Horn n Cape. See Cape Horn
alto horn
n another term for →
althorn
basset horn
n an obsolete woodwind instrument of the clarinet family
(C19: probably from German Bassetthorn, from Italian bassetto, diminutive of basso + horn)
Cape Horn
n a rocky headland on an island at the extreme S tip of South America, belonging to Chile. It is notorious for gales and heavy seas; until the building of the Panama Canal it lay on the only sea route between the Atlantic and the Pacific, (Also called)
the Horn
Dorset Horn
n a breed of horned sheep with dense fine-textured wool
English horn
n (Music) another name for →
cor anglais
exponential horn
n a horn for the radiation of acoustic or high-frequency electromagnetic waves, of which the cross-sectional area increases exponentially with the length
French horn
n (Music) a valved brass instrument with a funnel-shaped mouthpiece and a tube of conical bore coiled into a spiral. It is a transposing instrument in F. Range: about three and a half octaves upwards from B on the second leger line below the bass staff
See →
horn
Golden Horn
n an inlet of the Bosporus in NW Turkey, forming the harbour of Istanbul, (Turkish name)
Haliç
horn
n
1 either of a pair of permanent outgrowths on the heads of cattle, antelopes, sheep, etc., consisting of a central bony core covered with layers of keratin
Related adjs →
corneous →
keratoid
2 the outgrowth from the nasal bone of a rhinoceros, consisting of a mass of fused hairs
3 any hornlike projection or process, such as the eyestalk of a snail
a the constituent substance, mainly keratin, of horns, hooves, etc.
b (in combination)
horn-rimmed spectacles
6 a container or device made from this substance or an artificial substitute
a shoe horn, a drinking horn
7 an object or part resembling a horn in shape, such as the points at either end of a crescent, the point of an anvil, the pommel of a saddle, or a cornucopia
8 a primitive musical wind instrument made from the horn of an animal
9 any musical instrument consisting of a pipe or tube of brass fitted with a mouthpiece, with or without valves
See →
hunting horn →
French horn →
cor anglais
10 (Jazz, slang) any wind instrument
a a device for producing a warning or signalling noise
b (in combination)
a foghorn
12 usually pl the hornlike projection attributed to certain devils, deities, etc.
13 usually pl the imaginary hornlike parts formerly supposed to appear on the forehead of a cuckold
14 (Also called)
horn balance an extension of an aircraft control surface that projects in front of the hinge providing aerodynamic assistance in moving the control
a (Also called)
acoustic horn, exponential horn a hollow conical device coupled to the diaphragm of a gramophone to control the direction and quality of the sound
b a similar device attached to an electrical loudspeaker, esp. in a public-address system
c (Also called)
horn antenna a microwave aerial, formed by flaring out the end of a waveguide
16 (Geology) another name for →
pyramidal peak
17 a stretch of land or water shaped like a horn
18 (Brit)
taboo slang an erection of the penis
19 (Bible) a symbol of power, victory, or success
in my name shall his horn be exalted
20 ♦
blow one's horn (U.S. and Canadian) to boast about oneself; brag, (Brit. equivalent)
blow ones own trumpet
21 ♦
draw (or pull) in one's horns
a to suppress or control one's feelings, esp. of anger, enthusiasm, or passion
b to withdraw a previous statement
22 ♦
on the horns of a dilemma
a in a situation involving a choice between two equally unpalatable alternatives
b in an awkward situation
vb tr
23 to provide with a horn or horns
24 to gore or butt with a horn, (See also)
→
horn in
(Old English; related to Old Norse horn, Gothic haurn, Latin cornu horn)
♦
hornless adj
♦
hornlike adj
horn in
vb intr, adv; often foll by: on
Slang to interrupt or intrude
don't horn in on our conversation
Horn of Africa
n a region of NE Africa, comprising Somalia and adjacent territories
horn of plenty
n
1 another term for →
cornucopia
2 an edible basidiomycetous fungus, Craterellus cornucopioides, related to the chanterelle and like it funnel shaped but dark brown inside and dark grey outside: found in broad-leaved woodland
horn silver
n another name for →
cerargyrite
hunting horn
n
1 a long straight metal tube with a flared end and a cylindrical bore, used in giving signals in hunting
See →
horn →
9
2 an obsolete brass instrument from which the modern French horn was developed
post horn
n a simple valveless natural horn consisting of a long tube of brass or copper, either straight or coiled; formerly often used to announce the arrival of a mailcoach
powder horn
n a powder flask consisting of the hollow horn of an animal
stag's horn , staghorn
n
1 the antlers of a stag used as a material for carved implements
2 a creeping variety of club moss, Lycopodium clavatum, growing on moors and mountains, having silvery hair points on its leaves