have
- have
have (
v.)
O.E. habban "
to own, possess; be subject to, experience," from
P.Gmc. *haben- (
Cf. O.N. hafa,
O.S. hebbjan,
O.Fris. habba,
Ger. haben,
Goth. haban "
to have"), from
PIE *kap- "
to grasp" (see
CAPABLE (
Cf. capable)). Not related to
L. habere, despite similarity in form and sense; the Latin
cognate is
capere "
seize." Old English second person singular present
hæfst, third person singular present
hæfð became
M.E. hast, hath, while Old English
-bb- became
-v- in
have. The
pp. had developed from
O.E. gehæfd.
Sense of "possess, have at one's disposal" (I have a book) is a shift from older languages, where the thing possessed was made the subject and the possessor took the dative case (e.g. L. est mihi liber "I have a book," lit. "there is to me a book"). Used as an auxiliary in Old English, too (especially to form present perfect tense); the word has taken on more functions over time; Modern English he had better would have been O.E. him (dat.) wære betere. To have to for "must" (1570s) is from sense of "possess as a duty or thing to be done" (O.E.). Phrase have a nice day as a salutation after a commercial transaction attested by 1970, American English. Phrase have (noun), will (verb) is from 1954, originally from comedian Bob Hope, in the form Have tux, will travel; Hope described this as typical of vaudevillians' ads in "Variety," indicating a willingness to perform anywhere, any time.
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
Have — (h[a^]v), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Had} (h[a^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Having}. Indic. present, I {have}, thou {hast}, he {has}; we, ye, they {have}.] [OE. haven, habben, AS. habben (imperf. h[ae]fde, p. p. geh[ae]fd); akin to OS. hebbian, D. hebben,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
have — (h[a^]v), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Had} (h[a^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Having}. Indic. present, I {have}, thou {hast}, he {has}; we, ye, they {have}.] [OE. haven, habben, AS. habben (imperf. h[ae]fde, p. p. geh[ae]fd); akin to OS. hebbian, D. hebben,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
have — (h[a^]v), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Had} (h[a^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Having}. Indic. present, I {have}, thou {hast}, he {has}; we, ye, they {have}.] [OE. haven, habben, AS. habben (imperf. h[ae]fde, p. p. geh[ae]fd); akin to OS. hebbian, D. hebben,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
have — I. verb (had; having; has) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English habban; akin to Old High German habēn to have, and perhaps to hevan to lift more at heave Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to hold or maintain as a possession,… … New Collegiate Dictionary
have it — {v. phr.} 1. To hear or get news; understand. * /I have it on the best authority that we will be paid for our work next week./ 2. To do something in a certain way. * /Make up your mind, because you can t have it both ways. You must either stay… … Dictionary of American idioms
have it — {v. phr.} 1. To hear or get news; understand. * /I have it on the best authority that we will be paid for our work next week./ 2. To do something in a certain way. * /Make up your mind, because you can t have it both ways. You must either stay… … Dictionary of American idioms
have on — {v.} 1. To be dressed in; wear. * /Mary had on her new dress./ 2. To have (something) planned; have an appointment; plan to do. * /Harry has a big weekend on./ * /I m sorry I can t attend your party, but I have a meeting on for that night./ 3.… … Dictionary of American idioms
have on — {v.} 1. To be dressed in; wear. * /Mary had on her new dress./ 2. To have (something) planned; have an appointment; plan to do. * /Harry has a big weekend on./ * /I m sorry I can t attend your party, but I have a meeting on for that night./ 3.… … Dictionary of American idioms
have — See: CAT HAS NINE LIVES, ONE S CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO, EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING, EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, HAVE NOTHING ON or HAVE ANYTHING ON, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, or an important word after this in the sentence … Dictionary of American idioms
have to — or[have got to] {v.}, {informal} To be obliged or forced to; need to; must. * /Do you have to go now?/ * /He had to come. His parents made him./ * /I have got to go to the doctor./ * /I have to go to Church./ … Dictionary of American idioms
have — See: CAT HAS NINE LIVES, ONE S CAKE AND HAVE IT TOO, EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING, EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY, HAVE NOTHING ON or HAVE ANYTHING ON, LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG EARS, or an important word after this in the sentence … Dictionary of American idioms
