host1
/həʊst
/noun
1A person who receives or entertains other people as guests: a dinner-party host...
- In the event of unannounced guests, the host and hostess will usually sit beside the table.
- The Moreton children entertained their hosts with wartime songs, including Run, Rabbit, Run and the Dad's Army theme song Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?
- The horses pulling the carriage suddenly took fright for no apparent reason, snapped the traces and bolted off, startling both the hosts and their guest of honour.
Synonyms
party-giver, entertainer, hostess
1.1A person, place, or organization that holds an event to which others are invited: Innsbruck once played host to the Winter Olympics...
- Speaking of album launches, the White House Hotel in Ballinlough played host to two such events over the past three weeks.
- St Nathy's Hall played host to the event entitled ‘Celebrating difference’.
- As always, the courses in and around Tramore played host to the event and once again, a superb week was had by all.
1.2The presenter of a television or radio programme: your host is Stuart Macmillan...
- America now has many opinionated television and talk radio hosts, who have presented their one sided and often inflammatory view of the situation.
- In the bizarre world of conservative television pundits and talk radio hosts, loyalty means supporting the wars they support.
- These days, she works as a daytime television presenter, gameshow host and author.
Synonyms
presenter, compère, master of ceremonies, MC, anchor, anchorman, anchorwoman, announcer, link person
informal emcee
2 Biology An animal or plant on or in which a parasite or commensal organism lives.Parasites that manipulate the sex of their hosts are called reproductive parasites - and they are not as rare as one might like to think....
- Thus, defenses evolved in response to one parasite can give hosts protection against other parasitic species.
- This approach needs to be refined and extended to other associations between parasitic plants and their hosts.
2.1 (also host cell) A living cell in which a virus multiplies.Third, the viral genetic material takes over the operation of the host cell, forcing the host cell to manufacture new virus....
- Such viruses enter the host cell and then rapidly multiply inside the cell before killing it.
- Another HCV model system is needed to show the beginning stages of the viral life cycle - viral entry into host cells and viral activity in the host cell before replication.
3A person or animal that has received transplanted tissue or a transplanted organ.There are the intelligent sows called pigoons, bred as hosts for human transplant organs....
- Thus, the rescued eye tissues arise from the host and not the donor.
- Nodule formation involves responses of the host in various root tissues.
4 (also host computer) A computer which stores a website or other data that can be accessed over the Internet or which provides other services to a network.In either case, software runs on a real-time operating system, but it can be accessed from a host computer using an Ethernet connection....
- The communications link provides a communication medium by which users can access the host computer from remote locations.
- A host computer must consistently provide data at a full 11.08 megabits per second during any recording to avoid buffer underrun errors.
5An area in which particular plants or animals are found: Australia is host to some of the world’s most dangerous animals...
- He estimated that this small area was playing host to about 100,000 starlings.
- Due to its relatively unspoiled and undeveloped condition, this area is also host to large populations of numerous other species.
- The area is host to wildlife such as owls, skylarks, brown hares and a host of wildlife of all kinds.
verb [with object]
1Act as host at (an event) or for (a television or radio programme): Canada was asked to host a Commonwealth conference in Ottawa...
- The event was hosted by television comedian Tony Hawks, star of Whose Line is it Anyway?
- In the week leading up to the event, Glasgow will host fan parties, including the NFL Experience, an American football theme park in George Square.
- Marty Whelan will again host the televised event.
Synonyms
give, throw, have, hold, provide, put on, lay on, arrange, organize
present, introduce, compère, front, anchor, announce, be the presenter of
informal emcee
2Store (a website or other data) on a server or other computer so that it can be accessed over the Internet: Columbia University currently hosts some 400 websites...
- Diebold recently stopped sueing ISPs for hosting the leaked material.
- Started in 1965, the great UbuWeb now hosts an extensive archive of the ten issues.
- Netcraft compared the sites which are now hosted on Windows 2003 with their operating system in December 2002.
Phrases
mine host
Origin
Middle English: from Old French hoste, from Latin hospes, hospit- 'host, guest'.
Rhymes
host2
/həʊst/noun
1 (a host/hosts of) A large number of people or things: a host of memories rushed into her mind...
- It all throws up a host of memories for anyone who went to Berlin pre-1990.
- The score also includes a host of popular Italian songs from days gone by.
- I have a host of acquaintances, a myriad of contacts, but no one besides Lucas I can call a real friend.
Synonyms
multitude, myriad, lot, large number, great quantity, score, abundance, wealth, flood, profusion, array
informal load, heap, mass, pile, ton
British informal shedload
Australian/New Zealand informal swag
crowd, throng, pack, band, flock, herd, drove, swarm, troop, horde, mob, army, legion, crush, press;
collection, assembly, assemblage, gathering
archaic rout
2 archaic An army.So he merely stood on the wall above the gate, watching his army take on the host of elves....
- If he had the ring, he could command a great army and drive away the hosts of Mordor.
- But they all hoped he would appear at any moment, complete with a host of angels at his back, and deliver them from their captivity.
3 (the host or the heavenly host) (In biblical use) the angels regarded collectively. See also Lord of hosts at lord.The prayers of believers here on earth are mingled with the worship of angels and archangels and all the host of heaven, in adoration of God and the Lamb.
3.1The sun, moon, and stars: the starry host of heaven
4 rare A flock of sparrows: there was a host of sparrows under the roof of the house...
- Stanford's roster included a golden eagle, a northern harrier, and a California thrasher, plus a host of sparrows.
- A single robin, pecking about on the garden step for his breakfast, will scatter a host of sparrows.
- They were met by a host of sparrows.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French ost, hoost, from Latin hostis 'stranger, enemy' (in medieval Latin 'army').
host3
/həʊst/noun (the Host)
The bread consecrated in the Eucharist: the elevation of the Host...
- The deacons will substitute for priests at weekend ceremonies of readings and prayers, but will not be able to consecrate the Host.
- In response to his ‘Amen,’ I lean forward to place the Host on his tongue.
- In the National Gallery's Mass of Saint Giles, for example, the saint elevates the Host at the moment of consecration.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French hoiste, from Latin hostia 'victim'.