howhow /haʊ/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb 
How do you spell your name? How can I help you? I’d like to help in some way, but I’m not sure how. He explained how the system worked. We both used to work at the airport – that’s how we met.how to do something I don’t know how to get to your house. Alan showed me how to load the gun. advice on how best (=the best way) to invest your money They had a number of suggestions as to how the service could be improved. This still leaves the question of how local services should be funded.how on earth/in the world etc (=used for emphasis when you are surprised, angry etc) How on earth did you find out?2used to ask or talk about the amount, size, degree etc of something: How big is the state of Louisiana? How many kids do they have now? How long have you been learning English? Do you know how old it is? They couldn’t tell exactly how far away the bridge was. She wondered how much Angela already knew.how much? (=used to ask the price of something) How much are the tickets?3spoken a)used to ask about someone’s health, especially when you meet them: ‘Hi Laurie, how are you?’ ‘Fine, thanks. How are you?’ Has Ros had the baby yet? How is she? ‘How’s your ankle this morning?’ ‘Better, thanks.’ b)used when you meet someone, to ask for news about their life, work etc: So how’s it going at work these days? Still enjoying it? ‘How are things with you?’ ‘Fine.’ How are you doing?4used to ask someone about their opinion or experience of something: How was the film? ‘How’s your steak?’ ‘Mmm, it’s good.’ How did your exams go? How do you feel about seeing Peter again? How’s that? Does that feel comfortable?5used after certain adjectives or verbs to refer to an event or situation: It’s amazing how they’ve managed to get everything finished so quickly. I remember how she always used to have fresh flowers in the house.6[+adjective/adverb] used to emphasize the quality you are mentioning: How lovely to see you! ‘John’s been in an accident.’ ‘Oh, how awful!’ I didn’t realize how difficult it was to get tickets. He was impressed at how well she could read.7old-fashioned or written used to say that something happens to a very great degree: How the crowd loved it!SPOKEN PHRASES8how about ... ? a)used to make a suggestion about what to do SYN what about: No, I’m busy on Monday. How about Tuesday at seven?how about doing something? How about putting the sofa closer to the window? How about we have that game when we get back? How about if we tell the police where Newley is hiding?how’s about ... ? American English How’s about going to the beach this afternoon? b)used to ask about another person or thing: ‘Mary and Ken are still away.’ ‘And how about Billy?’ I need a long cold drink. How about you?9how do you mean? used to ask someone to explain something they have just said: ‘What’s your family situation?’ ‘How do you mean?’ ‘Are you married?’10how come? informal used to ask why something has happened or why a particular situation exists, especially when you are surprised by it: How come Dave’s home? Isn’t he feeling well?11how do you do? formal used as a polite greeting when you meet someone for the first time12how can/could somebody do something? used when you are very surprised by something or disapprove strongly of something: William! How can you say such a thing? How could anyone be so cruel?13how you like/want British English informal in whatever way you like or want: Then you can arrange it how you like.14how about that!/how do you like that! used when you think something is surprising, rude, impressive etc: He scored two goals! How about that!15how’s that for something? used to say that you think something is very impressive: I’ve already arranged everything. How’s that for efficiency?16how ... is that? informal a)used to say that an action or event has a particular quality to a great degree: He sent himself a card for Valentine’s Day. How sad is that? b)used to say that an action or event does not have a particular quality: They say they’re not going to leave, but how likely is that?17how so? used to ask someone to explain an opinion they have given: ‘Rick’s parents are a little strange, I think.’ ‘How so?’18 how about if ... ? informal used to mention something that may happen, and ask what should be done if it does happen: How about if we quit now?19 and how! old-fashioned used to say ‘yes’ strongly in reply to a question: ‘Was Matt drunk?’ ‘And how!’ → how dare you at dare1(2)GRAMMAR: Patterns with how• You use how before an ordinary adjective: · We all know how important exercise is. ✗Don’t say: We all know how much important exercise is.• You use how much before a comparative adjective: · They realize how much better life is. ✗Don’t say: They realize how better life is.USAGE: How or what?• You use what with look/feel/be like to ask for or give a description: · What does she look like? ✗Don’t say: How does she look like?• You use what with think to ask or talk about someone's opinion: · What do you think of him? ✗Don't say: How do you think of him?
WORD ORIGINhow
Origin:
Old English huEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- How are the kids going to get home?
- How are you feeling this morning?
- How do I get to North Bend?
- How do I look in glasses?
- How do you get your CD player to work?
- How do you like the painting, Chuck?
- How do you turn the printer on?
- How does American English differ from British?
- How long are you going to be here?
- How many people does each cabin sleep?
- How much do they charge for a haircut?
- How should I dress for this job interview?
- How was your trip?
- Everyone was talking about how great the workshop was.
- Have you seen how incredibly messy Fong's room is?
- He was surprised at how bitter Sabina sounded.
- My dad's teaching me how to use email.
- She told me how to get to the Johnson's house.
- We don't know how she managed to escape.
Longman Language Activatora number of people or things
: the number of · We need to know the number of students in each class.· By next year, the number of homes with either cable or satellite television is expected to be just over 10 million.· The number of working days lost through strikes has continued to rise.a large/small number · A large number of reporters had gathered outside the house.· Thousands of men apply to join the Marines but only a small number are accepted.
use this to talk about or ask about the number of people or things that there are: how many people/things/years etc: · How many cars do you have?· He wouldn't tell us how many girlfriends he'd had.how many of: · How many of you can swim?· It is not known how many of the people arrested in last Saturday's protests have been freed.
a number of things - used especially in written reports about stolen or illegal goods: a quantity of: · A quantity of cocaine was found in Larsson's apartment.a large/small quantity: · Police are investigating a burglary in which a small quantity of jewellery was stolen.· Thieves escaped with a large quantity of cigarettes after breaking into a shop in Cramlington, Northumberland.
ways of saying or asking how much something costs if something costs £10, $100 etc, that is what you have to pay in order to buy it: · How much does a house like that cost in America?cost £10/$20/a lot etc: · Tickets for the show cost £15 or £20.cost somebody £10/$20 etc: · I stayed in a hotel in Paris which cost me $150 a night.cost a fortune informal (=cost a lot of money): · Look at Frank's new Mercedes - it must have cost a fortune.it costs £10/$20/a lot etc to do something: · The Department of Education estimates that it will cost $17 billion to build the new schools.
spoken say how much to ask what the price or cost of something is: · That's a beautiful rug -- how much did you pay for it?· By the way, how much does it cost to use the swimming pool?
if something is £100, $1000 etc, that is how much it costs - use this especially when you are asking or replying to a question about the cost of something: · "I like your new shirt - how much was it?" "It was only fifteen pounds."· I can't remember how much the flight cost. I think it was around $400.
