have

1 strong, auxiliary verb past tense had, strong, third person singularpresent tense has; strong, negative short forms: haven't, hadn't, hasn't

1 used with the past participle of another verb to make the perfect tense of that verb: We have finished the decorating. | Have you read that book yet? | We have been spending too much money.

2 had better/best used when telling someone what they should do: You'd better phone to say you'll be late. | We'd better not tell Jim about our plans just yet.

3 have had it spoken

a) used to say that someone will be in serious trouble for something they have done: Press the wrong button and you've had it!

b) used to say that someone is tired: We'll have to stop for the night - the kids have just about had it.

c) used to say that something is so old or damaged that it cannot be used any more: It looks as if your stereo's had it.

d) have had it with used to say you do not want to waste any more time on someone or something that has annoyed you

4 had sb done sth if someone had done something: Had we known about the plans for the factory, we would never have bought the house.

2 verb (transitive not usually in passive)

1 HAVE AN APPEARANCE/QUALITY/FEATURE (not in progressive) also have got especially BrE used when saying what someone or something looks like, what qualities or features they possess etc: She has dark hair and brown eyes. | I think the idea does have some good points. | You need to have a lot of patience to be a teacher.

2 INCLUDE/CONTAIN (not in progressive also) also have got especially BrE to include or contain something or a particular number of things or people: Japan has a population of over 120 million. | Our old apartment had a huge kitchen. | How many pages has it got?

3 OWN/BE ABLE TO USE (not in progressive) also have got spoken BrE

a) to own something or have been given it to use: They used to have a Mercedes Benz. | Has she got a fax machine? | Have you ever had your own business?

b) to own a pet or animal: He's a lovely dog - How long have you had him?

4 DO STH BrE a word meaning to do something, used in certain phrases: have a look/walk/sleep/talk/think etc: Do you mind if I have a look at what's on television? | have a holiday/bath/shower etc: It's about time she had a holiday.

5 EAT/DRINK/SMOKE to eat, drink, or smoke: She sat down and had another drink. | have lunch/a meal etc: I usually have breakfast at about o'clock.

6 HAVE AN IDEA/FEELING (not in progressive) also have got especially BrE to think of an idea or experience a particular feeling: If you have any good ideas for presents, let me know. | I have lots of happy memories of my time in Japan. | have a shock/surprise etc: When the waiter brought the bill they had a nasty shock.

7 HAVE A DISEASE/INJURY/PAIN (not in progressive also) also have got especially BrE to suffer from a disease, injury, or pain: Sarah's got a cold. | The doctor said he had a broken leg.

8 EXPERIENCE STH to experience something or be affected by something: have problems/difficulties/troubles etc: We've been having a lot of difficulties with our new computer system. | have an accident/crash: I'm afraid your son has had a serious accident. | have a good/terrible etc time: Thanks for everything - we had a great time.

9 have sth stolen/broken/taken etc if you have something stolen, broken etc, someone steals it etc: She had all her jewellery stolen.

10 have your hair cut/your car repaired/your house painted etc to pay a professional person to cut your hair etc for you: Where do you normally have your hair done? | We'd only just had a new engine put in.

11 have sth ready/done/finished etc to have made something ready to be used, or have finished doing something

(+ by): I should have the car ready by Monday.

12 have sth going/working/on to make a machine operate: She always has the TV going at full blast.

13 KEEP/PUT STH IN A PARTICULAR POSITION (not in progressive) also have got especially BrE to keep or have put something in a particular position: have sth open/closed/out/in/over etc: I had my eyes half-closed. | Janice likes to have the window open at night.

14 RECEIVE also have got especially BrE to receive something: have a letter/phone call/message: I had lots of phone calls. | have news/information: Have you had any news yet from Graham? | have help/advice etc: I expect he had some help from his father.

15 can/could/may I have used when politely asking someone to give you something: Can I have the bill please? | Could we have our ball back?

16 I'll have/we'll have spoken used to ask for what you want especially to eat or drink: I'll have one vegetable curry and two chapatis please.

17 have a brother/grandmother etc (not in progressive) also have got especially BrE if you have a brother, grandmother etc, they are part of your family: She has an uncle who lives in Wisconsin.

18 KNOW SB (not in progressive also) also have got especially BrE to know someone because you have a relationship with them, work with them etc: I have a friend who looks like you.

19 have a duty/responsibility etc also have got especially BrE if you have a particular duty, responsibility etc, it is yours and you must do it

20 have a job/position/role etc also have got especially BrE if you have a particular job, position etc, it is yours and you are the one who does it

21 EMPLOY/BE IN CHARGE OF (not in progressive) to employ or be in charge of a group of workers: She had more than servants who took care of her every need.

22 HAVE AN AMOUNT OF TIME (not in progressive) also have got especially BrE if you have a particular amount of time, it is available for you to do something: You have seconds to answer the question. | I wish I had more time to talk to you.

23 HAVE GOODS/ROOMS AVAILABLE (not in progressive also) also have got especially BrE if a shop or a hotel has goods or rooms, they are available to you to buy or use: Do you have any single rooms? | They didn't have any sweaters in my size.

24 HAVE BROUGHT STH WITH YOU (not in progressive) also have got especially BrE to have brought something with you or keep something near you: Have you got your pen? | have sth with you: I'm afraid I don't have my address book with me. | have sth on you: How much money do you have on you?

25 have sb with you also have got especially BrE if you have someone with you, they are present with you: Luckily I had a friend with me who spoke German.

26 HOLD SB have sb by sth also have got especially BrE to hold someone violently by a part of their body: They had him by the throat.

