oh

oh1 [ ou ] interjection

▸ 1 introducing something new

▸ 2 expressing emotion

▸ 3 showing you understand

▸ 4 accepting answer

▸ 5 when pausing to think

▸ 6 when you did not know

▸ 7 introducing speech

1. ) used when you start telling someone something, for example something that you have just remembered:

Oh darling, did you see that note I left you?

a ) used at the beginning of a reply for showing that someone has just reminded you of something:

I gave you the money last week, remember? Oh yeah, sorry, I completely forgot.

2. ) used for expressing an emotion such as surprise, anger, or happiness:

Oh, what a beautiful view!

Oh, how stupid! I've left the key in the car.

a ) used in expressions such as Oh God!, Oh dear!, Oh no! , and Oh my! for showing an emotion such as surprise, fear, or disappointment. A lot of people may say Oh God, but it offends some people.

3. ) used in expressions such as Oh I see and Oh right for showing that you now understand something

4. ) used for accepting someone's answer to your question:

You haven't invited her husband, have you? Of course I have. Oh. Well don't expect me to come then.

5. ) used when you pause because you are thinking about what you are going to say:

He was, oh, sixty or so at the time.

6. ) used for showing that you did not know something:

He just resigned. Oh, did he?

David should be home next week. Oh yes?

7. ) BRITISH used when telling a story for introducing the words that you or someone else has said:

Then he says oh I thought you weren't coming.

oh

oh 2 [ əu ] number SPOKEN

a way of saying zero, used for example when you are telling someone a telephone number or saying a date, such as 1908