The Word Have

1120 Words3 Pages

The word "have" is mainly known or used as a verb. When children are learning grammar in grade school "have" generally comes up as a verb. For example, "having" or "to have" would be the prime ways to use have as a verb. The Oxford Dictionaries and the Oxford English Dictionaries have expanded on the word "have." They have both shown readers to use "have" as a noun and an adjective by using it as a phrase instead of just one word. This essay will describe how the word "have" can be used as a noun, adjective, and verb.
The definition of "have" as a noun according to (Oxford English Dictionary [OED], 2016) "the fact of having something; possession, or a person, nation, etc., that has plenty of something, esp. money or material possessions; a …show more content…

The definitions for all of them except for the phrase have-been are all the same. Meaning that each of the phrases mean wealth and riches. The definition of have-not according to the OED (2016), "A person, nation, etc., that has little or nothing of something, esp. money or material possessions; a poor or disadvantaged person, nation (OED, 2016). The example given for this phrase is "In the hostility of rich and poor, or of capital and labour, in the fears of the Haves and the desire of the Have-nots" (OED, 2016). The phrase have-not is probably one of the most famous phrases also known as the "haves and have-nots." People have been using this phrase to distinguish between cultures, race, and classes, etc. The phrase allows people to feel superior, which also goes along with the phrase "have-got." The definition for the phrase "have-got" according to the OED (2016), "A wealthy or privileged person, nation" (OED, 2016). The example of this phrase is "The kids here being shown what the have-gots have" (OED, 2016). This phrase means the person is very privileged and already has a ton of wealth. The opposite version to "have-got" is "have-been" or "has-been." The definition for "have-been" according to OED (2016), "A person or thing whose best days are over; a has-been. Also: a person, thing, or event of the past" (OED, 2016). The example for "have been" is "The Have-beens are things that are past; the …show more content…

The phrase means an act of bravery and it also associated with "have-a-go hero." An example for this phrase is "The have-a-go hero shot dead in Bradford trying to stop raiders at a travel agents" (OED, 2016). "Have-a-go" is describing the person and the traits about him or her. This is the only phrase of the word "have" that describes a person. Mainly the word "have" is used as a verb as stated

Open Document