Hollow

- 12 dictionary results

hol⋅low

[hol-oh]

adjective, -er, -est, noun, verb, adverb

–adjective

1.	having a space or cavity inside; not solid; empty: a hollow sphere.

2.	having a depression or concavity: a hollow surface.

3.	sunken, as the cheeks or eyes.

4.	(of sound) not resonant; dull, muffled, or deep: a hollow voice.

5.	without real or significant worth; meaningless: a hollow victory.

6.	insincere or false: hollow compliments.

7.	hungry; having an empty feeling: I feel absolutely hollow, so let's eat.

–noun

8.	an empty space within anything; a hole, depression, or cavity.

9.	a valley: They took the sheep to graze in the hollow.

10.	Foundry. a concavity connecting two surfaces otherwise intersecting at an obtuse angle.

–verb (used with object)

11.	to make hollow (often fol. by out): to hollow out a log.

12.	to form by making something hollow (often fol. by out): to hollow a place in the sand; boats hollowed out of logs.

–verb (used without object)

13.	to become hollow.

–adverb

14.	in a hollow manner: The politician's accusations rang hollow.

—Idiom

15.	beat all hollow, to surpass or outdo completely: His performance beat the others all hollow. Also, beat hollow.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME holw(e), holow, OE holh a hollow place; akin to hole

Related forms:

hol⋅low⋅ly, adverb

hol⋅low⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
5. vain, empty, futile, pointless.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To Hollow

hol·low (hŏl'ō)

adj. hol·low·er, hol·low·est

Having a cavity, gap, or space within: a hollow wall.
Deeply indented or concave; sunken: "His bearded face already has a set, hollow look" (Conor Cruise O'Brien).
Without substance or character: a hollow person. See Synonyms at vain.
Devoid of truth or validity; specious: "Theirs is at best a hollow form of flattery" (Annalyn Swan).
Having a reverberating, sepulchral sound: hollow footsteps.

A cavity, gap, or space: a hollow behind a wall.
An indented or concave surface or area.
A void; an emptiness: a hollow in one's life.
A small valley between mountains.

v. hol·lowed, hol·low·ing, hol·lows

v. tr.

To make hollow: hollow out a pumpkin.
To scoop or form by making concave: hollow out a nest in the sand.

v. intr.
To become hollow or empty.

[Middle English holwe, holowe, from holgh, hole, burrow (influenced by hole, hollow), from Old English holh; see kel-¹ in Indo-European roots.]
hol'low·ly adv., hol'low·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Hollow

Hol"low\, a. [OE. holow, holgh, holf, AS. holh a hollow, hole. Cf. Hole.]

1. Having an empty space or cavity, natural or artificial, within a solid substance; not solid; excavated in the interior; as, a hollow tree; a hollow sphere.

Hollow with boards shalt thou make it. --Ex. xxvii. 8.

2. Depressed; concave; gaunt; sunken.

With hollow eye and wrinkled brow. --Shak.

3. Reverberated from a cavity, or resembling such a sound; deep; muffled; as, a hollow roar. --Dryden.

4. Not sincere or faithful; false; deceitful; not sound; as, a hollow heart; a hollow friend. --Milton.

Hollow newel (Arch.), an opening in the center of a winding staircase in place of a newel post, the stairs being supported by the wall; an open newel; also, the stringpiece or rail winding around the well of such a staircase.

Hollow quoin (Engin.), a pier of stone or brick made behind the lock gates of a canal, and containing a hollow or recess to receive the ends of the gates.

Hollow root. (Bot.) See Moschatel.

Hollow square. See Square.

Hollow ware, hollow vessels; -- a trade name for cast-iron kitchen utensils, earthenware, etc.

Syn: Syn.- Concave; sunken; low; vacant; empty; void; false; faithless; deceitful; treacherous.

Hollow

Hol"low\, n. 1. A cavity, natural or artificial; an unfilled space within anything; a hole, a cavern; an excavation; as the hollow of the hand or of a tree.

2. A low spot surrounded by elevations; a depressed part of a surface; a concavity; a channel.

Forests grew Upon the barren hollows. --Prior.

I hate the dreadful hollow behind the little wood. --Tennyson.

Hollow

Hol"low\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hollowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Hollowing.] To make hollow, as by digging, cutting, or engraving; to excavate. "Trees rudely hollowed." --Dryden.

Hollow

Hol"low\, adv. Wholly; completely; utterly; -- chiefly after the verb to beat, and often with all; as, this story beats the other all hollow. See All, adv. [Collog.]

The more civilized so-called Caucasian races have beaten the Turks hollow in the struggle for existence. --Darwin.

Hollow

Hol*low"\, interj. [See Hollo.] Hollo.

Hollow

Hol"low\, v. i. To shout; to hollo.

Whisperings and hollowings are alike to a deaf ear. --Fuller.

Hollow

Hol"low\, v. t. To urge or call by shouting.

He has hollowed the hounds. --Sir W. Scott.

Language Translation for : Hollow

Spanish: hueco,

German: hohl,

Japanese: 中空の

More Translations »

hollow (adj.)

O.E. holh (n.) "hollow place, hole," from P.Gmc. *holhwo-, related to hol "hole" (see hole). The noun sense of "lowland, valley, basin" is 1553. The verb is from M.E. holowen. The figurative sense of "insincere" is attested from 1529. To carry it hollow "take it completely" is first recorded 1668, of unknown origin or connection.

Main Entry: hol·low
Pronunciation: 'häl-(")O, -&(-w)
Function: noun
: a depressed part of a surface or a concavity hollow atthe back of the knee>

hollow

see beat the pants off (hollow).

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