having

noun, adj — 5 senses

having

noun

/ˈhævɪŋ/

1

The act of possessing; ownership.

  • He thus came to think of perceiving as a complex of 'havings,' not a complex of 'havings' and 'doings.'2002, Ronald Jager, The Development of Bertrand Russell's Philosophy:
2

Something owned; possession; goods; estate.

  • Out of my lean and low ability I’ll lend you something: my having is not much; I’ll make division of my present with you: Hold, there’s half my coffer.c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:
  • Your havings wasted by the scythe and spade— Your rights and charters hobnail’d into slush—1875, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Queen Mary, London: Henry S. King, act II, scene 2, page 80:
3

Obsolete A person's behaviour.

4

Scotland, In plural, Obsolete Good manners.

having

adj
1

Obsolete Grasping; greedy.

  • The new man in Humanity, which is the communication of the Son of Man Who is the Interceder, is an asking man, although it is not a greedy and a having man.1875, Christ and the people, sermons, page 282:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.