hide

UK: /ˈhaɪd/ US: /haɪd/ ,(hīd)

Inflections of 'hide' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

hides

v 3rd person singular

hiding

v pres p

hid

v past

hidden

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

hide¹ /haɪd/   v., hid, hid•den /ˈhɪdən/  or hid, hid•ing. 

1. to conceal (something) from sight:
   [~ + object] Where did the crooks hide the money?
2. to conceal (oneself);
   remain so that one cannot be seen: [no object]
   I hid in the closet.
   [~ + oneself]
   I hid myself in the closet.
3. to cover the view of:
   [~ + object] The sun was hidden by the clouds.
4. to conceal (something) from the knowledge of others;
   keep secret:
   [~ + object] He was never able to hide his true feelings about her.
5. hide out, [no object] to go into or remain in hiding:
   The spies were hiding out in the farmhouse.

hid•er, n. [countable]

hide² /haɪd/   n., v., hid•ed, hid•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. Clothing the raw skin of a large animal, as a cow or horse:
   making hides into leather.
2. Informal Terms
   • the life or welfare of a person:
     turned informer to save his own hide.

v. [ ~ + obj]

3. Informal Terms to give a beating to;
   thrash.

Idioms

4. Idioms hide (n)or hair, This phrase is used in negative sentences or questions to mean "a trace or evidence, as of something missing'':
   I haven't seen hide nor hair of them since last week.
5. tan one's hide, to give a beating (to):
   promised to tan his hide.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

hide¹  (hīd), v., hid, hid•den or hid, hid•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to conceal from sight;
   prevent from being seen or discovered:
   Where did she hide her jewels?
2. to obstruct the view of;
   cover up:
   The sun was hidden by the clouds.
3. to conceal from knowledge or exposure;
   keep secret:
   to hide one's feelings.

v.i. 

4. to conceal oneself;
   lie concealed:
   He hid in the closet.
5. hide out, to go into or remain in hiding:
   After breaking out of jail, he hid out in a deserted farmhouse.

n. 

6. British Terms a place of concealment for hunting or observing wildlife;
   hunting blind.

• bef. 900; Middle English hiden, Old English hȳdan; cognate with Old Frisian hūda, Greek keúthein to conceal

hid′a•ble, adj. 
hid′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
hid′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. screen, mask, cloak, veil, shroud, disguise.
  Hide, conceal, secrete mean to put out of sight or in a secret place.
  Hide is the general word:
  to hide one's money or purpose; A dog hides a bone.
  Conceal, somewhat more formal, is to cover from sight:
  A rock concealed them from view.
  Secrete means to put away carefully, in order to keep secret:
  The spy secreted the important papers.
• 3. disguise, dissemble, suppress.

Antonyms

• 1. reveal, display.

hide²  (hīd), n., v., hid•ed, hid•ing. 
n. 

1. Clothing the pelt or skin of one of the larger animals (cow, horse, buffalo, etc.), raw or dressed.
2. Informal Terms
   • the skin of a human being:
     Get out of here or I'll tan your hide!
   • safety or welfare:
     He's only worried about his own hide.
3. British Terms [Australia and New Zealand Informal.] impertinence;
   impudence.
4. Idioms hide nor hair, a trace or evidence, as of something missing:
   They didn't find hide nor hair of the murder weapon.
   Also, hide or hair. 

v.t. 

5. Informal Terms to administer a beating to;
   thrash.
6. to protect (a rope, as a boltrope of a sail) with a covering of leather.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English hȳd; cognate with Dutch huid, Old Norse hūth, Danish, Swedish hud, Old High German hūt (German Haut), Latin cutis skin, cutis; see hide¹

hide′less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. See skin. 

hide³  (hīd), n. [Old Eng. Law.]

1. Law a unit of land measurement varying from 60 to 120 acres (24 to 49 hectares) or more, depending upon local usage.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English hīd(e), hīg(i)d portion of land, family; akin to Latin civis citizen, Greek keîmai to lie, abide

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hide / haɪd/ verb (hides, hiding, hid / hɪd/, hidden / ˈhɪd^ən/, hid)

1. to put or keep (oneself or an object) in a secret place; conceal (oneself or an object) from view or discovery: to hide a pencil, to hide from the police
2. (transitive) to conceal or obscure: the clouds hid the sun
3. (transitive) to keep secret
4. (transitive) to turn (one's head, eyes, etc) away

noun

1. a place of concealment, usually disguised to appear as part of the natural environment, used by hunters, birdwatchers, etc
   US and Canadian equivalent: blind

Etymology: Old English hӯdan; related to Old Frisian hēda, Middle Low German hüden, Greek keuthein

ˈhider noun

hide / haɪd/ noun

1. the skin of an animal, esp the tough thick skin of a large mammal, either tanned or raw
2. the human skin

verb (hides, hiding, hided)

1. (transitive) to flog

Etymology: Old English hӯd; related to Old Norse hūth, Old Frisian hēd, Old High German hūt, Latin cutis skin, Greek kutos; see cuticle

hide / haɪd/ noun

1. an obsolete Brit unit of land measure, varying in magnitude from about 60 to 120 acres

Etymology: Old English hīgid; related to hīw family, household, Latin cīvis citizen