-head \-head\ -he^d, suffix.
   a variant of -hood.
   1913 webster
see also:
-hood 

head \head\ he^d, n. oe. hed, heved, heaved, as. he'afod;
   akin to d. hoofd, ohg. houbit, g. haupt, icel. h"ofueth,
   sw. hufvud, dan. hoved, goth. haubithorn. the word does not
   correspond regularly to l. caput head cf. e. chief,
   cadet, capital, and its origin is unknown.
   1. the anterior or superior part of an animal, containing the
      brain, or chief ganglia of the nervous system, the mouth,
      and in the higher animals, the chief sensory organs; poll;
      cephalon.
      1913 webster

   2. the uppermost, foremost, or most important part of an
      inanimate object; such a part as may be considered to
      resemble the head of an animal; often, also, the larger,
      thicker, or heavier part or extremity, in distinction from
      the smaller or thinner part, or from the point or edge;
      as, the head of a cane, a nail, a spear, an ax, a mast, a
      sail, a ship; that which covers and closes the top or the
      end of a hollow vessel; as, the head of a cask or a steam
      boiler.
      1913 webster

   3. the place where the head should go; as, the head of a bed,
      of a grave, etc.; the head of a carriage, that is, the
      hood which covers the head.
      1913 webster

   4. the most prominent or important member of any organized
      body; the chief; the leader; as, the head of a college, a
      school, a church, a state, and the like. "their princes
      and heads." --robynson more's utopia.
      1913 webster

            the heads of the chief sects of philosophy.
                                                  --tillotson.
      1913 webster

            your head i him appoint.              --milton.
      1913 webster

   5. the place or honor, or of command; the most important or
      foremost position; the front; as, the head of the table;
      the head of a column of soldiers.
      1913 webster

            an army of fourscore thousand troops, with the duke
            of marlborough at the head of them.   --addison.
      1913 webster

   6. each one among many; an individual; -- often used in a
      plural sense; as, a thousand head of cattle.
      1913 webster

            it there be six millions of people, there are about
            four acres for every head.            --graunt.
      1913 webster

   7. the seat of the intellect; the brain; the understanding;
      the mental faculties; as, a good head, that is, a good
      mind; it never entered his head, it did not occur to him;
      of his own head, of his own thought or will.
      1913 webster

            men who had lost both head and heart. --macaulay.
      1913 webster

   8. the source, fountain, spring, or beginning, as of a stream
      or river; as, the head of the nile; hence, the altitude of
      the source, or the height of the surface, as of water,
      above a given place, as above an orifice at which it
      issues, and the pressure resulting from the height or from
      motion; sometimes also, the quantity in reserve; as, a
      mill or reservoir has a good head of water, or ten feet
      head; also, that part of a gulf or bay most remote from
      the outlet or the sea.
      1913 webster

   9. a headland; a promontory; as, gay head. --shak.
      1913 webster

   10. a separate part, or topic, of a discourse; a theme to be
       expanded; a subdivision; as, the heads of a sermon.
       1913 webster

   11. culminating point or crisis; hence, strength; force;
       height.
       1913 webster

             ere foul sin, gathering head, shall break into
             corruption.                          --shak.
       1913 webster

             the indisposition which has long hung upon me, is
             at last grown to such a head, that it must quickly
             make an end of me or of itself.      --addison.
       1913 webster

   12. power; armed force.
       1913 webster

             my lord, my lord, the french have gathered head.
                                                  --shak.
       1913 webster

   13. a headdress; a covering of the head; as, a laced head; a
       head of hair. --swift.
       1913 webster

   14. an ear of wheat, barley, or of one of the other small
       cereals.
       1913 webster

   15. bot.
       a a dense cluster of flowers, as in clover, daisies,
           thistles; a capitulum.
       b a dense, compact mass of leaves, as in a cabbage or a
           lettuce plant.
           1913 webster

   16. the antlers of a deer.
       1913 webster

   17. a rounded mass of foam which rises on a pot of beer or
       other effervescing liquor. --mortimer.
       1913 webster

   18. pl. tiles laid at the eaves of a house. --knight.
       1913 webster

   note: head is often used adjectively or in self-explaining
         combinations; as, head gear or headgear, head rest. cf.
         head, a.
         1913 webster

   a buck of the first head, a male fallow deer in its fifth
      year, when it attains its complete set of antlers. --shak.

   by the head. naut. see under by.

   elevator head, feed head, etc. see under elevator,
      feed, etc.

