Hold, hōld, n. the interior cavity of a ship between the floor and the lower deck, used for the cargo. [Dut. hol, a cavity or hole, with excrescent d.]
Hole, hōl, n. a hollow place: a cavity: an opening in a solid body: a pit: a subterfuge: a means of escape: a difficult situation: a scrape: a place of hiding, a mean lodging, a secret room for some disreputable business: (golf) one of the holes, 4 in. in diameter, into which the ball is played, also the distance between any two holes.—v.t. to form holes in: to drive into a hole.—v.i. to go into a hole.—adj. Hole′-and-cor′ner, secret: underhand.—ns. Hōling-axe, a narrow axe for cutting holes in posts; Hōling-pick, a pick used in under-cutting coal.—A hole in one's coat, a stain on a person's reputation; Put a person in a hole, to put him in a position from which he cannot easily extricate himself; Toad in the hole, meat baked in batter, &c. [A.S. hol, a hole, cavern; Dut. hol, Dan. hul, Ger. hohl, hollow; conn. with Gr. koilos, hollow.]
Hole, adj. (Spens.) whole.
Holibut. See Halibut.
Holiday, hol′i-dā, n. a consecrated day: a religious festival: a day for the commemoration of some event: a day of idleness and amusement.—adj. befitting a holiday: cheerful.—Holiday speeches, fine but empty phrases. [Formerly holy day.]
Holla, hol′a, Hollo, Holloa, hol′ō, or hol-lō′, interj. ho, there! attend! (naut.) the usual response to 'Ahoy!'—n. a loud shout.—v.i. to cry loudly to one at a distance. [Fr. holà—ho and là—L. illac, there; the other forms are due to confusion with halloo.]
Holland, hol′and, n. a coarse linen fabric, unbleached or dyed brown, which is used for covering furniture, &c.: (orig.) a fine kind of linen first made in Holland.
Hollander, hol′and-ėr, n. a native of Holland.—adj. Holl′andish.—n. Holl′ands, gin made in Holland.
Hollow, hol′ō, adj. vacant: not solid: containing an empty space: sunken: unsound: insincere.—n. a hole: a cavity: any depression in a body: any vacuity: a groove: a channel.—v.t. to make a hole in: to make hollow by digging: to excavate.—adv. completely: clean.—adjs. Holl′ow-eyed, having sunken eyes; Holl′ow-heart′ed, having a hollow or untrue heart: faithless: treacherous.—adv. Holl′owly (Shak.), in a hollow or insincere manner.—ns. Holl′owness, the state of being hollow: cavity: insincerity: treachery; Holl′ow-ware, trade name for hollow articles of iron, as pots and kettles.—Beat hollow, to beat wholly. [A.S. holh, a hollow place—hol. See Hole.]
Holly, hol′i, n. an evergreen shrub having leathery, shining, and spinous leaves and scarlet or yellow berries, much used for Christmas decorations. [A.S. holegn; cf. W. celyn, Ir. cuileann.]