history
noun
ˈhɪstri 
ˈhɪstri 
1 [uncountable] all the events that happened in the pasta turning point in human historyone of the worst disasters in recent historya people with no sense of historyMany people throughout history have dreamt of a world without war.The area was inhabited long before the dawn of recorded history (= before people wrote about events).These events changed the course of history.2 [singular, uncountable] the past events concerned in the development of a particular place, subject, etcthe history of Ireland/democracy/popular musicThe local history of the area is fascinating.The school traces its history back to 1865.3 [uncountable] the study of past events as a subject at school or universitya history teachera degree in Historysocial/economic/political historyancient/medieval/modern historyShe's studying art history. see also natural history4 [countable] a written or spoken account of past eventsShe's writing a new history of Europe.She went on to catalogue a long history of disasters.5 [singular] history (of something) a record of something happening frequently in the past life of a person, family or place; the set of facts that are known about somebody's past lifeHe has a history of violent crime.There is a history of heart disease in my family.a patient's medical history see also case history, life historyIdioms
be history
(informal) to be dead or no longer importantAnother mistake like that and you're history.We won't talk about that—that's history.That's past history now.the history books
the record of great achievements in history
She has earned her place in the history books.history repeats itself
used to say that things often happen later in the same way as before
Years later family history repeated itself with Eve's daughters.make history
|go down in history
to be or do something so important that it will be recorded in history
a discovery that made medical history