   from head to foot, through the whole length of a man;
      completely; throughout. "arm me, audacity, from head to
      foot." --shak.

   head and ears, with the whole person; deeply; completely;
      as, he was head and ears in debt or in trouble. colloq.
      

   head fast. naut. see 5th fast.

   head kidney anat., the most anterior of the three pairs
      of embryonic renal organs developed in most vertebrates;
      the pronephros.

   head money, a capitation tax; a poll tax. --milton.

   head pence, a poll tax. obs.

   head sea, a sea that meets the head of a vessel or rolls
      against her course.

   head and shoulders.
       a by force; violently; as, to drag one, head and
           shoulders. "they bring in every figure of speech,
           head and shoulders." --felton.
       b by the height of the head and shoulders; hence, by a
           great degree or space; by far; much; as, he is head
           and shoulders above them.

   heads or tails or head or tail, this side or that side;
      this thing or that; -- a phrase used in throwing a coin to
      decide a choice, question, or stake, head being the side
      of the coin bearing the effigy or principal figure or, in
      case there is no head or face on either side, that side
      which has the date on it, and tail the other side.

   neither head nor tail, neither beginning nor end; neither
      this thing nor that; nothing distinct or definite; -- a
      phrase used in speaking of what is indefinite or confused;
      as, they made neither head nor tail of the matter.
      colloq.

   head wind, a wind that blows in a direction opposite the
      vessel's course.

   off the top of my head, from quick recollection, or as an
      approximation; without research or calculation; -- a
      phrase used when giving quick and approximate answers to
      questions, to indicate that a response is not necessarily
      accurate.

   out of one's own head, according to one's own idea; without
      advice or co"operation of another.

   over the head of, beyond the comprehension of. --m. arnold.

   to go over the head of a person, to appeal to a person
      superior to a person in line of command.

   to be out of one's head, to be temporarily insane.

   to come or draw to a head. see under come, draw.

   to give one the head, or to give head, to let go, or to
      give up, control; to free from restraint; to give license.
      "he gave his able horse the head." --shak. "he has so long
      given his unruly passions their head." --south.

   to his head, before his face. "an uncivil answer from a son
      to a father, from an obliged person to a benefactor, is a
      greater indecency than if an enemy should storm his house
      or revile him to his head." --jer. taylor.

   to lay heads together, to consult; to conspire.

   to lose one's head, to lose presence of mind.

   to make head, or to make head against, to resist with
      success; to advance.

   to show one's head, to appear. --shak.

   to turn head, to turn the face or front. "the ravishers
      turn head, the fight renews." --dryden.
      1913 webster
see also:
chief cadet capital head a buck of the first head by the head 
by elevator head feed head elevator feed 
from head to foot head and ears head fast fast head kidney 
head money head pence head sea head and shoulders heads or tails 
head or tail neither head nor tail head wind off the top of my head out of one's own head 
over the head of to go over the head of a person to be out of one's head to come or draw to a head come 
draw to give one the head to give head to his head to lay heads together 
to lose one's head to make head to make head against to show one's head to turn head 

head \head\ he^d, a.
   principal; chief; leading; first; as, the head master of a
   school; the head man of a tribe; a head chorister; a head
   cook.
   1913 webster

head \head\ he^d, v. t. imp.  p. p. headed; p. pr.  vb.
   n. heading.
   1. to be at the head of; to put one's self at the head of; to
      lead; to direct; to act as leader to; as, to head an army,
      an expedition, or a riot. --dryden.
      1913 webster

   2. to form a head to; to fit or furnish with a head; as, to
      head a nail. --spenser.
      1913 webster

   3. to behead; to decapitate. obs. --shak.
      1913 webster

   4. to cut off the top of; to lop off; as, to head trees.
      1913 webster

   5. to go in front of; to get in the front of, so as to hinder
      or stop; to oppose; hence, to check or restrain; as, to
      head a drove of cattle; to head a person; the wind heads a
      ship.
      1913 webster

   6. to set on the head; as, to head a cask.
      1913 webster

   to head off, to intercept; to get before; as, an officer
      heads off a thief who is escaping. "we'll head them off at
      the pass."

   to head up,
      a to close, as a cask or barrel, by fitting a head to.
      b to serve as the leader of; as, to head up a team of
          investigators.
          1913 webster +pjc
see also:
headed heading to head off to head up 

head \head\, v. i.
   1. to originate; to spring; to have its source, as a river.
      1913 webster

            a broad river, that heads in the great blue ridge.
                                                  --adair.
      1913 webster

