have words
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
I had planned to have a word with my Maker before walking on, but I couldn't get in.
There are shepherds in the Andes who have over sixty words for the colour brown in the coats of sheep.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Common questions
What does “have words” mean?
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Is “have words” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.