if something is done, sold etc at a cost of a particular amount, that is how much it costs - used especially in news reports: · Surveys are being conducted in 10 European States at a cost of £50 million.
if something that you buy sets you back a particular amount of money, usually a large amount, that is how much it costs, especially when you think that it is very expensive: set somebody back £200/$400 etc: · A good quality saxophone will set you back at least £1000.set somebody back: · If she's hoping to buy a new sportscar, it's going to really set her back!
if a product is priced at a particular price that is how much the person who makes or sells it has decided it should cost: · The book, which is priced at £38, will be available in the shops from September.· I watched a demonstration of their new cordless phone, priced at $350.
to cost a particular amount of money - use this especially when you think this is more than it is worth: sell for £400/$600 etc: · Clothes with designer labels sell for ridiculous prices nowadays.· Houses in this area are selling for over $400,000.go for £100/$250 etc: · Watches like that are going for about £15 in the market.go to somebody for £100/$250 etc: · The painting finally went to a private collector for $60 million.
if something fetches a particular price, it is sold for that price or someone receives that amount of money by selling it, especially at a public sale: fetch £40/$500 etc: · It's a very old car, but I'm still hoping it'll fetch around £200.· Van Gogh's "Sunflowers' was expected to fetch more than $20 million.
British spoken use this to ask what the total cost of something is, especially a job someone has already done for you or something you have already received: · "The mechanic's just about finished working on your car, sir." "Thanks, and what's the damage?"·
the distance between one place or point and another how far it is from one place to another: distance from something to something: · What is the distance from New York to Miami?the distance between something and something: · Measure the distance between the window and the door.· the distance between the earth and the sun
use this to ask what the distance is between where you are and another place: · "How far is Newark?" "It's about 200 miles."how far is it to...?: · How far is it to the nearest gas station?
if one place is 10 kilometres/30 miles/20 minutes etc from another place, that is the distance between the two places, or the time it takes to get from one to the other: · Seattle is about 100 miles from the Canadian border.· The junior high school is five minutes from our house.· She was standing just a couple of metres from the edge of the cliff.
if a place or person is 10 kilometres/30 miles/20 minutes etc away , they are that distance from where you are, or it takes that amount of time to travel there: · The nearest village was about 20 miles away.· Toronto's only about an hour and a half away by car.away from: · The station is about two miles away from the city centre.· He was standing three metres away from the bomb when it exploded.
if something is 10 kilometres/30 metres etc off , that is how far it is from you or from the place you are talking about: · The nearest town is fifteen kilometres off.· The robbers must be a long way off by now.· We were still several miles off, but you could already see a glow in the sky from the lights of the city.
if two places, objects, or people are three miles, two centimetres etc apart , that is the distance between them: · The seeds should be planted a few inches apart.· The two towns are fifteen miles apart.· We were standing a few feet apart from each other.well apart (=wide apart): · Stand on the skis with your feet well apart.far apart (=a long way apart): · The National Weather Service is forecasting snow in cities as far apart as Atlanta, Boston, and Cleveland.
use this to say how far one place is from another or from where you are: a long/short way from: · California is a long way from Georgia.· Only a short way from the buildings is the impressive entrance to Bruntscar Cave.a long/short way away: · Oxford is just a short way away. You can make the drive in under an hour.
ways to say hello to someone when you first meet them · "Dad, this is Kevin." "Hello, Kevin. Andrea's told me a lot about you."hello, I'm.../hello, my name's... · Hello, I'm Alan Simmons. I work in the production team.
say this when you meet someone for the first time and have just been told their name: · "Richard, this is my brother Ronnie." "Nice to meet you, Ronnie."· Mrs. Parrish, it's good to meet you after hearing Lynn talk so much about you.· "My name is Lena Curtis." "Pleased to meet you, I'm David Bennet."
formal say this when you are meeting someone for the first time, especially when you have just been told their name: · How do you do, sir. My name is Greg Dunbar.· "Sue, this is Mr. Vance." "Oh, how do you do."
ways to say hello · Hello, Sally. How are you doing today?· Hello. Could I speak to someone in customer service?· "Hello, Mr Decker." "Hello, John. I didn't expect to see you here."
informal /hiya informal, /hey American informal say this when you are greeting someone, especially a friend or relative. Hiya and hey are more informal than hi , and you say them to people you know very well: · Hi, Gwen - did you have a nice weekend?· Hi. I'm just calling to see if you'd like to come over for dinner tonight.· Hiya, Jake. How's it going?· Hey, Scott. What's up, buddy?
informal hey there American informal say this when you are greeting someone, especially someone you did not expect to see: · Hi there, Mark! Did you have trouble getting here?· Hey there, stranger. We haven't seen you around here for a long time.
/how's it going? informal say this when you are greeting someone and starting a conversation: · How's it going, Tom? I haven't seen you for a long time.· Morning, Bob. How are you today?· Hi, Val. How are you doing? Did you get the job?
say this as a quick greeting at a particular time of day, especially when you work with the person you are greeting and see them regularly: · Morning, everyone. Sorry I'm late.· Afternoon, Sheila - got time for a quick cup of coffee?· Evening, all! Can I buy anyone a drink?
formal say this to greet someone at a particular time of the day: · Good afternoon. I have a three o'clock appointment with Ms. Davis.· Good morning, class! To start with I have a couple of announcements.· Good evening, Ray. Let me introduce David Bruce.
to not know a fact or piece of information · "What time's the next train to Paris?" "I'm sorry, I don't know."· I wish I could tell you the name of the restaurant but I honestly don't know it.not know anything about · These days, record companies are usually owned by people who don't know anything about music.not know how/what/why etc · I don't know why it is so difficult to explain the concept to people.· No one knows if there really is a Loch Ness monster, or if it's just a myth.not know (that) · My mother never knew that they'd called the police out that night.
especially spoken say this when you know nothing at all about the answer to a question, so that you cannot even guess what it might be: · "How much is this painting worth?" "I'm sorry, I've no idea."· When I asked where Louise had gone, he said he didn't have a clue.have no idea/not have a clue what/how/who etc: · That guy obviously doesn't have a clue how to put a Web page together.· I fell asleep half way through the film, and I have absolutely no idea how it ended.
also not have the least idea British spoken say this when you want to say very strongly that you know nothing at all: · "Do you know where he was going after he left here?" "I don't have the slightest idea."not have the faintest/slightest/foggiest idea what/how/where etc: · I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about -- can you explain please?· Nobody at that time had the slightest idea about how caffeine affected the body.not have the faintest/slightest/foggiest idea about: · They didn't have the least idea about how to put up a tent.
spoken say this when you do not know and cannot understand why something happens: · "What I can't understand is why they make you wait three months just to give you a stamp on your passport." "Beats me too."(it) beats me how/why etc: · It beats me how these kids can afford to spend so much money on clothes and CDs.
spoken informal say this when it is impossible for you to know the answer to a question, especially when you are annoyed or surprised that someone has asked you: · "Why is Sharon in such a bad mood?" "How should I know - she never tells me anything."· "We figured we could pay about $200 a week, right?" "Don't ask me! I wasn't in on the conversation."
spoken say this when you think it is impossible for anyone to know the answer to a question: · The world might end tomorrow. Who knows?
spoken say this when you do not know the answer to a difficult question or a joke, and you want someone to tell you: · "Guess who's coming to dinner tonight?" "I give up. Tell me."· "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "I give up, why did the chicken cross the road?"
how often something happens · How often do you see your parents?· What should you feed a puppy and how often?· When Peter said I was heartless it made me wonder how often I'd shown my lack of sympathy.· It's amazing how often this kind of thing happens.
