horn

(hôrn)

1. One of the hard, usually permanent structures projecting from the head of certain mammals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, or antelopes, consisting of a bony core covered with a sheath of keratinous material.

2. A hard protuberance, such as an antler or projection on the head of a giraffe or rhinoceros, that is similar to or suggestive of a horn.

a. The hard smooth keratinous material forming the outer covering of the horns of cattle or related animals.

b. A natural or synthetic substance resembling this material.

4. A container, such as a powder horn, made from a horn.

5. Something having the shape of a horn, especially:

a. A horn of plenty; a cornucopia.

b. Either of the ends of a new moon.

c. The point of an anvil.

d. The pommel of a saddle.

e. An ear trumpet.

f. A device for projecting sound waves, as in a loudspeaker.

g. A hollow, metallic electromagnetic transmission antenna with a circular or rectangular cross section.

6. Music

a. A wind instrument made of an animal horn.

b. A brass instrument, such as a trombone or tuba.

c. A French horn.

d. A wind instrument, such as a trumpet or saxophone, used in a jazz band.

a. A usually electrical signaling device that produces a loud resonant sound: an automobile horn.

b. Any of various noisemakers operated by blowing or by squeezing a hollow rubber ball.

8. Slang A telephone.

intr.v. horned, horn·ing, horns

To join without being invited; intrude. Used with in.

Idioms:

blow/toot (one's) own horn Informal

To brag or boast about oneself.

draw/haul/pull in (one's) horns Informal

1. To restrain oneself; draw back.

2. To retreat from a previously taken position, view, or stance.

3. To economize.

on the horns of a dilemma

Faced with two equally undesirable alternatives.

[Middle English, from Old English; see ker- in Indo-European roots.]

horn adj.

horn′ist n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

on the horns of a dilemma

In a situation in which a difficult choice must be made, often between two equally unpleasant options.