Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

have someone's head en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (figuratively, idiomatic) To punish someone severely, as by sacking (firing), imprisonment, or similarly harsh penalties.
    • The boss will have his head for losing the biggest customer over a mistake.
  2. (qualifier:literal) To kill somebody, especially with violence and especially by decapitation.
    • The tyrant would have their heads for their temerity.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
having someone's head Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
has someone's head Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
had someone's head Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
had someone's head Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

have someone's back · off with someone's head · heads will roll

Synonyms

tar out · chastise · penance · penalize · have someone's head · tan someone's hide · give it to someone · have someone's guts for garters · gruel · teach someone a lesson · come down on · correct · tan someone's hide · punish · have someone's guts for garters · amerce · chasten · nail someone to the wall · have someone's hide · give someone what for · give what for · fix someone's wagon · have someone's hide · malavogue · castigate