# hood

/ˈhʊd/ (US) · /hˈʊd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hood
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. clothing

noun · CEFR A2

a part of a coat or jacket that you pull up to cover your head.

For teachers: a flexible covering for the head, typically attached to the collar of a coat, jacket, or sweatshirt.

- He pulled up his hood when it started to rain during the walk.
- The heavy winter parka featured a fur-lined hood designed to protect the wearer's face from freezing arctic winds.

### 2. car part

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

the metal cover over the engine of a car.

For teachers: the hinged metal cover over the engine compartment of a motor vehicle.

- The mechanic opened the hood to check why the engine was making a noise.
- Steam began to billow from under the hood, forcing the driver to pull over before the engine overheated completely.

Usage: In British English, this part of the car is called the 'bonnet'.

### 3. neighborhood

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

a short way of saying 'neighborhood', often used for the area where you live.

For teachers: a shortened form of 'neighborhood', frequently used to refer to one's local urban area or home district.

- He grew up in the hood and still visits his old friends there every weekend.
- The artist's lyrics often reflect the challenges and community spirit of growing up in the hood during the nineties.

### 4. criminal

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a person who is a member of a gang or involved in crime.

For teachers: a person involved in organized crime or street-level thuggery; a shortened form of 'hoodlum'.

- The old movie was about a group of hoods trying to rob a bank.
- Local residents were concerned about the group of hoods that had begun loitering near the subway entrance after dark.

### 5. protective cover

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a cover or enclosure that protects a piece of equipment from above.

For teachers: a protective canopy or enclosure designed to shield machinery or provide ventilation, such as an extractor fan.

- Make sure the exhaust hood is turned on while you are cooking.
- The laboratory technician lowered the fume hood to ensure that no toxic gases escaped into the main workspace during the experiment.

### 6. to cover

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to put a hood on something or someone.

For teachers: to cover or provide with a hood; often used in the context of falconry or concealing a prisoner's face.

- The falconer hooded the bird to keep it calm during the journey.
- The guards hooded the prisoner before transporting him to the undisclosed location to prevent him from identifying the route.

### 7. urban style

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

relating to life in a tough city neighborhood.

For teachers: pertaining to the culture, lifestyle, or aesthetic of inner-city neighborhoods.

- He likes that hood style of music and clothing.
- The film was praised for its authentic portrayal of hood life without relying on tired cinematic clichés.

## Examples

- He pulled up his hood when it started to rain.
- The mechanic lifted the hood of the car to check why the engine was making a strange clicking sound.
- While the garment's oversized hood provided protection against the biting wind, it also obscured the wearer's peripheral vision, making the narrow mountain path even more treacherous to navigate.

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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.