· How many times has she been married?· I can't remember how many times I've been to New York.how many times a day/week/year etc · How many times a week do you go swimming?· The doctor wanted to know how many times I went to the toilet in a day.
exactly how often something happens: · The computer can tell you the number of times a word occurs in a piece of writing such as a book.· The rate of respiration is the number of times the patient breathes in and out during a given period.· Try to increase the number of times you exercise per week.
the number of times that something happens during a particular period of time: frequency of: · The frequency of mining accidents has steadily decreased over the past 20 years.high frequency (=happening very often): · The high frequency of cases of diarrhoea is attributable to poor food hygiene.with increasing frequency (=more and more frequently): · Crimes of this type are happening with increasing frequency.
what you say to suggest something use this to suggest something politely, especially when you think someone may be making a mistake: · Can I make a suggestion? Try adding a little more flour.· May I make a suggestion? I think we should stop and look at the map.
spoken use this for formally suggesting something that you think should be done, especially at a meeting: · I propose that we continue this meeting tomorrow.
informal say this when you think it would be a good idea to do something: · Why don't you wait for me downstairs? I won't be long.· If David wants someone to go with him, why doesn't he ask Jacky? I'm sure she'd enjoy it.· Why don't we go watch a movie tonight?
informal use this to suggest something or offer something: · "How about a brandy?'' said Tom.· What about going out for lunch one day next week? When are you free?
spoken use this to suggest something in a gentle way: · Maybe we should try again tomorrow.· Perhaps you ought to introduce her to my son. They should get on well.
: let's go/have/do etc use this when you want to suggest something that you and the people you are with should do: · Come on, let's dance.· We both need a break. Let's go away for the weekend.let's not: · Let's not argue on our anniversary.don't let's (British): · Come on, don't let's waste any more time here.
use this to suggest something that is not very interesting or exciting, when you do not have any better ideas: · It's too late to go to the movies so we may as well watch TV.· I think we might as well buy this one. We're not going to find anything cheaper.
how long something continues use this to ask about or talk about how many minutes, hours, days, or years something continues for: · How long have you been waiting?· I don't know how long the repair will last, but it should get you home.· How long are you going to be in the bathroom?· How long have you two known each other?· So how long did you live on Long Island?
use this to say how long something continues: for an hour/two days/a long time etc: · "How long did you live in Spain?" "Oh, for about three years."· We seem to have been waiting for ages.· We talked for a while.· Omar's been learning English for two years now.· I only worked there for three months.
all the time from a time or event in the past until now: · I've had this car since 1992.· I've been smoking since I was 14.· Graham's become a lot more confident since he finished his training.· I saw her this morning, but I haven't seen her since.ever since: · Jack has had a fascination with cars ever since he was four.· They bought the caravan last summer, and they've had trouble with it ever since.
also till especially spoken if something happens until or till a time or event, it continues and then stops at that time or event: · David worked as a teacher until 1989.· I'll be at home until 5:30 if you want to phone me.· She polished the car until it shone.· I didn't learn to drive until I was 31.· The library's only open till five on Saturdays.· Just wait till I've finished my coffee.
also from ... till ... especially spoken use this to say that something starts happening at one time or event and continues until another time or event: · I have a class Monday from five o'clock till eight o'clock at night.· I lived there from the age of 14 until I went to college.· Max edited the paper from 1950 until he retired in 1989.
use this to say that something starts at a particular time and stops at a later time: from May to September/from 9 am to 5 pm etc: · Eisenhower was President from 1952 to 1956.· I'm going to use the computer lab from eight to ten Friday morning.· My plan is to train seriously from January to July.
American: May through September/Monday through Friday etc starting in May and continuing until September, starting on Monday and continuing until and including Friday, etc: · The store is open Monday through Saturday.· "When will you be away?" "The 17th through the 19th."
written starting on Monday and continuing until and including Friday, starting at 6 o'clock and continuing until 8 o'clock etc - used on signs and notices: · Visit the exhibition of modern art, open every day, 9:30-6:00.· A special fishing licence is required for the season (May-September).
what you say to tell someone to wait · Wait, I have a better idea.· Wait! We haven't talked to Vicky yet.wait a minute/moment/second etc · Wait a minute. I forgot to turn off the lights.· Wait a second, don't rush off!
say this when you want someone to wait a short time: · Just a minute, I'm almost ready.· Just a second, let me just check I've got my keys with me.
also hang on especially British use this to tell someone to wait for a short time: · Hold on - I haven't finished yet.hold on a minute/moment/second etc: · Hang on a minute while I find her phone number.
use this to tell someone to be patient because they will find out about something later: · "So what's this surprise you've got for me then?" "Wait and see."· I'm not going to tell you who else I've invited - you'll just have to wait and see.
say this when you are advising someone to wait before deciding something, in order to see how the situation develops: · Let's load up the program and see how things go.· See how things go for another week, and if you're no better we'll change the treatment.
