transitive verb had (had; unstressed, həd, əd), having hav′·ing

1. to hold in the hand or in control; own; possess to have wealth
2. to possess or contain as a part, characteristic, attribute, etc. she has blue eyes; the week has seven days
3. to be affected by or afflicted with to have a cold
4. to possess by way of experience; experience; undergo have a good time
5. to possess an understanding of; know to have only a little Spanish
6. to hold or keep in the mind to have an idea
7. to declare or state so gossip has it
8. to gain possession, control, or mastery of
9. 1. to get, take, receive, or obtain to have news of someone, have a look at it
   2. to consume; eat or drink have some tea
10. to bear or beget (offspring)
11. to perform; carry on; engage in to have an argument
12. 1. to cause to have them walk home
    2. to cause to be have this done first
13. to be in a certain relation to to have brothers and sisters
14. to feel and show have pity on her
15. to permit; tolerate: used in the negative I won't have this nonsense
16. Informal
    1. to hold at a disadvantage or to overcome I had my opponent now
    2. to deceive; take in; cheat they were had in that business deal
    3. to engage in sexual intercourse with

Etymology: ME haven (earlier habben) < OE habban, akin to OHG haben, ON hafa, Goth haban < IE base *kap-, to grasp > Gr kaptein, to gulp down, L capere, to take: primary sense, “to hold, have in hand”

noun