horn

Everyday

1. A hard, pointed, often curved growth on the head of some animals, like cows, goats, rhinos and rams. tree →
2. A device in a car, bus or bike that makes a loud warning sound (beep the horn). tree →
3. A brass musical instrument you blow into (French horn); also any simple instrument made from an animal horn. tree →
4. The hard material that horns are made of. tree →

In the lessons

In science, horns are adaptations for defence and for fighting for mates; rhinos are hunted for their horns, which is why they are endangered. In road safety, a car horn warns of danger — if you hear one, stop and look. In music, the horn is in the brass family of the orchestra. Phrases: honk/beep/sound the horn, the horns of a dilemma, lock horns (argue), blow your own horn (boast), take the bull by the horns (face a problem bravely).

Examples

• The goat has two curly horns. tree →
• The driver honked the horn to warn the cyclist. tree →
• Rhinos are in danger because people hunt them for their horns. tree →
• My brother plays the French horn in the school band. tree →
• When you hear a car horn, stop and look around. tree →
• The bull lowered its horns and charged. tree →
• Stop blowing your own horn — let others speak too. tree →
• All had horns growing on their foreheads. tree →

Note

Countable: a horn, horns. «Horn» (on animals) is not «antler»: horns stay for life and are not shed; antlers (deer) fall off and grow back each year. Unicorns have one horn — but only in stories.

In Jewish tradition

Horn can mean a ram's horn trumpet, the horn-shaped corner of the altar, or a sign of strength, as with the wild-ox.

Interpretation. The ram's horn, the shofar, is blown at Rosh Hashanah. The horns of the altar were touched with blood in the offerings, and a horn stands for power.

Examples

• and the horned owl, and the pelican, and the carrion-vulture; (Torah LEV.11.18, JPS 1917) tree →
• the little owl, and the great owl, and the horned owl; (Torah DEU.14.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• God who brought them forth out of Egypt is for them like the lofty horns of the wild-ox. (Torah NUM.23.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• Set the horn to thy mouth. (Prophets HOS.8.1, JPS 1917) tree →
• And he that sounded the horn was by me. (Writings NEH.4.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• So the people shouted, and the priests blew with the horns. (Prophets JOS.6.20, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable: a horn, horns. «Horn» (on animals) is not «antler»: horns stay for life and are not shed; antlers (deer) fall off and grow back each year. Unicorns have one horn — but only in stories.