have a word

verb

To speak to someone, usually and especially in private, often in order to admonish.

“I think we should have a word.”

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Meanings

verbhave a word (third-person singular simple present has a word, present participle having a word, simple past and past participle had a word)

present singular third person has a word · participle present having a word · participle past had a word · past had a word

  1. idiomaticTo speak to someone, usually and especially in private, often in order to admonish.

    I think we should have a word.

    2 more examples

    She knew she was in big trouble when the teacher asked to have a word with her after class.

    I’d like to have a quiet word with my boss later this week.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 談一下 /谈一下, 説幾句 /说几句
  • 談一下 /谈一下 (tán yīxià)speak to someone
  • 説幾句 /说几句 (shuō jǐjù)speak to someone
Finnish puhua, puhutella
  • puhuaspeak to someone
  • puhutellaspeak to someone
Hungarian szót vált, beszél
  • szót váltspeak to someone
  • beszélspeak to someone
  • beszélgetspeak to someone
  • elbeszélgetspeak to someone
Icelandic eiga orð við, ræða við
  • eiga orð viðspeak to someone
  • ræða viðspeak to someone
Persian چند کلمه حرف زدن
  • چند کلمه حرف زدن (čand kalame harf zadan)speak to someone
Russian поговори́ть
  • поговори́ть (pogovorítʹ)speak to someone
Spanish tener unas palabras, terciar
  • tener unas palabrasspeak to someone
  • terciarspeak to someone
Welsh cael gair
  • cael gairspeak to someone
Cite this entry
APA

have a word. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20a%20word

MLA

“have a word.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20a%20word. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “have a word,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/have%20a%20word.

Source: have a word on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.