel, or gay sawtrie. Chaucer. Note: Gradually the nominative was substituted for the dative, and had for the forms of be. During the process of transition, the nominative with was or were, and the dative with had, are found. Poor lady, she were better love a dream. Shak. You were best hang yourself. Beau. & Fl. Me rather had my heart might feel your love Than my unpleased eye see your courtesy. Shak. I hadde levere than my scherte, That ye hadde rad his legende, as have I. Chaucer. I had as lief not be as live to be In awe of such a thing as I myself. Shak. I had rather be a dog and bay the moon, Than such a Roman. Shak. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Ps. lxxxiv.10.
4. See Have. Had as lief, Had rather, Had better, Had as soon,etc., with a nominative and followed by the infinitive without to,are well established idiomatic forms. The original construction wasthat of the dative with forms of be, followed by the infinitive. SeeHad better, under Better.And lever me is be pore and trewe. [And more agreeable to me it is tobe poor and true.] C. Mundi (Trans. ).Him had been lever to be syke. [To him it had been preferable to besick.] Fabian.For him was lever have at his bed's head Twenty bookes, clad in blackor red, . . . Than robes rich, or fithel, or gay sawtrie. Chaucer.
5. v have or possess, either in a concrete or an abstract sense v have as a feature v go through (mental or physical states or experiences) v have ownership or possession of v cause to move; cause to be in a certain position or condition v serve oneself to, or consume regularly v have a personal or business relationship with someone v organize or be responsible for v have left v be confronted with v undergo v suffer from; be ill with v cause to do; cause to act in a specified manner v receive willingly something given or offered v get something; come into possession of v undergo (as of injuries and illnesses) v achieve a point or goal v cause to be born v have sex with; archaic use