# hav

CEFR C1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hav
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

to have. This is a very old way of saying 'have' that you might see in old books or songs.

For teachers: to possess or to be in a state of being. An archaic or dialectal form of 'have' used in early modern English and in certain regional dialects.

## Examples

- He did not hav any money to buy the ticket.
- In the old manuscript, the author wrote that he did not hav the strength to continue the journey.
- The dialect speaker used the form 'hav' to indicate possession, a linguistic feature that has largely disappeared from modern standard English but persists in certain rural communities.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.