Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HER'CU-LES, n.

A constellation in the northern hemisphere, containing 113 stars. Encyc.

HER-CYN'I-AN, a. [from Hercynia; G. harz, resin.]

Denoting an extensive forest in Germany, the remains of which are now in Swabia.

HERD, n.¹ [Sax. herd, heord; G. herde; Sw. and Dan. hiord; Basque, ardi. Words of this kind have for their primary sense, collection, assemblage. So in Saxon, here is an army. It may be from driving, W. gyr or hèr.]

1. A collection or assemblage; applied to beasts when feeding or driven together. We say, a herd of horses, oxen, cattle, camels, elephants, bucks, harts, and in Scripture, a herd of swine. But we say, a flock of sheep, goats or birds. A number of cattle going to market is called a drove.
2. A company of men or people, in contempt or detestation; a crowd; a rabble; as, a vulgar herd.

HERD, n.² [Sax. hyrd; G. hirt; Sw. herde; Dan. hyrde or hyre; from the same root as the preceding, that is, the holder or keeper.]

A keeper of cattle; used by Spenser, and still used in Scotland, but in English now seldom or never used, except in composition, as a shepherd, a goatherd, a swineherd.

HERD, v.i.

1. To unite or assocaate, as beasts; to feed or run in collections. Most kinds of beasts manifest a disposition to herd.
2. To associate; to unite in companies customarily.
3. To associate; to become one of a number or party. Walsh.

HERD, v.t.

To form or put into a herd. B. Jonson.

HERD'ESS, n.

A shepherdess. [Obs.] Chaucer.

HERD'GROOM, n.

A keeper of a herd. [Obs.] Spenser.

HERD'ING, ppr.

Associating in companies.

HERD'MAN, or HERDS'MAN, n.

1. A keeper of herds; one employed in tending herds of cattle.
2. Formerly, the owner of a herd. Sidney.

HERE, adv. [Goth. her; Sax. her; G. and D. hier; Sw. här; Dan. her. It denotes this place.]

1. In this place; in the place where the speaker is present; opposed to there. Behold, here am I. Lodge here thas night. Build here seven altars. Scripture.
2. In the present life or state. Thus shall you be happy here, and more happy hereafter. Bacon.
3. It is used in making an offer or attempt. Then here's for earnest. Dryden.
4. In drinking health. Here's to thee, Dick. Cowley. It is neither here nor there, it is neither in this place nor in that; neither in one place nor in another. Here and there, in one place and another; in a dispersed manner or condition; thinly; or irregularly.

HERE'A-BOUT, or HERE'A-BOUTS, adv. [compound, here and about.]

About this place. Addison.

HERE-AFT'ER, adv. [comp. here and after.]

1. In time to come; in some future time.
2. In a future state.

HERE-AFT'ER, n.

A future state. 'Tis heaven itself that points out an hereafter. Addison.

HERE-AT', adv. [comp. here and at.]

At this. He was offended hereat, that as, at this saying, this fact, &c.

HERE-BY', adv. [comp. here and by.]

By this. Hereby we became acquainted with the nature of things. Watts.

HE-RED'IT-A-BLE, a. [from the root of heir; L. hæreditas.]

That may be inherited. [Not much used.] [See Inheritable.] Locke.

HE-RED'IT-A-BLY, adv.

By inheritance; by right of descent. The one-house-owners belong hereditably to no private persons. Tooke, Russ. Encyc.

HER-E-DIT'A-MENT, n. [L. hæres, hæredium. See Heir.]

Any species of property that may be inherited; lands, tenements, any thing corporeal or incorporeal, real, personal or mixed, that may descend to an heir. Blackstone. A corporeal hereditament is visible and tangible; an incorporeal hereditament is an ideal right, existing in contemplation of law, issuing out of substantial corporeal property.

HE-RED'IT-A-RI-LY, adv.

By inheritance; by descent from an ancestor. Pope.

HE-RED'IT-A-RY, a. [Fr. hereditaire; It. ereditario. See Heir.]

1. That has descended from an ancestor. He is in possession of a large hereditary estate.
2. That may descend from an ancestor to an heir; descendible to an heir at law. The crown of Great Britain is hereditary.
3. That is or may be transmitted from a parent to a child; as, hereditary pride; hereditary bravery; hereditary disease.

HERE-IN', adv. [comp. here and in.]

In this. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. John. xv.

HERE-IN'TO, adv. [comp. here and into.]

Into this. Hooker.

HER'E-MIT, n.

A hermit. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

HER-E-MIT'IC-AL, a. [See Hermit. It should rather be written hermitical.]

Solitary; secluded from society. Pope.