American use this to tell someone to stop, because you want to talk to them or go with them: · Wait up, you guys! I can't walk that fast.
say this when you want someone to know that you will be able to see them or talk to them very soon: · I'm sorry for the delay, sir - I'll be right with you.· Hang your coat up and make yourself at home - I'll be right there.
formal use this to ask someone to wait patiently while you explain something or while you finish what you are doing: · If you'll just bear with me, I'll explain.· Bear with me for just a couple of minutes while I find my notes.
say this to someone who is hurrying too much, when you want them to slow down: · Hold your horses - I haven't even said I'll do the job yet!
spoken say this to someone who wants you to hurry, to tell them that you are not going to: · "When are we going to open the presents?" "All in good time."
the way in which something is done use this to say or ask the way that someone does something: · How do you get your CD player to work?· We don't know how she managed to escape.how to do something: · My dad's teaching me how to use email.· She told me how to get to the Johnsons' house.
spoken in this way - say this when you are showing someone the way to do something: · You have to fold the corners back like this.something like this: · The program works something like this.
if you do something somehow , you do it by using any method that is available: · There's a bus strike, but I'm sure Ian will get here somehow.· The newspaper had somehow got hold of some secret government papers.somehow or other: · I'll find out her address somehow or other.
using a particular method: by doing something: · They got the information by bribing officials.· She earns a living by selling insurance.
using a particular method, tool, object etc: · FBI officers recorded the conversation by means of a tiny bug hidden in the phone.· She paid for the goods by means of a stolen credit card.
the way someone behaves or does something · Losing a job affects different people in different ways.the way (that) somebody does something · I just love the way she laughs.· I could tell by the way he looked at me that he was annoyed.somebody's way of doing something · The younger girls admired Louise, and tried to copy her way of dressing and talking.in the same/a different way · We try to treat all the children in the same way.
the way that someone behaves towards someone else and talks to them: · The doctor had a relaxed and friendly manner.not like somebody's manner: · a young man with a slightly shy, awkward manner
use this to talk about the way someone behaves or does something: · Have you noticed how she reacts when you mention her husband?· Just watch how he tricks the other player into going in the wrong direction.
the particular way that someone does something or deals with other people, especially if this way has been chosen from several possible ways: · Cameron found my style aggressive, although I thought I was just being direct and honest.style of: · Her friendly style of management works well with small groups of people.· an authoritarian style of leadership
the correct way of doing something · For details on how to install the program, see the instructions on the right.show/teach/tell etc somebody how to do something · Could you show me how to work the photocopier?· My father taught me how to make and mend fishing netsknow how to do something · I don't know how to load this thing.learn/find out/work out etc how to do something · Find out how to decorate your own Easter eggs on pages 30-31.
the correct or official way of doing something, especially something that has several stages: · I want to get a new passport but I don't know the procedure.procedure for doing something: · What is the procedure for opening a bank account?follow/observe a procedure: · It is very important to follow the safety procedures laid down in the handbook.· Always observe the correct procedure for the use of ski-lifts.correct/proper/standard procedure: · Stewards spent hours rehearsing the proper procedure for marshalling the huge crowds expected in the stadium.· Sorry about the body search. It's just standard procedure.
the way to go from one place to another the road, path etc that you must follow in order to get to a place: · The road was blocked, so we came back a different way.be the way: · Are you sure this is the way?way to/into/home etc: · Is this the way to Grand Central Station?· I think this is the quickest way into town.· Do you think you can find the way home by yourself?the right/wrong way: · I don't recognize this part of town - we must have come the wrong way.know the way (=know how to get somewhere): · Will you come with me? I don't know the way.
if you ask or tell someone how to get somewhere, you ask or tell them the way to a place: how to get to: · Can you tell me how to get to the Piazza Venezia?how to get there/back/home: · Come with me. I know how to get there.
the way from one place to another, especially a way that is used regularly and can be shown on a map: · If you don't enjoy driving on the main highways, try some of the rural routes.· It looked as though the most direct route was through the forest.· I try to vary my route to and from work a little.take a route (=follow a route): · There are two routes we can take - this one along the coast or this one through the mountains.
a way of getting somewhere that is shorter than the usual way: · Taxi-drivers know all the short cuts.take a short cut (=use a short cut): · Let's take a short cut across the field.
instructions on how to get to a place: · I checked the directions and turned left as I was told to.directions to: · The letter contained a wedding invitation and directions to the church.follow directions: · If you follow these directions you'll have no problem finding the house.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY advice on how best (=the best way) to invest your money They had a number of suggestions as to how the service could be improved. This still leaves the question of how local services should be funded. So how’s it going at work these days? Still enjoying it? ‘How are things with you?’ ‘Fine.’ How are you doing? It’s amazing how often you see drivers using mobile phones. It’s debatable whether this book is as good as her last. Whether the object was used for rituals is highly debatable. It’s difficult to describe how I feel. It’s funny how you remember the words of songs, even ones you don’t really like. God knows what she’s doing in there. Where the heck are we? It’s incredible how much Tom has changed since he met Sally. those who have the know-how to exploit the technology to the fullest the know-how needed by today’s practising lawyer No other company had the technical know-how to deal with the disaster. She kept weighing herself to see how much heavier she was getting. How much longer do we have to wait? How much further is it? I was surprised to see how much better she was looking. How much better life would be if we returned to the values of the past! You know how much I care about you. I think you have to accept the pain, however much it hurts. Isn’t it strange how animals seem to sense danger? Do you know how much it weighs? Do you know how much the ring is worth?COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
advice on how best (=the best way) to invest your money They had a number of suggestions as to how the service could be improved. This still leaves the question of how local services should be funded. (=used for emphasis when you are surprised, angry etc) How on earth did you find out?
How on earth did you find out? (=used to ask the price of something) How much are the tickets?
How much are the tickets? So how’s it going at work these days? Still enjoying it? ‘How are things with you?’ ‘Fine.’ How are you doing? American English How’s about going to the beach this afternoon?
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES How’s about going to the beach this afternoon? It’s amazing how often you see drivers using mobile phones. It’s debatable whether this book is as good as her last. Whether the object was used for rituals is highly debatable. It’s difficult to describe how I feel. British English spoken (=used to express surprise)
· What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
It’s funny how you remember the words of songs, even ones you don’t really like. God knows what she’s doing in there. Where the heck are we? It’s incredible how much Tom has changed since he met Sally. those who have the know-how to exploit the technology to the fullest the know-how needed by today’s practising lawyer No other company had the technical know-how to deal with the disaster.· The legend tells how the King of Troy offended Poseidon, the sea god.
She kept weighing herself to see how much heavier she was getting. How much longer do we have to wait? How much further is it? I was surprised to see how much better she was looking. How much better life would be if we returned to the values of the past! You know how much I care about you. I think you have to accept the pain, however much it hurts.· ‘How old is your daughter?’ ‘She’s ten.’
(=used before saying something in an indirect or polite way)· Mr Lewis is now – how shall we put it? – hardly the influence he once was.
(=used when you are going to do something and will deal with problems if they happen) I don’t know. We’ll just have to see how it goes on Sunday.
I don’t know. We’ll just have to see how it goes on Sunday. (=used to ask what is happening in a situation) Where do things stand in terms of the budget?
Where do things stand in terms of the budget? Isn’t it strange how animals seem to sense danger? Do you know how much it weighs? Do you know how much the ring is worth?· The outcome showed both how near and how far Bohr had been with his improvising stab at reality.· It helps her remember how far things have come.· Iron deficiency anaemia - how far to investigate?· And how far back can the Neanderthal lineage be traced?· This would allow direct measurement of how far senescence in the original population had been caused by accumulation of partially recessive mutations.· Nomatterwhere we go in space, nor how far back in time, we find power.· This all went to show just how far Quigley had slipped since I Testified.· She looked suspiciously and said how far, how long etc.