   2. to go or point in a certain direction; to tend; as, how
      does the ship head?
      1913 webster

   3. to form a head; as, this kind of cabbage heads early.
      1913 webster

feed \feed\, n.
   1. that which is eaten; esp., food for beasts; fodder;
      pasture; hay; grain, ground or whole; as, the best feed
      for sheep.
      1913 webster

   2. a grazing or pasture ground. --shak.
      1913 webster

   3. an allowance of provender given to a horse, cow, etc.; a
      meal; as, a feed of corn or oats.
      1913 webster

   4. a meal, or the act of eating. r.
      1913 webster

            for such pleasure till that hour
            at feed or fountain never had i found. --milton.
      1913 webster

   5. the water supplied to steam boilers.
      1913 webster

   6. mach.
      a the motion, or act, of carrying forward the stuff to
          be operated upon, as cloth to the needle in a sewing
          machine; or of producing progressive operation upon
          any material or object in a machine, as, in a turning
          lathe, by moving the cutting tool along or in the
          work.
      b the supply of material to a machine, as water to a
          steam boiler, coal to a furnace, or grain to a run of
          stones.
      c the mechanism by which the action of feeding is
          produced; a feed motion.
          1913 webster

   feed bag, a nose bag containing feed for a horse or mule.
      

   feed cloth, an apron for leading cotton, wool, or other
      fiber, into a machine, as for carding, etc.

   feed door, a door to a furnace, by which to supply coal.

   feed head.
      a a cistern for feeding water by gravity to a steam
          boiler.
      b founding an excess of metal above a mold, which
          serves to render the casting more compact by its
          pressure; -- also called a riser, deadhead, or
          simply feed or head --knight.

   feed heater.
      a steam engine a vessel in which the feed water for
          the boiler is heated, usually by exhaust steam.
      b a boiler or kettle in which is heated food for stock.
          

   feed motion, or feed gear mach., the train of mechanism
      that gives motion to the part that directly produces the
      feed in a machine.

   feed pipe, a pipe for supplying the boiler of a steam
      engine, etc., with water.

   feed pump, a force pump for supplying water to a steam
      boiler, etc.

   feed regulator, a device for graduating the operation of a
      feeder. --knight.

   feed screw, in lathes, a long screw employed to impart a
      regular motion to a tool rest or tool, or to the work.

   feed water, water supplied to a steam boiler, etc.

   feed wheel mach., a kind of feeder. see feeder, n., 8.
      1913 webster
see also:
feed bag feed cloth feed door feed head riser deadhead 
feed head feed heater feed motion feed gear 
feed pipe feed pump feed regulator feed screw feed water 
feed wheel feeder 