27 have visitors/guests if you have visitors or guests, they have to come to your home, office etc: Sorry, I didn't realize you had visitors.

28 have a meeting/party/concert etc to hold an event such as a meeting: We're having a party on Saturday - you're very welcome to come.

29 have an effect/influence/result etc to cause a particular result: This could have a disastrous effect on the world economy.

30 have the chance/opportunity/honour etc to do sth/of doing sth to be able to do something: If you have the chance you should go and see it - it's a really good film. | I had the honour of meeting the Duke of Edinburgh.

31 have a baby/twins etc if a woman has a baby, it is born from her body: Anna insisted on having the baby at home.

32 have an operation/treatment etc to be given an operation, treatment etc for a medical problem

33 MAKE SB DO STH (not in progressive)

a) make someone start doing something: have sb laughing/crying etc: Within minutes he had the whole audience laughing and clapping.

b) to persuade or order someone to do something: have sb doing sth: She had me doing all kinds of jobs for her. | have sb do sth AmE: I'll have Hudson show you to your room.

34 SEX (not in progressive) informal to have sex with someone: I expect she's had lots of men.

35 NOT ALLOW I won't have/we can't have spoken used to say that you do not want or you refuse to allow something to happen: I won't have you walking home on your own - let me call you a taxi.

36 have it coming also have got it coming spoken used to say that you are not sorry that something bad has happened to someone, because they deserve it: I'm not surprised his wife left him - he's had it coming for years.

37 I've got it spoken used to say you have suddenly thought of the solution to a problem or understand

38 you have me there also you've got me there spoken used to say that you do not know the answer to a question

39 I'll have you know spoken used to start to tell someone something when you are annoyed with them

40 have sb doing sth especially in questions or negatives to allow someone to do something or agree that they should do it: I wouldn't have you walking home all by yourself.

41 have done with to finish or settle an argument or a difficult situation: Let's get this sorted out and have done with it.

42 have it (that)

a) to say that something is true: rumour has it (=a lot of people are saying): Rumour has it he's going out with Michele.

b) to be told that something is true: have it on good authority (=to have been told by someone you can trust)

43 have it in for spoken to want to harm someone: Dean thinks his teachers have it in for him.

44 have (got) it in you to have a particular quality, skill, or ability: You should have seen the way Dad was dancing - I didn't know he had it in him!

45 have (got) something against sb to dislike someone for something they have done: I don't know what she's got against me.

46 have (got) nothing against sb especially spoken used to say that you do not dislike the person you are talking about: I've got nothing against Gary, but I wish he'd show a little more initiative.

47 be not having any (of that) spoken to refuse to agree to something, listen to someone etc: I tried to explain to her, but she just wasn't having any.

48 you've been had spoken used to say that someone has been deceived, for example, by being tricked into paying too much money: You paid -200? You've been had!

49 have sth/sb/(all) to yourself to be the only person or people in a place, using something, talking to someone else etc: He couldn't wait to have Beth all to himself.

have sb/sth in also have got sb/sth in BrE phrasal verb (T)

a) to have someone in your home in order to do building work etc: She won't go to work while she's got the builders in.

b) to have something in your home that you can use, eat etc

have it off phrasal verb (intransitive + with) BrE slang to have sex with someone have on also have got on especially BrE (T)

1 (have something on) to be wearing a piece of clothing or type of clothing: She had on lime-green slacks and a purple nylon shirt. | have nothing on (=have no clothes on): Jimmy had nothing on except his socks.

2 have the TV/radio/washing machine etc on to have your television, radio etc switched on and working: Billie has his walkman on all day long.

3 be having sb on especially BrE to make someone believe something that is not true, especially as a joke: He told you he's a Managing Director? He's having you on!

4 (have something on) to have arranged to do something, go somewhere etc, especially when this means you cannot do something else: Sorry, I can't do any overtime this weekend - I've got too much on already.

5 (have something on someone) to know about something bad that someone has done: What do the police have on him?

6 (have nothing on someone/something) to not be nearly as good as someone or something else: Supermarket vodkas are fine, but they have nothing on brands like Stolichnaya.

have sth out phrasal verb (T)

1 (have something out) have too/your tonsils etc out to have a tooth etc removed by a medical operation

2 have it out with sb informal to settle a disagreement or difficult situation by talking to the person involved, especially when you are angry with them

have sb up phrasal verb (T) BrE informal to take someone to court, especially to prove they are guilty of a crime: Last year he was had up for drunken driving. 3 verb (have to do something also have got to do something especially BrE)

1 if you have to do something, you must do it because your situation forces you to do it, because you have arranged to do it, or because someone makes you do it: In the end she had to go into a mental hospital. | I hate having to get up early in the morning. | We had to do Latin every day.

2 used when saying that it is important that something happens, or that something must happen if something else is to happen: There has to be an end to the violence. | You have to believe me! | There will have to be a complete ceasefire before the Government will agree to talks.

3 used when telling someone how to do something: First of all you have to mix the flour and the butter.

4 used when saying that you are sure that something will happen, or you are sure that something is true: The price of houses has to go up sooner or later. | None of the others could have done the murder, so it had to be the husband.

5 spoken used when talking about an annoying event which caused you problems: Of course it had to happen on a Sunday, when all the dentists are shut.

6 spoken used when talking about something annoying or surprising that someone does: She has to go to Marks and Spencers - nowhere else is good enough for her. | do you have to do sth? (=used to ask someone to stop doing something that annoys you): Lieutenant, do you have to keep repeating everything I've just said?

7 I have to say/admit/confess spoken used when speaking honestly about something awkward or embarrassing: I have to say I don't know the first thing about computers.

—see also: must 1