· Everyone was so encouraged, once we'd done one part and realised how good it looked.· When we succeed, we talk about how good things are today.· I am well aware of my hon. Friend's constituency interest as I visited that company and know how good it is.· No matter how good things are, we cycle into difficult times.· Something I should have mentioned earlier is just how good gold prospecting is as a family hobby.· Just how good can it be?· If the 420SE is this good, how good is its replacement going to be?· The best part is when they talked about the Celtics and how good they once were.
· Apart from not knowing how long to sub-let the space for, there are other considerations that dictate a company's strategy.· Again, this depends on what you are looking for and how long you plan to stay.· The 1990s then will provide the proof of just exactly how long term the effects of privatisation will be.· An analysis of how long it will take for all HIV-infected cells to die off.· They'd been friends for some time when I first knew them but I didn't realise how long.· The key question, of course, was just how long would that disintegration take?· There was the main staircase she had climbed with Clive a while - how long? - ago.· I sat down to write, but it is hard to tell for how long.
· Everyone knew the story of how old man Reynolds had come up from nothing to be a landowner.· The myth of philanthropy is quickly discredited by a realistic look at how older people lead their lives.· I asked Nakki how old she was.· I had forgotten how old I was until the accursed Purves and Noakes popped up to remind me.· She gives her half-laugh and tells me she doesn't know how old people generally are when they get married.· That was to stop him asking nosy questions, like how old you was.· The people I used to hang around with were much older than me anyway, they never knew how old I was.
VERB· They asked how we linked words with objects.· If the provider has a single connection to the outside world, ask how often it fails and the length of downtime.· While in Bactria, Zhang saw trade goods from Sichuan and asked how they had come there.· When asked how his constituents were dealing with the crisis, freshman Rep.· And now everyone is wandering around asking how to live.· Look for interactive care, she says, and ask how they discipline children.· He asked how much the Drugs Squad knew about them.· Astonished, she asked how the company could charge so little.
· For example, let us consider how we would set about studying levels of violence in residential establishments for children.· Nowhere, unfortunately, does Dobson consider how baiting fits into the cycle of violence itself.· We considered how much we, ourselves, hold on to an eternally-caring-for-others role.· She has imagined what that would do to Karen and has considered how the other players would take it.· Following this, we shall consider how to detect the right generic strategy.· One challenge for local law societies is to consider how to serve all these different customers effectively.· Take time to consider how the rest of your relationship is shaping up.· We will consider how the term fairness is used in an adjudicative context.
· Role A: Teacher. Decide how you feel about this.· Who decides how resources and goods will be distributed?· The authors of reports and memoranda are now expected to decide how what they have written should appear to the reader.· They decided how much of their services the customers needed and at what price.· It is for the chief ambulance officer of each area ambulance service to decide how best to match those standards.· Try to decide how friction works in the example.· The first problem is to decide how the available packages should be evaluated and by whom.· Who gave them the privilege not of working but of deciding how to?
· Again, this demonstrates how market imperfections may change the conclusions.· She held them up to the light and spread her fingers inside to demonstrate how sheer they were.· Second, they demonstrate how different presidential systems produce a trade-off between the principles of democratic efficiency and democratic representation.· The event demonstrated how deeply seated were the suspicions of both sides, and how far apart their views.· Here are some examples to demonstrate how badly some people write resumes.· The long and varied history of the crinoids demonstrates how well the echinoderms have attacked the problems of filter-feeding.· Dole spent much of the day trying to demonstrate how he has overhauled his campaign to conform to his populist message.
· No other word but redistribution describes how the money has flowed towards the poorest with a little taken from the top.· Lenin declared in 1917, describing how the Bolsheviks planned to retain power.· He has already described how Xerxes had admired and taken steps to preserve a beautiful plane-tree in Lydia.· Siege Hours earlier Mr Thomas described how his world fell apart last Monday when he found the first signs of foot-and-mouth.· Later, in his book Aromatherapie, he describes how he successfully treated several long-term psychiatric patients with essential oils.· The poem then outlines the reasons for doing this, describing how the dead soldier always used to wake with the sun.· I described how previous experience gave me the skills needed for the post. 12.
· The quality of the carers determines how sensitively and humanely it is administered.· This determines how the pieces of steel meeting at that connection are joined together.· Establish what services are expected to be provided. 3. Determine how these services will be provided efficiently and well.· The physical strength of these bodies is a major factor in determining how hazardous they are.· However, it is impossible to determine how this pattern is influenced by the known under-reporting of suicides.· Long is trying to determine how much that hampered Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan as they searched for Howland.· Factors such as temperature and acidity play a crucial role in determining how well the process works.· Now you can determine how much time and money the project is going to take.
· Research may well be undertaken to discover how effective it is proving.· When friends encountered him, they were shocked to discover how wracked by dysentery his body was.· Similarly, it seeks to discover how efficient the competitive process is in weeding out relatively inefficient firms.· But I discovered how much I had developed my own patterns, routines, and economies.· It gratified him to discover how popular his singing was.· Opinion takes a world of countries so much for granted, it is mildly shocking to discover how recent the concept is.· For three hours he sat in the kitchen, discovering how boredom may alternate with terror, trying to stay bored.
· Geography was important because it would help the evolutionist to explain how populations were able to migrate and adapt to new locations.· But don't expect me to explain how the brain does this.· Sister Zoe explained how it would happen.· Bob asks the questions then explains how the youngsters maintain his enthusiasm.· The next chapter explains how to put these sections together with the rest of your document.· It explained how he couldn't find switches and didn't know the layout very well.· He never had a chance to explain how nationalism might have felt inconsistent with his faith.
· He survived but had forgotten how to live.· I had forgotten how it was on the farm.· But they forgot how time was-flying by, and suddenly Baba Yaga stood before them.· I forget how to make the words come out of my mouth.· Charles had forgotten how important these now were to the survival of a West End show.· I learnt to forget how mentally and physically uncomfortable I was by forcing my attention outwards.· He had forgotten how small London is.
· I had heard how lightly he dismissed the horrific offences of incestuous abuse.· Returning missionaries spoke to large audiences who were eager to hear how their efforts elevated the heathen.· I would like to have heard how your groups are developing and hopefully growing, and how you liked living in Paisley.· I just wanted to hear how we were functioning.· Then I heard how he lived hand to mouth in the Bronx, lobbying whom he could at the talking-shop.· The premier's wife then sat Daniel Churchill on her lap to hear how he had battled against serious heart problems.· Last week we heard how he taught with authority and concluded his teaching with an exorcism.· They heard how Benstead of Meare, Somerset, spent thousands on brochures advertising the Poole-Bilbao service.
