Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
have one's head read en · VERB
Pronunciation
Meanings
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(dated) To have the bumps, indentations, and shape of one's skull examined and interpreted by a phrenologist.
He told the police that he went to a couple of "phrenologists" to have his head read with the idea of getting rid of the pain in his stomach.
1931 January 1, “Pain stays in head after $8,500 "cure"”, in Deseret News, retrieved 29 Apr 2013, page 3:In the summer of 1849, Walt Whitman walked into an office on Nassau Street in Manhattan to have his head read. Lorenzo Niles Fowler, a phrenologist, palpated 35 areas on both sides of the skull corresponding to emotional or intellectual capacities in the brain.
2005 January 26, William Grimes, “The Brain: False Assumptions and Cruel Operations”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 Apr 2013:
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(idiomatic) To have one's mental health assessed, to receive a psychiatric examination.
She is not crazy so don't tell me to take her to a doctor to have her head read.
1959 March 22, “Dear Abby: It's Bird-Bee Time”, in Milwaukee Sentinel, retrieved 29 Apr 2013, page 4D:"A guy who thinks he gets smart in this horse-race game oughta have his head read."
1957 January 30, Pete Pederson, “Spinney's Win Baffles Turf Experts”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 29 Apr 2013, page C4:Mr Gibbs says those who think Mr Obama is like George W Bush need to “have their heads read”.
2010 August 16, Tony Karon, “Bush left the White House but what else has changed?”, in lebanonwire.com, retrieved 29 Apr 2013:
Forms
Relateds
read someone's mind
Synonyms
have one's head examined