head
     n 1: the upper part of the human body or the front part of the
          body in animals; contains the face and brains; "he stuck
          his head out the window" syn: caput
     2: a single domestic animal; "200 head of cattle"
     3: that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings;
        the seat of the faculty of reason; "his mind wandered"; "i
        couldn't get his words out of my head" syn: mind, brain,
         psyche, nous
     4: a person who is in charge; "the head of the whole operation"
        syn: chief, top dog
     5: the front of a military formation or procession; "the head
        of the column advanced boldly"; "they were at the head of
        the attack" ant: rear
     6: the pressure exerted by a fluid; "a head of steam"
     7: the top of something; "the head of the stairs"; "the head of
        the page"; "the head of the list" ant: foot
     8: the source of water from which a stream arises; "they
        tracked him back toward the head of the stream" syn: fountainhead,
         headspring
     9: grammar the word in a grammatical constituent that plays
        the same grammatical role as the whole constituent syn: head
        word
     10: the tip of an abscess where the pus accumulates
     11: the length or height based on the size of a human or animal
         head; "he is two heads taller than his little sister";
         "his horse won by a head"
     12: a dense clusters of flowers or foliage; "a head of
         cauliflower"; "a head of lettuce" syn: capitulum
     13: the educator who has executive authority for a school; "she
         sent unruly pupils to see the principal" syn: principal,
          school principal, head teacher
     14: an individual person; "tickets are $5 per head"
     15: a user of usually soft drugs; "the office was full of
         secret heads"
     16: a rounded compact mass; "the head of a comet"
     17: the foam or froth that accumulates at the top when you pour
         an effervescent liquid into a container; "the beer had a
         large head of foam"
     18: the part in the front or nearest the viewer; "he was in the
         forefront"; "he was at the head of the column" syn: forefront
     19: a difficult juncture; "a pretty pass"; "matters came to a
         head yesterday" syn: pass, straits
     20: forward movement; "the ship made little headway against the
         gale" syn: headway
     21: a v-shaped mark at one end of an arrow pointer; "the point
         of the arrow was due north" syn: point
     22: the subject matter at issue; "the question of disease merits
         serious discussion"; "under the head of minor roman
         poets" syn: question
     23: a line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it
         is about; "the heading seemed to have little to do with
         the text" syn: heading, header
     24: the rounded end of a bone that bits into a rounded cavity in
         another bone to form a joint; "the head of the humerus"
     25: that part of a skeletal muscle that is away from the bone
         that it moves
     26: computer science a tiny electromagnetic coil and metal
         pole used to write and read magnetic patterns on a disk
         syn: read/write head
     27: usually plural an obverse side of a coin that bears the
         representation of a person's head; "call heads or tails"
         ant: tail
     28: the striking part of a tool; "the head of the hammer"
     29: nautical a toilet on board a boat or ship
     30: a projection out from one end; "the head of the nail", "a
         pinhead is the head of a pin"
     31: a membrane that is stretched taut over a drum syn: drumhead
     32: oral-genital stimulation; "they say he gives good head"
         syn: oral sex
     v 1: to go or travel towards; "where is she heading"; "we were
          headed for the mountains"
     2: be in charge of; "who is heading this project?" syn: lead
     3: travel in front of; go in advance of others; "the procession
        was headed by john" syn: lead
     4: be the first or leading member of a group and excel; "this
        student heads the class" syn: head up
     5: direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
        syn: steer, maneuver, manoeuver, manoeuvre, direct,
         point, guide, channelize, channelise
     6: take its rise; "these rivers head from a mountain range in
        the himalayas"
     7: be in the front of or on top of; "the list was headed by the
        name of the president"
     8: form a head or come or grow to a head; "the wheat headed
        early this year"
     9: remove the head of; "head the fish"
see also:
caput mind brain psyche nous chief 
top dog rear foot fountainhead headspring 
head word capitulum principal school principal head teacher 
forefront pass straits headway point 
question heading header read/write head tail 
drumhead oral sex lead head up steer 
maneuver manoeuver manoeuvre direct guide 
channelize channelise 

