history (histories plural )
1 n-uncount You can refer to the events of the past as history. You can also refer to the past events which concern a particular topic or place as its history.
usu with supp
The Catholic Church has played a prominent role throughout Polish history., ...the most evil mass killer in history., ...the history of Birmingham. Someone who makes history does something that is considered to be important and significant in the development of the world or of a particular society.
make history phrase V inflects
Willy Brandt made history by visiting East Germany in 1970. If someone or something goes down in history, people in the future remember them because of particular actions that they have done or because of particular events that have happened.
go down in history phrase V inflects
Bradley will go down in history as Los Angeles' longest serving mayor.
2 n-uncount History is a subject studied in schools, colleges, and universities that deals with events that have happened in the past.
3 n-count A history is an account of events that have happened in the past.
with supp, oft N of n
...his magnificent history of broadcasting in Canada.
4 n-count If a person or a place has ahistoryof something, it has been very common or has happened frequently in their past.
usu sing, usu a N of n/-ing
He had a history of drink problems...
5 n-count Someone's history is the set of facts that are known about their past.
with poss
He couldn't get a new job because of his medical history.
6 n-uncount If you say that an event, thing, or person is history, you mean that they are no longer important.
The Charlottetown agreement is history.
7 If you are telling someone about an event and say the rest is history, you mean that you do not need to tell them what happened next because everyone knows about it already.
the rest is history phrase
We met at college, the rest is history.
ancient history
Ancient history is the history of ancient civilizations, especially Greece and Rome. n-uncount
case history (case histories plural )A person's case history is the record of past events or problems that have affected them, especially their medical history. n-count
I took her to a homoeopath, who started by taking a very long and detailed case history.
life history (life histories plural )The life history of a person is all the things that happen to them during their life. n-count
Some people give you their life history without much prompting.
natural history
Natural history is the study of animals and plants and other living things. n-uncount usu N n
Schools regularly bring children to the beach for natural history lessons.
oral history (oral histories plural )Oral history consists of spoken memories, stories, and songs, and the study of these, as a way of communicating and discovering information about the past. n-var
