Meaning & use
hp
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Meanings
abbreviationtechnical
Horsepower; a unit for measuring the power of an engine or motor.
Grammar: Used after a number: a 200 HP engine. It is often written without periods.
Patterns
- a 200 HP engine
- produce 300 HP
This car has a 300 HP engine.
The motor produces 50 HP.
They measured the tractor's output in HP.
abbreviationinformal
Hit points; a number showing how much health a character has left in a game.
Grammar: Common in video games and role-playing games; often written as 'HP'.
Patterns
- lose HP
- restore HP
- HP bar
My character lost 20 HP in that battle.
Drink a potion to restore your HP.
Watch the HP bar at the top of the screen.
proper noun
Hewlett-Packard; a large American technology company.
Grammar: Used as a company name, often in business or technology contexts.
Patterns
- HP laptop
- HP printer
She bought a new HP laptop for work.
HP is known for making printers and computers.
The company HP was founded in 1939.
Common combinations
- HP engine
- The boat has a 150 HP engine.
- lose HP
- You lose HP every time you touch the fire.
- HP printer
- Our office uses an HP printer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- horsepower
- The full word; HP is the abbreviation, used mainly in writing or technical contexts.
Commonly confused: hp or HB?
hp vs HB
Could be confused in writing; HB often stands for 'HB pencil' (hard black) or hemoglobin, not horsepower.
Practice
In the sentence 'This lawnmower has a 5 HP engine,' what does 'HP' mean?
Choose one answer.
In the context of engines, HP stands for horsepower, a measure of power. Hit points and Hewlett-Packard are other meanings but do not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hp”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.