852 moby thesaurus words for "head":
   a per se, adamite, big brother, lsd user, md, vernunft, wc,
   abbreviation, abbreviature, abrege, abridgment, abstract, ace,
   acidhead, acknowledgments, acmatic, addict, address, administer,
   administrate, administrator, agua, aim, alcoholic, ament, antecede,
   anterior, anteriority, apex, apical, aptitude, aptness, aqua, arch,
   argument, ascendant, at the head, auditor, avert, back,
   back matter, backhouse, banner, banner head, basement, basis,
   bastard title, bathroom, be in front, be master,
   be responsible for, be the bellwether, be the front-runner, beacon,
   beak, bean, bear, bear for, bear up for, bear up to, bearing,
   beginning, being, belfry, bend to, bent, bias, bibliography,
   big cheese, bill, block, blood, boatswain, body, bold front,
   boltrope, boost, boss, bracket, bracket capital, brain, brainpan,
   brains, branch, brave face, brave front, break for, break ground,
   break the ice, breakers, breakwater, brief, brow, bump, bunt,
   burden, butt, call the signals, can, canvas, cap, cape, capital,
   capitulum, capsheaf, capsule, captain, caption, caput, cardinal,
   carry on, case, cast, caste, cat, catch line, catchword, category,
   catkin, chain smoker, chair, chairman, champion, chap, chapter,
   character, chersonese, chief, chief executive officer, chieftain,
   chump, clan, class, clew, climax, closet, cloth, cocaine sniffer,
   cock, coconut, cokie, collar, colophon, come before, come first,
   comfort station, command, commander, commanding, commencement,
   compend, completely, comptroller, conception, concern, conclusion,
   condensation, condensed version, conduce, conduct, cone, conk,
   consciousness, conspectus, consummate, contents, contents page,
   contribute, control, controller, controlling, convenience,
   copyright page, coral reef, cornice, corymb, cranium, crapper,
   create, creature, crescendo, crest, cringle, crisis,
   critical point, crop, crowd of sail, crown, crumpet, cubehead,
   culminate, culmination, customer, cut off, cyme, dash for, dean,
   decapitate, decollate, dedication, deeply, delta, derivation,
   descend, dig, digest, dipsomaniac, direct, directing, directive,
   directorial, directory, discipline, discourse of reason,
   discursive reason, display, dispose, divert, division, dome,
   dominant, dope fiend, doper, draft, drinking water, drop,
   drop head, dropline, drug abuser, drug addict, drug user, drunkard,
   duck, ead, earing, earth closet, earthling, eau, employer,
   encephalon, endleaf, endpaper, endsheet, engineer, entirely,
   epigraph, epitome, errata, esprit, essence, estate, facade, face,
   facet, facia, faculty, fellow, fend off, fiend, first, first place,
   flair, fleece, floor manager, floorman, floorwalker, flyleaf, foam,
   focus of attention, focus of interest, folio, font, foot, fore,
   fore edge, fore-and-aft sail, forefront, foreground, forehand,
   foreland, foreman, foremost, forepart, forequarter, foreside,
   forestall, foreword, forge ahead, forward, fount, fountainhead,
   freak, front, front elevation, front man, front matter, front page,
   front view, frontage, frontal, frontier, frontispiece, frost,
   froth, fugleman, fully, gaffer, ganger, general, genesis, genius,
   get ahead of, get before, gist, glue sniffer, go, go before,
   go for, go in advance, gourd, govern, governing, governor, grade,
   grass roots, gravitate, gray matter, ground water, groundling,
   group, grouping, guide, guiding, guillotine, guy, habitual,
   half-title page, hand, handle, hanger, hard water, have a tendency,
   have priority, have the start, head of hair, head off,
   head over heels, head the line, head the table, head up, heading,
   headland, headline, headman, headmaster, headmistress, headmost,
   headpiece, headstream, headwater, headwaters, heavy smoker,
   heavy water, hegemonic, hegemonistic, hierarch, higher-up, highest,
   hit for, hold a heading, homo, honcho, hook, hophead, human,
   human being, hustle, hydrol, hydrometeor, hydrosphere, hype, ice,
   imprint, in ascendancy, in charge, in chief, in the ascendant,
   inception, incline, index, individual, inhibit, initiate,
   inscription, inspector, intellect, intellection,
   intellectual faculty, intelligence, intercept, introduction,
   invent, issue, jab, jog, joggle, john, johnny, johnny house, joker,
   jolt, jostle, jump head, junkie, kick off, kin, knack, label, lap,
   lather, latrine, laureate, lavatory, lay for, lead, lead off,
   lead on, lead the dance, lead the way, leader, leadership, leading,
   leaf, lean, leech, legend, level, life, light out, light the way,
   limewater, living issue, living soul, loaf, locks, loo, look to,
   luff, madly, maiden, main, main point, make, make for,
   make the rules, make up to, makeup, man, manage, managerial,
   managing, managing director, mane, maneuver, manipulate,
   marijuana smoker, master, mastermind, mat, matter, matter in hand,
   maximal, maximum, meat, mens, mental capacity, mentality, meridian,
   meridional, meringue, methhead, mind, mineral water, miniature,
   monitor, mop, mortal, motif, motive, motto, mousse, move, mull,
   muslin, narcotics addict, naze, necessary, neck, ness, noddle,
   noggin, noncommissioned officer, nonpareil, noodle, nose, nous,
   nudge, nut, obverse, officer, offscum, one, order,
   organ of thought, origin, original, originate, origination,
   outhouse, outline, outrank, outstrip, outtop, overarch, overline,
   overman, overmost, oversee, overseer, overtop, overview, pace,
   page, pallet, pandect, panicle, paragon, paramount, party, pate,
   peak, peninsula, perception, perceptiveness, person, personage,
   personality, pigeonhole, pillhead, pine cone, pinhead, pioneer,
   plain sail, plunge, point, point at issue, point in question,
   point to, poke, poll, portrait, portraiture, portrayal, position,
   pothead, powder room, power of reason, precede, precipitate,
   precis, predicament, predominant, predominate, preeminent, preface,
   prefix, preliminaries, premier, prepollent, preponderant,
   preponderate, prepotent, prescribe, preside over, president, press,
   press of sail, pressure, prevalent, prevent, primary, prime,
   prime minister, principal, priority, privy, problem, proceed,
   proctor, prod, prodigy, profile, promontory, proscenium,
   provenience, psyche, puff, pull the strings, punch, push,
   quarterback, question, race, raceme, radical, radix, rag, rain,
   rainwater, rank, rate, rating, ratio, rationality, reason,
   reasoning, reasoning faculty, recto, redound to, reduced sail,
   reef, reef point, reefed sail, regnant, regulate, regulating,
   regulative, regulatory, reigning, rest room, reverso, review,
   ridge, rise, riverhead, rocker, root, rubric, rule, ruler, ruling,
   run, run for, running head, running title, sail, sail for,
   salt water, sandspit, scalp, scarehead, sconce, screamer, scud,
   scum, sea foam, sea water, seat of thought, section, senior,
   sensation, sensorium, sensory, sept, serve, set, set out,
   set out for, set the pace, set toward, settle, shag, shock,
   shortened version, shove, show a tendency, signature, silhouette,
   single, sink, sirdar, skeleton, sketch, skipper, skull,
   slave driver, smarts, snowbird, soapsuds, soft water, somebody,
   someone, souffle, soul, source, sovereign, spadix, spearhead,
   speed freak, spike, spikelet, spindrift, spit, spoondrift, spray,
   spread, spreadhead, spring water, spume, spur, square sail,
   stand first, stand in front, stand over, star, start, station,
   status, steam, steer, steer for, stem, stinging, stock, stop,
   strain, stratum, straw boss, streamer, stress, strike out,
   strobile, subdivision, subforeman, subgroup, subhead, subheading,
   subject, subject matter, subject of thought, suborder, subside,
   substance, subtitle, suds, summital, super, superintendent,
   superior, superman, superscription, superstar, supervise,
   supervisor, supreme, surf, surmount, survey, surveyor, syllabus,
   synopsis, table of contents, tail, take command, take off,
   take precedence, take the initiative, take the lead,
   take the plunge, talent, taproot, taskmaster, tellurian, tend,
   tend to go, terran, text, thatch, the greatest, the most, theme,
   thrust, thumbnail sketch, thyrse, tip, tip-top, title, title page,
   toilet, toilet room, tongue, top, top dog, top off, topic,
   topical outline, topknot, topmost, train, trend, tresses,
   trim size, tripper, turn, turning point, type page, ultimate,
   umbel, understanding, upmost, uppermost, urinal, user, usher in,
   utterly, van, vanguard, verge, verso, vertical, verticillaster,
   virtuoso, visitor, ward off, warp, washroom, water, water closet,
   water vapor, well water, wetting agent, wetting-out agent,
   white water, wholly, wield authority, wildly, window dressing,
   wise man, wit, work toward, worldling, zenithal