· These tactics illustrate how strategic behaviour can be used to consolidate existing market power.· His case raises a number of issues about controversial speech and illustrates how one federal appeals court treated them.· The experiment also illustrates how thoroughgoing one has to be in applying quantum mechanics.· This outbreak illustrates how factors such as weather and demographic changes can affect the emergence of public health problems from infectious diseases.· The intention is to illustrate how the conclusions regarding tax incidence may need to be modified when markets do not clear.· In Fig. 6. 7 I have illustrated how this comes about.· The relation is therefore a mechanism which illustrates how the labour market responds out of equilibrium.· The actions of Tom, the head of a production unit, illustrate how self-oriented intents may override work-related objectives.
· You can imagine how frustrated I felt.· I could not imagine how that was going to feel.· It is not difficult to imagine how a disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome could affect a patient psychologically.· You can imagine how loud a. 45 would be in a confined space.· And imagine how much we can learn from them!· For years and years, it warmed my soul to imagine how crushed he must have been.· He could imagine how anxious she must have been, torn between two different kinds of loyalty.· I imagined how our position looked from above.
· And I know how much the kids enjoy it.· Lord knows how long we hang this way.· Before you can begin to plan the layout of your shop, of course, you need to know how big it is.· I do not know how Edna coped with her loss.· This was one evil woman, no doubt about it, but she knew how to do it.· Because-when I first heard the diagnosis of thought disorder, I know how devastating this is.· At the time, it was the only way I knew how to deal with it.· End users will need to know how and when to use the network.
· I learned how to put up wallpaper - I became quite expert at it!· I suspect all doctors must learn how to turn charm on and off like a tap.· If you do, it is time for you to learn how to select one.· Self-advocacy requires training and support for inarticulate people to learn how to voice their needs and wishes.· In Tampa, Fla., he posed with elementary school students learning how to run businesses.· If you would like to reassess your life and learn how to use stress to your advantage, come along.· I should have learned how to be careful.
· It does not really matter how you describe the style - Wimbledon, long ball, direct.· No matter how much he tried to put it off, he already knew that it was going to happen this week.· Seeing a bear like that is a magic moment no matter how many times you re-live it.· No matter how good things are, we cycle into difficult times.· It does not really matter how long or wide an aquarium is ... it is depth that gives water pressure.· A deluge of medals somehow makes the effort look more meaningful, no matter how little valor accompanies it.· It does not matter how many models the Fanatic spins through.· No matter how much you argued and fought with each other, you always knew you could depend on the brothers.
· Perhaps it was too dark for Miriam to notice how Louise was taken aback by this remark, how she blushed.· Similarly, a child with a visual-spatial difficulty may not easily notice how different building materials or action figures fit together.· With satisfaction she noticed how her dear little hands were becoming calloused.· Have you noticed how so many adverts for chocolate are aimed at girls?· He noticed how much she had aged then, and he notices, now, that she has aged since.· But Henry noticed how thin I was, and that I was laughing too much and could not sit still.· Ever notice how they seem so much more creative than ours?
· It was then she realized how really serious this was.· I had never realized how lovely they were, how kind, how unfailingly polite.· Why hadn't she realized how hopeless she had become, how she had forgotten everything during those months of pregnancy?· You don't realize how fond she is of you.· I realize how much it takes to play this game and be successful at this game.· Not until now have we realized how much we had missed birds.· You realize how little you have in common.
· He liked to recall how bachelor officers and other ranks were all shaved in bed without being woken up in the process.· At this moment it was difficult to recall how quiet, calm and determined she had been.· Schiff said he could not recall how the panel settled on the $ 300, 000 figure.· I can't even recall how I ended up with Derek - if that was his real name.· Colton recalled how the proponents took their idea to the state historical commission in 1987 and received approval for the marker.· Mary recalls how they were flat broke and almost living hand to mouth.· They recalled how Fidel used baseball terms when he talked about operations.
· Also, should some one come across me, they would remember how the De Belving coffers have assisted Salamanca in its affliction.· I remembered how I had nearly died that night when Shoshana had sent us to the private clinic to guard a corpse.· She remembered how he had looked at her-awed, his eyes round in his face - and laughed, imagining it.· Kip, remember how it went?· He remembered how deep it was and how hard it was to break the earth.· He remembered how disgusted he had been to see Carol, red-eyed from weeping, trying to coax Eunice up to bed.· I remember how cold it was when we came down in the winter.· I remembered how his skin felt beneath my nails.
· On the contrary, one sees how greater physical distance could well help to bring emotional relationships closer.· He, more than anyone else, has seen how the Spiders have changed.· Let us see how this has taken place.· You can see how easily Liliane falls into the search.· Thus the dentist can not see how fast it is spreading, if at all.· They saw how often the first faint sparks of intelligence flickered and died in the cosmic night.· They therefore look to social stratification to see how far it meets these functional prerequisites.· Let us see how this comes about.
· Linda Watson examines how design has defined the female figure and shows how women have often suffered in the name of fashion.· It is too important for such prophets to show how evil were the times and the people before the rescue began.· Superimposed on this figure is the spiral pattern of Sga A West showing how the two are spatially related.· We were shown how to summarize an opinion, argue with it, weave it into our own interpretations.· It shows how really fragile he is at the moment, I suppose.· She wanted very much to buy him something really fine, something to show how much she loved him.· People rightly sound off about politics on television and the last two weeks have shown how sharp and articulate they are.· An example showing how s673 would catch a back-to-back transaction in practice is set out below.
· Because shareholders can not tell how hard managers are exerting themselves on their behalf, managers have an incentive to shirk.· Although it is difficult to tell how many vehicles have the looser belts, General Motors Corp.· Colleagues wept as they told how she planned to meet up with a friend for a two-week walking holiday.· It is too early to tell how good Jody is, how valuable she is to the program.· And no-one can tell how well he's going.· It is too early to tell how the bright idea may work in practice.· He reanimated these bones but we are not told how he brought them to life.· Today Cheryl tells how Michael Landon's constant vigil saved her life.
· We understand how deeply people can become attached to sacred objects.· I understood how week after week he was all Clarisa needed.· To understand how engineers are preparing for earthquakes, one needs to know a little about how buildings behave when shaken.· I can understand how he assumed all that.· I can't understand how it's happened.· Nor had I ever understood how quickly babies developed through their phases.· You will understand how exciting it was.
