# have

/ˈhæv/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/have
Updated: 2026-06-15

## Senses

### 1. to own or possess

verb · CEFR A1

to own something or have it with you.

For teachers: to possess or own a physical object or an abstract quality. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- I have a new laptop that I use for my university work.
- The company doesn't have the necessary resources to expand into the European market this year.

Usage: In the present tense, 'have got' is a common informal alternative to 'have' for possession.

### 2. relationships and features

verb · CEFR A1

to describe your family, friends, or the parts of something.

For teachers: to state the existence of a relationship or a constituent part.

- She has two brothers and a sister who live in London.
- The new apartment building has a rooftop garden and a small gym for the residents.

### 3. to eat or drink

verb · CEFR A1

to eat a meal or drink something.

For teachers: to consume food, drink, or other substances.

- We are having dinner at a nice Italian restaurant tonight.
- Would you like to have a coffee while we wait for the rest of the team to arrive?

Usage: Unlike the 'possession' sense, this sense can be used in the continuous (-ing) form.

### 4. to experience

verb · CEFR A1

to go through an event or feel an emotion.

For teachers: to undergo or experience an event, activity, or state of mind.

- I hope you have a great time at the party tonight.
- The passengers had a very difficult journey due to the heavy snow and train cancellations.

### 5. auxiliary for past actions

verb · CEFR A2

a helper word used with another verb to talk about the past.

For teachers: an auxiliary verb used with a past participle to form the perfect aspect.

- I have already seen that movie three times.
- By the time the police arrived, the suspects had already fled the scene through the back exit.

Usage: Followed by a past participle (e.g., 'have seen', 'has gone').

### 6. to cause or arrange

verb · CEFR B1

to make someone do something or arrange for a job to be done.

For teachers: to cause something to be done by someone else; often used in the 'have something done' structure.

- I need to have my car repaired before our road trip.
- The manager had his assistant book the flights and prepare the presentation for the conference.

Usage: Often follows the pattern: have + object + past participle.

### 7. to trick

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to trick or deceive someone.

For teachers: to deceive or outwit someone, often used in the passive voice.

- He realized too late that he had been had by the street performer.
- The investors soon discovered they had been had by a sophisticated Ponzi scheme that promised impossible returns.

### 8. wealthy person

noun · CEFR B2

a person who has a lot of money and many things.

For teachers: a person who possesses significant wealth or social privilege; usually used in the plural phrase 'the haves and the have-nots'.

- The gap between the haves and the have-nots is growing in many cities.
- The documentary explores the social tensions that arise when the haves live in gated communities right next to impoverished slums.

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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.