n. [ AS. henn, hen, hæn; akin to D. hen, OHG. henna, G. henne, Icel. h&unr_;na, Dan. höna; 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. ] (Zool.) The female of the domestic fowl; also, the female of grouse, pheasants, or any kind of birds; as, the heath hen; the gray hen. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Used adjectively or in combination to indicate the female; as, hen canary, hen eagle, hen turkey, peahen. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hen clam. (Zool.) (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 (Zool.), 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 (Zool.), one of several species of large hawks which capture hens; esp., the American red-tailed hawk (Buteo borealis), the red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus), and the goshawk. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hen + bane. ] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Hyoscyamus (Hyoscyamus 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A weed of the genus Lamium (Lamium amplexicaule) with deeply crenate leaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. hinnān, 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Arise, let us go hence. John xiv. 31. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. Acts xxii. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. From this time; in the future; as, a week hence. “Half an hour hence.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. From this reason; therefore; -- as an inference or deduction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hence, perhaps, it is, that Solomon calls the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. From this source or origin. [ 1913 Webster ]

All other faces borrowed hence
Their light and grace. Suckling. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts? James. iv. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Hence is used, elliptically and imperatively, for go hence; depart hence; away; be gone. “Hence with your little ones.” Shak. -- From hence, though a pleonasm, is fully authorized by the usage of good writers. [ 1913 Webster ]

An ancient author prophesied from hence. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Expelled from hence into a world
Of woe and sorrow. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To send away. [ Obs. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. From this time forward; henceforward. [ 1913 Webster ]

I never from thy side henceforth to stray. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. From this time forward; from now into the indefinite future; henceforth. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. A page; a servant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. -men [ OE. hencheman, henxman; prob. fr. OE. & AS. hengest horse + E. man, and meaning, a groom. AS. hengest is akin to D. & G. hengst stallion, OHG. hengist horse, gelding. ] An attendant; a servant; a follower. Now chiefly used as a political cant term. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A coop or cage for hens. [ 1913 Webster ]