deadhead
deadhead Lexical Profile
deadhead Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To remove faded or dead blossoms from a plant in order to promote further blooming and maintain a tidy appearance.
"She spent a quiet Saturday morning in the garden to deadhead the petunias and marigolds."
North American To drive or operate a commercial vehicle, train, or aircraft without paying passengers or freight, or to travel free of charge as a repositioning crew member.
"After delivering the shipment to Denver, the trucker had to deadhead two hundred miles to pick up his next load."
• noun
A faded, withered, or dead flower blossom remaining on a plant.
"Removing each deadhead from the rosebushes will encourage a second flush of blooms later in the summer."
North American A commercial trip made by a truck, train, bus, or aircraft without paying passengers or cargo, or an off-duty crew member traveling free of charge to reach a work assignment.
"The airline pilot caught an early morning deadhead to Chicago so he could captain an international flight that evening."
North American A person admitted to a theater, concert, or public conveyance without paying, or an unproductive, uninspiring, or dull person.
"The producer complained that half the seats in the front row were occupied by deadheads holding complimentary passes."
North American A waterlogged log or timber floating nearly submerged in a river or lake, posing a hazard to navigation.
"Boaters on the northern lake must stay alert for any submerged deadhead left behind from the old logging era."
• Rhymes for deadhead
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the 17th century from 'dead' and 'head', originally referring to a wooden block used on ships to secure rigging; the transport sense arose in 19th-century American slang, where paying customers on cattle trains or stagecoaches were counted by 'head', making non-paying riders 'dead heads'.