· Jessamy closed her eyes and wondered how she had lived without this sweet physical contact for so long.· I wondered how easy it would be to hang yourself with your shoelaces.· Gabby found herself wondering how Jane put up with them at all.· It involves wondering how to use hard-won resources to achieve something meaningful.· Some of those old guys are still around, shaking their heads, wondering how long this foolishness will continue.· Female, she decided, then wondered how much editing had been done.· I wonder how long my heart will suffer this.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► how can/could somebody do something?► how about that!/how do you like that!► how’s that for something?► how about if ... ?PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► what/how about somebody/something► it burns somebody that/how etc► what/how etc the deuce ...?► what/why/how etc on earth ...?► how do/can you expect ...?► a bit of how’s your father► what/how/why etc in heaven’s name► you have no idea (how/what etc)► how are you keeping?► I don’t know how/why etc► I don’t know how to thank you/repay you► how should I know?/how am I to know?/how do I know?► how was I to know?/how did I know?► see/find out how the land lies► how’s life?► how long is a piece of string?► mind how you go► it cannot be otherwise/how can it be otherwise?► that's how I roll/it's how I roll► how/why should ... ?► there’s no telling what/how etc
1used to ask or talk about the way in which something happens or is done: - Straight? How do you mean, straight?
- And now, how do you mean translated?
- How come he's asked us to spend all this money and not them?
- How come I can't make her happy, how come she can't make me happy?
- How come Mrs Wall-Eye know my name?
- How come the vast majority of the population appears to want to play make-believe?
- How come you never asked me what happened?
- Joey, how come you never sweet-talk me in person?
- But how do you do that?
- But assuming for the moment that we can do better than fight over the trough, how do we do it?
- It sounds pretty powerful stuff, but how do you do it?
- So how do they do it?
- What do trees do, and how do they do it?
- What I want to know is how do they do it?
- First decide how you want to set up your directories.
- Is this how we want to spend our dotage?
- It's how we like to see ourselves.
- Live your life how you want.
- Oh, how I wanted to win!
- Oh, how she wanted him to.
- Remember how he wanted us to think he was a good guy at heart?
- You try reading this with only one eye and see how you like it.
- A flushed and jolly character raises his glass among friends and family - how real, how reliable is that evidence?
- And on the evening of December 9, there is jazz in the museum courtyard. How cool is that?
- But how often is that really the case?
- I have said a tune is one meme, but what about a symphony: how many memes is that?
- It makes her realize, she says, just how lucky she is that her son survived.
- Knightley remarks how unfortunate it is that she has no piano at the Bateses' to practice on.
- Some stocks even earn negative scores. How is that possible?
- The present rendezvous had been riding high on my chart of dreads. How is that?
- "The scriptures make it perfectly clear." "Oh, how so?"
- Have you noticed how so many adverts for chocolate are aimed at girls?
- He does not entirely explain how so many people could lift off so quickly into the deal-making stratosphere.
- I do not understand how so many Black men stay sane, look after their children and strive to walk beside them.
- I repeated the details of how so many of Green's family had been murdered at Auschwitz.
- "Did you like your hot dog?" "And how!"
- How about if I read you and Mia a story?
- How about some iced tea?
- After nine years of marriage to her I did not have a clue myself.
- "I didn't even eat lunch today." "Really? How come?"
- "She's moving to Alaska." "How come?"
- How come the sky is blue?
- How come Tyler's still here?
- How come you got back so early?
- And those bushy eyebrows that resembled dark clouds on his horizon.-How come?
- How come he's asked us to spend all this money and not them?
- How come I can't make her happy, how come she can't make me happy?
- How come Mrs Wall-Eye know my name?
- How come the vast majority of the population appears to want to play make-believe?
- How come you never asked me what happened?
- Joey, how come you never sweet-talk me in person?
- How dare you make fun of me like that!
- Because you sacked Jim, how dare you do it?
- But now it's: how dare anyone step on what I have vacuumed?
- Finally, Neville Marten, how dare you dismiss the guitar as a mere machine?
- First, how dare she assume that our main goal is to walk, without consulting us in the first place.
- Mr Lang, how dare you, sir!
- So how dare anyone criticise a true champion who has proved herself over and over again.
- Stuff for kissing and cooing over, side by side, here, in my house, how dare you?
- With intense anger, I repeat, how dare she cast a slur on my character?
- Hiya George how are you doing?
- How are you doing on those?
- How you doing, Mr West?
- William Yes-hey, how you doing?
- "How far is Newark?" "It's about 200 miles."
- Excuse me, how far is it to Times Square?
- How far is it to the nearest gas station?
- And how far back can the Neanderthal lineage be traced?
- But the question is just how far it can take him.
- It may be necessary to enquire how far her lust was excited, or if she experienced any enjoyment.
- She had played with that line before and probably, as a doctor, thought she knew how far she could go.
- The codes govern everything from how wide a driveway can be to how far back from the street something can be built.
- The question is, how far is down?
- We shall never succeed in reaching an agreement on how far back we must go.
- You can tell how cold it is by how far they fly before they crash.
- I have a sudden urge to touch her, to hold her, to tell her I know how she feels.
- I knew how he felt about me -- a short blind boy who hated leather basketballs.
- I know how he feels about me!
- I know how you feel about it ... You would rather wait - wait till we're married.
- I know how you feel, Doyle thought.
- I know how you feel, they're all or nothing.
- You ran a decent campaign, John, and I know how it feels to lose.
- Hey Mark, how are you fixed for cash?
- "Hey, Al, how's it going?" "Fine."
- What in God's name is that noise?
- How does going to Hawaii for Christmas grab you?
- High-ranking public officials should take the bus so they can see how the other half lives.
- Ye never knew how the other half lives!
- But take care of them, darling. I hate to think what we'd do if they had to be replaced.
- She admits there are no jobs and wonders what the hell she is doing.
- What the hell does the reaction matter if you want to do it?
- What the hell was he talking about?
- What the hell was she playing at?
- Where the hell have you been?
- Why the hell couldn't you have told us?
- Wondering what the hell he's up to.
- Actually science depends upon expert witnesses who indeed are not infallible.
- And why indeed should gamesmanship not exist in disabled sport when it is rife everywhere else?
- Meant especially for Prior Robert, I should hazard, who indeed thinks he chose her and ranks as her proprietor.
- The community service that is most interesting is by those who indeed are intellectually productive.
- How would you like a big plate of pancakes?
- If you were to have a new one delivered tomorrow, how would you like to learn how it works?
- Now, how would you like to eat tonight?
- Well, how would you like to take a case that lasts for at least four months?
- He wouldn't tell us how many girlfriends he'd had.
- How many cars do you have?
- How many of you can swim?
- It is not known how many of the people arrested in last Saturday's protests have been freed.
- And no matter how many times you revisit the place, it never gets better.
- At first, nobody could be sure how many there might be.
- But he never imagined how many people hungered for homes close to central Phoenix.
- He deftly explains how many seemingly pleasant private decisions lead to distinctly unpleasant public results, such as increased economic segregation.
- He refused to comment on how many other special forces soldiers were involved.
