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Explore HISTORY Topic

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: historia, from Greek, from histor 'knowing, learned'


his‧to‧ry S2 W1 plural histories

past events

[uncountable] all the things that happened in the past, especially the political, social, or economic development of a nationCOLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
throughout history recent/modern history early/ancient history recorded history (=history since people wrote facts down) local history American/British etc history human history period in/of history the first time in history (=the first time that something has ever happened) change the course of history (=do something that has a lot of important effects) steeped in history (=closely connected with important events in history) history shows/tells (that)
Throughout history the achievements of women have been largely ignored.
history of
the post-war history of Europe
No man in recent history has done more to rebuild the Democratic Party.
the early history of Scotland
Other meteor storms have occurred in recorded history.
a museum devoted to local history
one of the darkest episodes in American history
an interesting period in Egyptian history
History shows that the usual response to violent protest is repression.

development of something

[singular, uncountable] the events that took place from the beginning and during the development of a particular place, activity, institution etc
history of
the worst disaster in the history of space travel
long/brief/75-year etc history
The 1970s were the most successful in the theater's long history.


[uncountable]SE the study of past events as a subject in school or university
European/art/economic etc history
a degree in European history
a history lesson


[countable]TCN an account of past events
history of
a history of World War II
a potted history (=very short) of Gielgud's life British English

past life

[uncountable and countable] a record of something that has affected someone or been done by them in the past
medical/employment/career etc history
Your doctor will ask for your medical history.
history of
Is there any history of heart disease in your family?
The defendant had a history of violent assaults on women.

make history

to do something important that will be recorded and remembered:
Lindbergh made history when he flew across the Atlantic.

something will go down in history

used to say that something is important enough to be remembered and recorded:
This day will go down in history as the start of a new era in South Africa.

history repeats itself

used to say that things often happen in the same way as they did before

the history books

the record of past events:
Mozart's genius earned him a place in the history books.

... and the rest is history

informal used to say that everyone knows the rest of a story you have been telling

that's (past/ancient) history

spoken informal used to say that something is not important any more
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