Standard Lemma guide

had

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /hæd/ strong form
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /həd/ weak form
  • /əd/ weak form
  • hăt had to
  • /hæt/ had to
  • rhymes with -æd
  • CMU ARPABET: HH AE1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

simple past and past participle of have

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, participle, past

Examples

  • This morning I had an egg for breakfast.
  • A good time was had by all.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

Used to form the past perfect tense, expressing an action that took place prior to a reference point that is itself in the past.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: auxiliary

Examples

  • I felt sure that I had seen him before.
  • When I'd (already) done some exercise, I had a cappuccino.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

As past subjunctive: would have.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, auxiliary

Examples

  • Had I not known you were coming this evening, I'd have left at midday.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English hadde (preterite), yhad (past participle), from Old English hæfde (first and third person singular preterite), ġehæfd (past participle), from Proto-Germanic *habdaz, past and past participle stem of *habjaną (“to have”), equivalent to have + -ed. Cognate with Dutch had, German hatte, Swedish hade, Icelandic hafði.