| • | The anterior or superior part of an animal, containing the
   brain, or chief ganglia of the nervous system, the mouth, and in the
   higher animals, the chief sensory organs; poll; cephalon. | 
| • | The uppermost, foremost, or most important part of an
   inanimate object; such a part as may be considered to resemble the head
   of an animal; often, also, the larger, thicker, or heavier part or
   extremity, in distinction from the smaller or thinner part, or from the
   point or edge; as, the head of a cane, a nail, a spear, an ax, a mast,
   a sail, a ship; that which covers and closes the top or the end of a
   hollow vessel; as, the head of a cask or a steam boiler. | 
| • | The place where the head should go; as, the head of a bed, of
   a grave, etc.; the head of a carriage, that is, the hood which covers
   the head. | 
| • | The most prominent or important member of any organized body;
   the chief; the leader; as, the head of a college, a school, a church, a
   state, and the like. | 
| • | The place or honor, or of command; the most important or
   foremost position; the front; as, the head of the table; the head of a
   column of soldiers. | 
| • | Each one among many; an individual; -- often used in a plural
   sense; as, a thousand head of cattle. | 
| • | The seat of the intellect; the brain; the understanding; the
   mental faculties; as, a good head, that is, a good mind; it never
   entered his head, it did not occur to him; of his own head, of his own
   thought or will. | 
| • | The source, fountain, spring, or beginning, as of a stream or
   river; as, the head of the Nile; hence, the altitude of the source, or
   the height of the surface, as of water, above a given place, as above
   an orifice at which it issues, and the pressure resulting from the
   height or from motion; sometimes also, the quantity in reserve; as, a
   mill or reservoir has a good head of water, or ten feet head; also,
   that part of a gulf or bay most remote from the outlet or the sea. | 
| • | A headland; a promontory; as, Gay Head. | 
| • | A separate part, or topic, of a discourse; a theme to be
   expanded; a subdivision; as, the heads of a sermon. | 
| • | Culminating point or crisis; hence, strength; force; height. | 
| • | Power; armed force. | 
| • | A headdress; a covering of the head; as, a laced head; a head
   of hair. | 
| • | An ear of wheat, barley, or of one of the other small
   cereals. | 
| • | A dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies, thistles;
   a capitulum. | 
| • | A dense, compact mass of leaves, as in a cabbage or a lettuce
   plant. | 
| • | The antlers of a deer. | 
| • | A rounded mass of foam which rises on a pot of beer or other
   effervescing liquor. | 
| • | Tiles laid at the eaves of a house. | 
| • | Principal; chief; leading; first; as, the head master of a
   school; the head man of a tribe; a head chorister; a head cook. | 
| • | To be at the head of; to put one's self at the head of; to
   lead; to direct; to act as leader to; as, to head an army, an
   expedition, or a riot. | 
| • | To form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head; as, to
   head a nail. | 
| • | To behead; to decapitate. | 
| • | To cut off the top of; to lop off; as, to head trees. | 
| • | To go in front of; to get in the front of, so as to hinder
   or stop; to oppose; hence, to check or restrain; as, to head a drove of
   cattle; to head a person; the wind heads a ship. | 
| • | To set on the head; as, to head a cask. | 
| • | To originate; to spring; to have its source, as a river. | 
| • | To go or point in a certain direction; to tend; as, how
   does the ship head? | 
| • | To form a head; as, this kind of cabbage heads early. |