- Now imagine how many we come into contact with every day!
- There were people calling radio shows calculating how many wins it would take to reach the playoffs.
- When it comes to fashion just how many women do know what they want?
- Another 10 percent or so will vote Republican, no matter what.
- As devoted parents, they want to stand by their son no matter what happens.
- But inside the Forum, no matter how lopsided the talent levels, the setting alone made it great.
- But the algorithm is the same finite set of instructions no matter how big the numbers.
- My priority is to drive the business, bring in the revenue, no matter what it takes.
- The Universe is one organic whole, no matter how diverse and widely differing its manifold aspects may seem to be.
- Throughout the century, no matter what the current literary rage, Contemporary Romances have maintained a quiet, yet devoted audience.
- By the way, how much does it cost to use the swimming pool?
- Do you realize how much trouble you caused?
- How much did your jeans cost?
- How much money do I owe you?
- How much nitrogen is there in the air?
- I'll get you some paint if you tell me how much you need.
- That's a beautiful rug -- how much did you pay for it?
- You received $50,000. How much of that money is still in your bank account?
- An on-screen gauge shows how much ink is left in each cartridge.
- Cast off a calculation determining how much space copy will take up when typeset.
- Everything gets registered by Mr Sorley so he knows how much work we've done and how much to bill the clients.
- I wondered how much this contributed to his aggression generally.
- Some things must be done before others, and this limits how much faster a multiprocessor computer can chug along.
- The High Court has also addressed the question of how much information such statements should contain.
- The problem is: how much of this picture can we trust?
- With a direct debit the person receiving payment tells your branch how much is due and when.
- By this time nobody was paying any attention, just stamping round any old how.
- Go back to living in proper departments instead of any old how all over the place.
- Like you they want to dance-not just any old way but a la Alvin Ailey.
- The doctors and nurses knew too and just treated you any old way.
- There's some stand any old how, you'd be really ashamed of them.
- They've dropped things just any old how, he thought, listening to the distant chattering of the nomes.
- And seeing as it was my brainchild, would you not say it was possibly the best commercial of all time?
- But, seeing as you won't tell me anything, I have to use other sources.
- I just slipped that in seeing as how you congratulated me on my history.
- I thought you might like that, seeing as you're so keen on birds and that.
- That seems believable, too, seeing as how he no longer can take out his frustrations on Sundays.
- The D-32 is very Martin D-28 in character - not surprising, seeing as that's what it basically is.
- This struck them as strange, seeing as how it was only just after four in the morning.
- Well, seeing as how you just lost one of your men, you might think about hiring some one to replace him.
- Hello Bill! How's tricks?
How do you spell your name? How can I help you? I’d like to help in some way, but I’m not sure how. He explained how the system worked. We both used to work at the airport – that’s how we met.how to do something I don’t know how to get to your house. Alan showed me how to load the gun. advice on how best (=the best way) to invest your money They had a number of suggestions as to how the service could be improved. This still leaves the question of how local services should be funded.how on earth/in the world etc (=used for emphasis when you are surprised, angry etc) How on earth did you find out?2used to ask or talk about the amount, size, degree etc of something: How big is the state of Louisiana? How many kids do they have now? How long have you been learning English? Do you know how old it is? They couldn’t tell exactly how far away the bridge was. She wondered how much Angela already knew.how much? (=used to ask the price of something) How much are the tickets?3spoken a)used to ask about someone’s health, especially when you meet them: ‘Hi Laurie, how are you?’ ‘Fine, thanks. How are you?’ Has Ros had the baby yet? How is she? ‘How’s your ankle this morning?’ ‘Better, thanks.’ b)used when you meet someone, to ask for news about their life, work etc: So how’s it going at work these days? Still enjoying it? ‘How are things with you?’ ‘Fine.’ How are you doing?4used to ask someone about their opinion or experience of something: How was the film? ‘How’s your steak?’ ‘Mmm, it’s good.’ How did your exams go? How do you feel about seeing Peter again? How’s that? Does that feel comfortable?5used after certain adjectives or verbs to refer to an event or situation: It’s amazing how they’ve managed to get everything finished so quickly. I remember how she always used to have fresh flowers in the house.6[+adjective/adverb] used to emphasize the quality you are mentioning: How lovely to see you! ‘John’s been in an accident.’ ‘Oh, how awful!’ I didn’t realize how difficult it was to get tickets. He was impressed at how well she could read.7old-fashioned or written used to say that something happens to a very great degree: How the crowd loved it!SPOKEN PHRASES8how about ... ? a)used to make a suggestion about what to do SYN what about: No, I’m busy on Monday. How about Tuesday at seven?how about doing something? How about putting the sofa closer to the window? How about we have that game when we get back? How about if we tell the police where Newley is hiding?how’s about ... ? American English How’s about going to the beach this afternoon? b)used to ask about another person or thing: ‘Mary and Ken are still away.’ ‘And how about Billy?’ I need a long cold drink. How about you?9how do you mean? used to ask someone to explain something they have just said: ‘What’s your family situation?’ ‘How do you mean?’ ‘Are you married?’10how come? informal used to ask why something has happened or why a particular situation exists, especially when you are surprised by it: How come Dave’s home? Isn’t he feeling well?11how do you do? formal used as a polite greeting when you meet someone for the first time12how can/could somebody do something? used when you are very surprised by something or disapprove strongly of something: William! How can you say such a thing? How could anyone be so cruel?13how you like/want British English informal in whatever way you like or want: Then you can arrange it how you like.14how about that!/how do you like that! used when you think something is surprising, rude, impressive etc: He scored two goals! How about that!15how’s that for something? used to say that you think something is very impressive: I’ve already arranged everything. How’s that for efficiency?16how ... is that? informal a)used to say that an action or event has a particular quality to a great degree: He sent himself a card for Valentine’s Day. How sad is that? b)used to say that an action or event does not have a particular quality: They say they’re not going to leave, but how likely is that?17how so? used to ask someone to explain an opinion they have given: ‘Rick’s parents are a little strange, I think.’ ‘How so?’18 how about if ... ? informal used to mention something that may happen, and ask what should be done if it does happen: How about if we quit now?19 and how! old-fashioned used to say ‘yes’ strongly in reply to a question: ‘Was Matt drunk?’ ‘And how!’ → how dare you at dare1(2)GRAMMAR: Patterns with how• You use how before an ordinary adjective: · We all know how important exercise is. ✗Don’t say: We all know how much important exercise is.• You use how much before a comparative adjective: · They realize how much better life is. ✗Don’t say: They realize how better life is.USAGE: How or what?• You use what with look/feel/be like to ask for or give a description: · What does she look like? ✗Don’t say: How does she look like?• You use what with think to ask or talk about someone's opinion: · What do you think of him? ✗Don't say: How do you think of him?