honk the horn

Meaning

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   To press a vehicle's horn so that it makes a loud warning or greeting sound.

   Grammar: Honk is a verb and horn is its object; the horn can also be a possessive: honk your horn. You can honk at someone.

   Patterns

   • honk the horn at someone
   • honk your horn
   • honk the horn to do something

   He honked the horn when the car ahead stalled.

   Please do not honk the horn outside the hospital.

   She honked the horn twice to let us know she had arrived.

Word forms

Common combinations

honk the horn at

The driver honked the horn at the cyclist.

honk the horn in anger

He honked the horn in anger when someone cut him off.

honk the horn twice

She honked the horn twice as a goodbye.

honk the horn impatiently

Drivers honked the horn impatiently in the traffic jam.

honk the horn to warn

He honked the horn to warn the child away.

Synonyms and how they differ

beep

Beep suggests a shorter, lighter sound and is often used for friendly signals, while honk suggests a louder blast.

toot

Toot is a short, mild sound and often used playfully, especially in British English.

sound the horn

Sound the horn is more formal and neutral, while honk the horn is a more everyday and vivid expression.

blare

Blare describes a loud, continuous noise, whereas honk the horn is often a single blast.

Word family

honk noun

the loud sound a horn or a goose makes

honker noun

something that honks, such as a Canada goose or a horn

honking noun

the sound of repeated honks

horn noun

the device that makes a warning sound in a vehicle

Commonly confused: honk the horn or blow the horn?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “honk the horn”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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