Head Idioms

Several words have become part of the language in being used in phrases. Last time we looked at ‘boat’ and now look at ‘head’.

Head count has been used since the late 13th century, albeit for most of that time used when counting animals, particularly livestock.

Over one’s head is first seen in the 1620s.

Heads never rolled until 1930, when it was a direct translation of a comment from none other than Adolf Hitler.

Head case is first used in 1966.

Head game, as in playing with someone’s mind, is first recorded in 1972.

People have been putting their heads together since the late 14th century.

To head up, as in to lead or supervise, comes from 1930.

Heading, as in the title of some printed text, dates from 1849.

Head hunters were first mentioned in 1800, but these were actually gathering heads as trophies or religious rites, but not until 1918 was it a reference to looking for potential employees, and even then it was rare until 1961.

Head on, as in ‘facing’, is seen from 1840.

Arrowheads date from the late 15th century, although the weapon will have been used for millennia before that.

Head pieces have been worn since the 1530s.

Headrests have been described since 1833.

Head over heels has been used since 1726, but known as heels over head (which makes more sense) since the late 14th century.

Headgear has been worn since the 1530s.

The head-dress has been known since 1703.

Matchheads, the bit on the match which is struck to create a flame, is known from 1860.

Letterheads have been described as such since 1868.

Head shrinkers have been spoken of since 1926, that in the literal sense, with the slang for psychologist first seen in 1950.

Headlong has been known since the late 14th century, when it meant specifically falling forward, while headfirst was used for falling downward. Note other similar expressions have largely become obsolete: darling, backling, flatling, while sidelong is rapidly falling out of use.

Headbutts are first described in 1935.

Spearheads are first described around 1400, but the figurative sense had to wait until 1938.

Beachhead is not seen before 1940.

Double-header was used in the USA to refer to a train pulled by two locomotives from 1869, and from 1890 is used to speak of two games in a sport played at the same venue on the same day.

Nobody had a headstone until 1400, and then it was only used as an alternative to cornerstone. Not until 1775 did it come to be used instead of gravestone.

Headbands have been worn since the 1530s.

Headroom, ie the space available above one’s head, is first seen in 1851.

Headstrong first appears in print in the late 14th century, earlier the term had been head-bold.

And finally, to give head first appears in print in 1950.