HoS
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Head of state |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Government & Politics, Transportation & Travel, Religion |
| Also written | HOS, Hos. |
HoS has three meanings. The most common are Head of state (world government) and Hours of service (driving); it can also stand for Hosea.
Meanings of HoS at a glance
| # | HoS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Head of state | Government & Politics › World Government |
| 2 | Hours of service | Transportation & Travel › Driving |
| 3 | Hosea | Religion › Bible Book |
1. Head of state
Government & Politics · World Government Abbreviations
Person who represents a country as its highest official, such as a monarch or president. In parliamentary systems the role is often ceremonial and distinct from the head of government; in the United States the President is both.
Example: As HoS, the president receives foreign ambassadors' credentials.
In the UK, Canada and Australia, the monarch is head of state while the prime minister heads the government. Diplomatic protocol, such as gun salutes and state visits, depends on whether a visitor is a head of state. In Germany and Italy, the president's role is largely ceremonial.
2. Hours of service (HOS)
Transportation & Travel · Driving Abbreviations
Federal rules limiting how long commercial truck and bus drivers may drive and work before resting. Property-carrying drivers may drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour window after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
Example: Detention at the warehouse ate up my HOS, so I had to park for the night 50 miles short.
Rules also require a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving and limit total time to 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days, with a 34-hour restart. Passenger-carrying drivers have stricter limits. Fatigue is a leading safety concern in trucking, which is why the rules are enforced through ELDs.
3. Hosea (Hos.)
Religion · Bible Book Abbreviations
First of the Twelve Minor Prophets, 14 chapters, in which the prophet's marriage to the unfaithful Gomer symbolizes Israel's unfaithfulness to God in the eighth century BC. God's words "I desired mercy, and not sacrifice" (6:6) are quoted by Jesus.
Example: Hos. 11 portrays God as a parent teaching Israel to walk.
SBL and short forms use Hos. The Twelve Minor Prophets are "minor" because of their length, not their importance, and were copied on a single scroll in Jewish tradition. Hosea prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel.
Related abbreviations
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- GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation
- GG – Governor General
- HECS – Higher Education Contribution Scheme
- HSE – Health Service Executive
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- INC – Indian National Congress
- IRCC – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
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