header
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.the area at the top of a page that often contains the title or page number.
n.the upper portion of a page layout, typically containing recurring information such as titles, dates, or pagination.
Simple“Please make sure your name and the date are in the header of every page.”
In context“The corporate style guide requires the company logo to be aligned to the left within the document header on all official correspondence.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.the act of hitting a ball with your head, usually in a game of football.
n.the action of striking a ball with the head to pass, clear, or score.
Simple“He scored a fantastic goal with a powerful header in the last minute.”
In context“The defender's perfectly timed header cleared the ball from the penalty area, preventing a certain goal during the final minutes of the match.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the first part of a computer file or message that explains what is inside.
n.the initial part of a data packet, file, or stream containing metadata, addresses, or descriptors.
Simple“The email header contains information about the sender and the servers it passed through.”
In context“If the HTTP header is incorrectly configured, the browser may fail to render the content or might encounter security certificate errors.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a fall or dive where your head goes forward first.
n.a headlong fall, jump, or dive, often used in the phrase 'to take a header'.
Simple“He tripped over the rug and took a header into the laundry basket.”
In context“The cyclist took a nasty header over the handlebars after hitting a deep pothole on the descent.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.a person who acts in a crazy or unpredictable way.
n.a person perceived as mentally unbalanced, eccentric, or highly unpredictable.
Simple“Don't mind him, he's a bit of a header when he's had a few drinks.”
In context“The locals warned us that the old man living on the hill was a total header who would shout at anyone passing his gate.”
UsageCommonly used in Hiberno-English (Ireland).
Teacher's tipThis is a regional term used in Ireland; it can be affectionate among friends but is often derogatory when used about strangers.
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to hit a ball with your head.
v.to strike a ball using the head, typically in a sporting context. Transitive use.
Simple“The striker managed to header the ball into the corner of the net.”
In context“The coach spent the afternoon teaching the youth players how to safely header the ball without risking neck injury.”
From head + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.