have

Keep in possession

Have is the most second most frequently used verb (after be).

There are two reasons for this: its very important primary meanings as a main verb (indicating ownership, experience, acquisition, and relationship) and its use as an auxiliary verb to form all of the perfect tenses and some constructions that express obligation, necessity, and compulsion.

Add to that the many idiomatic expressions in which a form of have is the verb (had better, have at someone or something, have something coming) and have ends up with at least one spot in nearly every paragraph of English writing.

As a noun, have is a latecomer to English and very limited in meaning.

You only hear about the haves when the have-nots are also mentioned.

possession

own

Have legal title to

holdMaintain in grasp
keepRetain or fortified tower
retainKeep possession of

property · belongings · assets · wealth · holdings · estate · goods · valuables · resources · possessions

obligation

must

Obligatory requirement

needEssential requirement
oughtExpresses duty or obligation
got toAffected or irritated

required · duty · responsibility · commitment · necessity · compulsion · burden · task · bound · obligated

entitlement

right

Morally proper or entitled

privilegeExclusive right or benefit
claimStatement of ownership or truth
accessRight to enter

opportunity · chance · option · permission · freedom · authority · say · voice · birthright · prerogative

experience

undergo

Be subjected to

encounterUnexpected meeting or confrontation
feelPerceive by touch
enjoyTake pleasure in

suffer · endure · knowledge · exposure · familiarity · understanding · insight · background · lived · firsthand

auxiliary

gotten

Obtained, past participle

doneNo longer in progress
beenPast participle of "be"
finishedBrought to an end

completed · eaten · taken · gone · seen · made · written · spoken

relationship

partner

One who shares activity

childPerson before puberty
siblingBrother or sister
spouseMarried partner

friend · family · connection · bond · kinship · companion · lover · associate · dependent · relative

Categories

verbsjump, be, speak, wait, do
Basic English Wordswho, what, when, where, why
basic wordsand, the, but, on, up
ownershipowner, own, ownership, possess, proprietorship
Stop Wordsa, an, the, of, to
function wordsa, an, the, and, or

Opposites

possession/ownership

havelack

Deficiency or absence

want · need · miss · have not · have-not

acquisition vs. relinquishment

havelose

Fail to keep

give · relinquish · give up · give away · surrender

acceptance vs. rejection

Reject or garbage

reject · decline · spurn · deny · turn down

Phrases

have a nice dayFormulaic well-wishing farewell
have funExperience enjoyment actively
have toBe obligated
would haveContrary-to-fact auxiliary
have beenPast state continuing
could havePast possibility expression

Family

behave, behavior, haven, havoc, having, misbehave, behaving, behaved, haven't

Familiarity: Top 100
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G