Heed

Pronunciation

• IPA: /hiːd/
• Rhymes: -iːd
• Homophones: he'd

Origin

From Middle English hēden, from Old English hēdan ("to heed, take care, observe, attend, guard, take charge, take possession, receive"), from Proto-Germanic *hōdijaną ("to heed, guard"), from Proto-Indo-European *kadʰ- ("to heed, protect"). Cognate with West Frisian hoedje ("to heed"), Dutch hoeden ("to heed"), German hüten ("to heed").

Full definition of heed

Noun

1. Careful attention.
• 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4Then for a few minutes I did not pay much heed to what was said, being terribly straitened for room, and cramped with pain from lying so long in one place.

Usage notes

Often used with give, pay or take.

Synonyms

• (careful attention) attention, notice, observation, regard

Verb

1. (transitive) To mind; to regard with care; to take notice of; to attend to; to observe.
• DrydenWith pleasure Argus the musician heeds.
• 2013 September 23, Masha Gessen, "Life in a Russian Prison," New York Times (retrieved 24 September 2013)Tolokonnikova not only tried to adjust to life in the penal colony but she even tried to heed the criticism levied at her by colony representatives during a parole hearing.
2. (intransitive, archaic) To pay attention, care.