Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

have someone's head

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.29 in modern English

Syllables: have -some-one's -head
IPA

28

Scrabble Score

16

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To punish someone severely, as by sacking (firing), imprisonment, or similarly harsh penalties.

verb

To kill somebody, especially with violence and especially by decapitation.

Example Sentences

"The boss will have his head for losing the biggest customer over a mistake."
"The tyrant would have their heads for their temerity."

Inflected Forms

has someone's head (present, singular) having someone's head (participle, present) had someone's head (participle, past) had someone's head (past)

Phrases

heads will roll off with someone's head have someone's back

Frequently Paired Words

heads will roll off with someone's head have someone's back

Synonyms

have someone's guts for garters have someone's hide tan someone's hide amerce castigate chasten chastise come down on correct fix someone's wagon have someone's head give it to someone

Questions

What does have someone's head mean?: To punish someone severely, as by sacking (firing), imprisonment, or similarly harsh penalties.

How to pronounce have someone's head

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “have someone's head”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “have someone's head”.
Repeat and practice — Say “have someone's head” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.