headed

/ˈhedɪd/ (bre, ipa) · [hˈɛdəd] /ˈhedɪd/ (ame, ipa) · [hˈɛdəd] /ˈhe-dəd/ (ame, mw)

headed — adjective

  • headedpositive
  • more headedcomparative
  • most headedsuperlative

1. moving on a route that will reach a specific destination, region, or compass dir

1.形容詞B2
釋義

moving on a route that will reach a specific destination, region, or compass direction.

例句

The ferry was headed for Naxos when the storm broke out.

headed for + place name

Paloma waved goodbye at the gate, headed home after a long shift.

headed home (no preposition)

同義詞
  • bound

    more formal, often in compounds: homebound, southbound

  • en route

    from French; emphasises the journey, not the direction

文法句型

headed for + place

headed to + place

headed home/north/south

用法筆記

Almost always follows a be-verb and takes a directional complement (for, to, toward, home, north). Without the complement, the adjective sounds incomplete.

常見錯誤

The bus is headed.
The bus is headed for the station.
💡needs a directional complement; cannot stand alone.

2. moving on a path that will likely lead to a particular outcome, usually one the

2.形容詞B2
釋義

moving on a path that will likely lead to a particular outcome, usually one the speaker predicts.

例句

If Lucas keeps skipping practice, he is headed for a tough season.

headed for + negative outcome

The startup looked headed for failure before the new investor stepped in.

looked headed for + abstract noun

同義詞
  • bound for

    formal; more often used for destinations than outcomes

  • on track for

    neutral or positive; emphasises planning rather than prediction

文法句型

headed for + abstract noun (trouble, success, disaster)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (physical direction) by the complement: sense 2 takes an abstract outcome noun (trouble, success, disaster), not a place. The subject is often a person or institution rather than a vehicle.

常見錯誤

She is heading for sad.
She is headed for sadness.
💡the complement must be a noun, not an adjective.

3. describing paper or a document that has a printed title, logo, or contact inform

3.形容詞C1
釋義

describing paper or a document that has a printed title, logo, or contact information across the top.

例句

The lawyer sent the apology on headed notepaper from her firm in Edinburgh.

headed notepaper (BrE)

Every official letter must be printed on the school's headed stationery.

headed stationery

同義詞
  • letterhead

    American equivalent; usually a noun, not an adjective

反義詞
  • plain

    as in 'plain paper' — no logo or printed heading

文法句型

[adjective]-headed paper (e.g. crested-headed, gold-headed)

用法筆記

Most common in British English in the fixed pairs 'headed paper' and 'headed notepaper'. American English usually says 'letterhead' or 'letterhead stationery' instead.

4. used after another word to describe what kind of head, or how many heads, someth

4.形容詞C1
釋義

used after another word to describe what kind of head, or how many heads, something has.

例句

Sora stayed clear-headed during the emergency, calmly directing everyone to the exit.

clear-headed (compound: thinking clearly)

Ayesha is too hot-headed to handle the customer complaints desk.

hot-headed (compound: quickly angry)

文法句型

[adjective]-headed (clear-headed, hot-headed, two-headed)

用法筆記

Only appears in hyphenated or solid compounds — never standalone. The first element describes the personality (cool-headed, level-headed), the count (two-headed), or the physical type (bald-headed).

常見錯誤

He is very headed when he gets angry.
He is very hot-headed when he gets angry.
💡'headed' alone cannot describe personality; needs a compounded first element.