here

This place; this location.

Adjective

  1. Alive
    • I'm not dead yet! I'm still here!

Origin

From Middle English her, from Old English hēr (“at this place”), from Proto-West Germanic *hēr, from Proto-Germanic *hē₂r, from *hiz + *-r, from Proto-Indo-European *kís, from *ḱe + *ís. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian hier, West Frisian hjir, Dutch hier, German Low German hier, German hier, Danish her, Swedish här, Norwegian her, Faroese her, Icelandic hér. Also related to the English pronoun he (“this/that person”), and the words hither (“to this place”) and hence (“from this place”).

Adverb

  1. In, on, or at this place (a place perceived to be close to the speaker); compare there.
    • You wait here while I fetch my coat.
    • Ms. Doe is not here at the moment.
    • It says here that he died in 1970.

    Synonyms: right here

    1. (abstract) At this point or stage (in a process, argument, narration, etc.)

      • I've had enough of peeling potatoes. I'm stopping here.
      • Here endeth the lesson.
      • Here, perhaps I ought to stop. - 1796, George Washington, Washington's Farewell Address:

      Synonyms: right here

    2. (abstract) In this matter.

      • You say that all men are born equal, but here I must disagree with you.

      Synonyms: right here

    3. (as complement of 'be') Notionally at the speaker's location by virtue of happening now.

      • Flu season is here.
      • Christmas will soon be here.

      Synonyms: right here

    4. (abstract) In this context.

      • Derivatives can refer to anything that is derived from something else, but here they refer specifically to functions that give the slope of the tangent line to a curve.
      • The two great generalizations which the veteran Belgian astronomer has brought to bear on physiological and mental science, and which it is proposed to describe popularly here, may be briefly defined: - 1872 May, Edward...
      • The briefest characterization is all that will be attempted here. - 1904 January 15, William James, “The Chicago School”, in Psychological Bulletin, 1.1, pages 1-5:

      Synonyms: right here

    5. (informal) After the name of a person perceived as located close to the speaker, used familiarly to indicate that person.

      • Jim here has been with the company for twenty years.

      Synonyms: right here

    6. (informal or dialect) After certain determiners, especially 'this' and 'these', used to emphasise demonstrative sense; see also this here.

      • This here orange is too sour.
      • Both 'ere buckets 'ave 'oles in 'em.

      Synonyms: right here

  2. To this place; used in place of the literary or archaic hither.
    • Please come here.
    • He said we came here solely on my account, that I was to have perfect rest and all the air I could get. - 1891, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wall-Paper:

Derived

abandon hope, all ye who enter here all hope abandon ye who enter here be here for come-here come here to me does anyone here speak English do you come here often fancy seeing you here for here here on in here on out here to Sunday get out of here get outta here have had it up to here have here hereabout hereabove hereafter hereagainst hereamong here and now here and there here and yonder

Interjection

  1. Used semi-assertively to offer something to the listener.
    • Here, now I'm giving it to you.
  2. Used for emphasis at the beginning of a sentence when expressing an opinion or want.
    • Here, I'm tired and I want a drink.
  3. Used to attract someone's attention, often in a hostile way.
    • Here! You! Stop doing that!
  4. Said in response to one's name being called during a roll call, indicating that one is present.
    • Smith ... Here! ... Jones ... Here! ... Walters ... ... Anyone seen Walters?
  5. Said to command a person or higher animal to come to the speaker.
    • "Fido! Here!" — "Woof! Woof!"

Related

hence here- hereabouts hither there

Noun

  1. This place; this location.
    • Here is where I met my spouse twelve years ago.
    • An Alzheimer patient's here may in his mind be anywhere he called home in the time he presently re-lives.
    • For time and extension seem continuous elements; the here is one space with the other heres round it - 1922, Francis Herbert Bradley, The Principles of Logic, page 52:

    1. (figuratively) This point or stage in time, conceptualised as a location.

      • I'd like to continue my story, but here is where I must stop.
      • I've done as much as I can; you'll have to take it from here.
  2. This time, the present situation.

Forms

heres