head-:money:, n.  a capitation tax, or poll-tax.

    in ancient times there lived a king
    whose tax-collectors could not wring
    from all his subjects gold enough
    to make the royal way less rough.
    for pleasure's highway, like the dames
    whose premises adjoin it, claims
    perpetual repairing.  so
    the tax-collectors in a row
    appeared before the throne to pray
    their master to devise some way
    to swell the revenue.  "so great,"
    said they, "are the demands of state
    a tithe of all that we collect
    will scarcely meet them.  pray reflect:
    how, if one-tenth we must resign,
    can we exist on t'other nine?"
    the monarch asked them in reply:
    "has it occurred to you to try
    the advantage of economy?"
    "it has," the spokesman said:  "we sold
    all of our gray garrotes of gold;
    with plated-ware we now compress
    the necks of those whom we assess.
    plain iron forceps we employ
    to mitigate the miser's joy
    who hoards, with greed that never tires,
    that which your majesty requires."
    deep lines of thought were seen to plow
    their way across the royal brow.
    "your state is desperate, no question;
    pray favor me with a suggestion."
    "o king of men," the spokesman said,
    "if you'll impose upon each head
    a tax, the augmented revenue
    we'll cheerfully divide with you."
    as flashes of the sun illume
    the parted storm-cloud's sullen gloom,
    the king smiled grimly.  "i decree
    that it be so -- and, not to be
    in generosity outdone,
    declare you, each and every one,
    exempted from the operation
    of this new law of capitation.
    but lest the people censure me
    because they're bound and you are free,
    'twere well some clever scheme were laid
    by you this poll-tax to evade.
    i'll leave you now while you confer
    with my most trusted minister."
    the monarch from the throne-room walked
    and straightway in among them stalked
    a silent man, with brow concealed,
    bare-armed -- his gleaming axe revealed
                                                                  g.j.