Hen (?), n. [AS. henn, hen, hÊn; akin to D. hen, OHG. henna, G. henne,
Icel. h&?;na, Dan. hˆna; the fem. corresponding to AS. hana cock, D.
haan, OHG. hano, G. hahn, Icel. hani, Dan. & Sw. hane. Prob. akin to L.
canere to sing, and orig. meaning, a singer. Cf. Chanticleer.] (Zoˆl.)
The female of the domestic fowl; also, the female of grouse, pheasants,
or any kind of birds; as, the heath hen; the gray hen.
Used adjectively or in combination to indicate the female; as, hen
canary, hen eagle, hen turkey, peahen.
Hen clam. (Zoˆl.) (a) A clam of the Mactra, and allied genera; the sea
clam or surf clam. See Surf clam. (b) A California clam of the genus
Pachydesma. -- Hen driver. See Hen harrier (below). -- Hen harrier
(Zoˆl.), a hawk (Circus cyaneus), found in Europe and America; --
called also dove hawk, henharm, henharrow, hen driver, and usually, in
America, marsh hawk. See Marsh hawk. -- Hen hawk (Zoˆl.), one of
several species of large hawks which capture hens; esp., the American
red-tailed hawk (Buteo borealis), the red-shouldered hawk (B.
lineatus), and the goshawk.
Hen"bane` (?), n. [Hen + bane.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Hyoscyamus
(H. niger). All parts of the plant are poisonous, and the leaves are
used for the same purposes as belladonna. It is poisonous to domestic
fowls; whence the name. Called also, stinking nightshade, from the
fetid odor of the plant. See Hyoscyamus.
Hen"bit` (?), n. (Bot.) A weed of the genus Lamium (L. amplexicaule)
with deeply crenate leaves.
Hence (?), adv. [OE. hennes, hens (the s is prop. a genitive ending;
cf. - wards), also hen, henne, hennen, heonnen, heonene, AS. heonan,
heonon, heona, hine; akin to OHG. hinnn, G. hinnen, OHG. hina, G. hin;
all from the root of E. he. See He.] 1. From this place; away. "Or that
we hence wend." Chaucer.
Arise, let us go hence.
John xiv. 31.