[holistic health]{n.}, {informal}, {semi-technical} The maintenance of health and the avoidance of disease through such psychogenic practices and procedures as biofeedback, meditation, alternative methods of childbirth, and avoidance of drugs. •/The Murgatroyds are regular holistic health freaks — why, they won’t even take aspirin when they have a headache./

[holler before one is hurt] See: CRY BEFORE ONE IS HURT.

[hollow] See: BEAT ALL HOLLOW also BEAT HOLLOW.

[hollow out]{v.} To cut or dig out or to cut or dig a hole in; make a cut or cave in; excavate. •/The soldier hollowed out a foxhole in the ground to lie in./ •/The Indians used to hollow out a log to make a canoe./ •/Joe’s father hollowed out a pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern./

[holy cats] or [holy cow] or [holy mackerel] or [holy Moses] {interj.}, {informal} — Used to express strong feeling (as astonishment, pleasure, or anger); used in speech or when writing conversation. •/"Holy cats! That’s good pie!" said Dick./ •/"Holy cow! They can’t do that!" Mary said when she saw the boys hurting a much smaller boy./

[holy terror]{n.}, {informal} A very disobedient or unruly child; brat. •/All the children are afraid of Johnny because he’s a holy terror./

[home] See: AT HOME, BRING HOME, BRING HOME THE BACON, CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST, CLOSE TO HOME, CONVALESCENT HOME or NURSING HOME or REST HOME, KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING, MAKE ONESELF AT HOME, NOBODY HOME, WRITE HOME ABOUT.

[home brew]{n. phr.} A beer or other malt liquor made at home, not in a brewery. •/Home brew reached its greatest popularity in America during national prohibition./

[home on] or [home in on] {v.} To move toward a certain place by following a signal or marker. •/The airplane homed in on the radio beacon./ •/The ship homed on the lights of New York harbor./

[home plate]{n.} The base in baseball where the batter stands and that a runner must touch to score. •/The runner slid across home plate ahead of the tag to score a run./

[home run]{n.} A hit in baseball that allows the batter to run around all the bases and score a run. •/Frank hit a home run over the left field wall in the second inning./

[honest broker]{n. phr.} A person hired or appointed to act as an agent in a legal, business, or political situation where impartial advice is needed in order to settle a dispute. •/Michael has been asked to act as an honest broker to settle the argument between the employees and the management./

[honestly] See: COME BY HONESTLY.

[honest to goodness] or [honest to God] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Really; truly; honestly. — Used to emphasize something said. •/When we were in Washington, we saw the President, honest to goodness./ •/"Honest to goodness, Jane, I think you are the messiest girl in the world," said Mother./

[bonest-to-goodness] or [honest-to-God] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Real; genuine. — Used for emphasis. •/She served him honest-to-goodness deep dish apple pie./ •/It was the first honest-to-goodness baseball game he’d seen since going abroad./

[honeymoon is over] The first happy period of friendship and cooperation between two persons or groups is over. •/A few months after a new President is elected, the honeymoon is over and Congress and the President begin to criticize each other./ •/The honeymoon was soon over for the new foreman and the men under him./

[honky-tonk]{n.} A cheap nightclub or dance hall. •/There were a number of honky-tonks near the army camp./

[honor] See: DO THE HONORS, IN HONOR OF, ON ONE’S HONOR.

[hook] See: BY HOOK OR BY CROOK, GET THE HOOK at GET THE BOUNCE(2), GIVE THE HOOK at GIVE THE BOUNCE(2), OFF THE HOOK.

[hooked on]{adj.} 1. Addicted to a substance such as cigarettes, coffee, tea, drugs, or alcohol. •/Fred is hooked on grass, but Tim is only hooked on tea./ 2. Enthusiastic or very supportive of something. •/I am hooked on the local symphony./

[hookey] See: PLAY HOOKEY.

[hook, line and sinker]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Without question or doubt; completely. •/Johnny was so easily fooled that he fell for Joe’s story, hook, line and sinker./ •/Mary was such a romantic girl that she swallowed the story Alice told her about her date, hook, line and sinker./ •/Bobby trusted Jim so he was taken in by his hard-luck story hook, line and sinker./

[hookup]{n.} A connection, electrical or otherwise, between two instruments or two individuals. •/Edwin and Hermione are a perfect couple; they have got the right hookup./

[hook up]{v. phr.} To connect or fit together. •/The company sent a man to hook up the telephone./ •/They could not use the gas stove because it had not been hooked up./

[hoop] See: JUMP THROUGH A HOOP.

[hop] See: MAD AS A HORNET Or MAD AS HOPS.

[hop, skip and a jump] See: STONE’S THROW.

[hope] See: CROSS ONE’S HEART or CROSS ONE’S HEART AND HOPE TO DIE, IN HOPES.

[hope against hope]{v. phr.} To try to hope when things look black; hold to hope in bad trouble. •/The mother continued to hope against hope although the plane was hours late./ •/Jane hoped against hope that Joe would call her./

[hop to it]{v. phr.}, {slang} To get started; start a job; get going. •/"There’s a lot to do today, so let’s hop to it," the boss said./

[hopped up]{adj.}, {slang} 1. Doped with a narcotic drug. •/Police found Jones hiding in an opium den, among other men all hopped up with the drug./ 2. Full of eagerness; excited. •/Fred was all hopped up about going over the ocean./

[horn] See: BLOW ONE’S OWN HORN or TOOT ONE’S OWN HORN, PULL IN ONE’S HORNS or DRAW IN ONE’S HORNS, TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS.

[hornet] See: MAD AS A HORNET or MAD AS HOPS or MAD AS A WET HEN, STIR UP A HORNET’S NEST.

[horn in]{v.}, {slang} To come in without invitation or welcome; interfere. Often used with "on". •/Jack would often horn in on conversations discussing things he knew nothing about./ •/Lee horned in on Ray and Annie and wanted to dance with Annie./ Compare: BUTT IN.

[horns of a dilemma]{n. phr.} Two choices possible in a situation in which neither is wanted. Usually used after "on". •/Joe found himself on the horns of a dilemma; if he went to work, he’d miss seeing Mary; if he stayed out, he’d he too broke to take her anywhere./

[horror] See: THROW UP ONE’S HANDS IN HORROR.

[horse] See: BET ON THE WRONG HORSE, CART BEFORE THE HORSE, CHANGE HORSES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM or CHANGE HORSES IN MIDSTREAM, EAT LIKE A HORSE, HOLD ONE’S HORSES. IRON HORSE, LOCK THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE IS STOLEN, LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, OFF ONE’S HIGH HORSE, ON ONE’S HIGH HORSE, PUT ONE’S MONEY ON A SCRATCHED HORSE, STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH.

[horsefeathers!]{n. phr.}, {slang} 1. Not true; I don’t believe what you’re saying. •/"Horsefeathers!" Brad cried. "I can’t believe a word of what you said about Jessica."/ 2. Exclamation of disgust. •/"Horsefeathers!" Fred cried. "We’ve just missed the bus."/ Compare: FIDDLESTICKS, BULLSHIT.

[horselaugh]{n. phr.} A loud, sarcastic, and derisive laugh. •/When the speaker praised politics as one of the oldest and noblest professions, his audience of college students gave him a horselaugh./