history
5 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
histories
plural
histories
Britannica Dictionary definition of HISTORY
1
[noncount]
:
the study of past events
—
see also natural history
-
I studied history in college.
-
a professor of medieval/American history
2
[noncount]
a
:
events of the past
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They were one of the greatest teams in history.
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the dawn of recorded history [=the beginning of the time when important events in the past were written down]
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These problems have occurred throughout (human) history.
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It was one of the most destructive storms in modern/recent history.
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It was a period in American history when most people lived and worked on farms.
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Her discoveries have earned her a place in history. [=she will be remembered in the future because of her discoveries]
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How will history judge the policies of the current administration? [=how will the policies be regarded in the future?]
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History has shown that such attempts have always failed. [=such attempts have always failed in the past]
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They believe that they will succeed because history is on their side. [=because other people have succeeded in the past in similar situations]
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You can't rewrite history. [=you can't change what has happened in the past]
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A talent scout spotted her behind the counter at a soda fountain and the rest is history. [=the rest of the story about her success is well-known]
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They won the championship last year. Will history repeat itself this year? [=will the same thing happen again?]
b
:
past events that relate to a particular subject, place, organization, etc.
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He gave us a tour of the building and told us about the company's history. [=about how the company began and how it has developed over time]
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The company has been successful throughout its history. [=throughout the entire time of its existence]
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Nothing like this has occurred before in the company's 20-year history. [=in the 20 years that the company has existed]
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There is quite a bit of history [=much has happened] in this old house.
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The history of space exploration is a fascinating topic.
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The school can trace its history back to the early 19th century. [=the school has existed since the early 19th century]
3
[count]
:
a written record of important events that have happened since the beginning of something
-
He wrote a well-known history of the British empire.
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The book begins with a brief/short history of the Internet.
4
[count]
:
an established record of past events, actions, etc.
— usually singular
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The patient has no (prior) history of heart problems. [=she has not had heart problems in the past]
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The prisoner has a history of violence. [=the prisoner has been violent in the past]
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a patient's medical history [=a record of past medical problems and treatments]
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a worker's employment history [=a record of jobs that a worker has had]
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It's hard to buy a car if you don't have any credit history. [=if you have not borrowed and repaid money in the past]
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They have a family history of heart disease. [=many people in their family have suffered from heart disease in the past]
5
[noncount]
informal
:
someone or something that is finished
-
Their winning streak was history. [=their winning streak was finished/over]
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His boss told him that if he was late one more time, he would be history. [=he would be fired]
ancient history
go down in history
:
to be remembered as a very important person or event
-
The discovery of the structure of DNA will go down in history.
make history
:
to do something that is very important or famous and that will be remembered as part of history
-
They made history by discovering the structure of DNA.
