# heed

/ˈhid/ (US) · /hˈiːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/heed
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to follow advice

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to listen to a warning or piece of advice and do what it says.

For teachers: to pay attention to a warning or advice and act upon it. Transitive — takes a direct object.

- The driver failed to heed the warning signs and drove into the flooded road.
- Economists warned of a coming recession, but few politicians chose to heed their advice until the market actually crashed.

### 2. careful attention

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary · Formal

careful attention that you give to someone or something.

For teachers: careful attention or notice. Uncountable; most commonly used in the fixed expression 'take heed'.

- You should take heed of what the doctor says about your diet.
- The government paid little heed to the growing public outcry regarding the new tax legislation.

Usage: Usually appears in the phrase 'take heed of' or 'pay heed to'.

## Examples

- You should heed the warnings about the storm.
- The driver failed to heed the speed limit signs and received a heavy fine.
- Economists warned of a coming recession, but few politicians chose to heed their advice until the market actually began to collapse.

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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.