I. ˈhä-(ˌ)lō noun
Etymology: Middle English holw, holh, from Old English holh hole, hollow — more at hole
Date: before 12th century
1. : an unfilled space : cavity , hole
2. : a depressed or low part of a surface ; especially : a small valley or basin
II. adjective
( hol·low·er ˈhä-lə-wər ; hol·low·est -lə-wəst)
Etymology: Middle English holw, holh, from holh hole
Date: 13th century
1. : having an indentation or inward curve : concave , sunken
2. : having a cavity within
a hollow tree
3. : lacking in real value, sincerity, or substance : false , meaningless
hollow promises
a victory over a weakling is hollow and without triumph — Ernest Beaglehole
4. : reverberating like a sound made in or by beating on a large empty enclosure : muffled
Synonyms: see vain
• hol·low·ly ˈhä-lō-lē, -lə-lē adverb
• hol·low·ness noun
III. verb
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1. : to make hollow
2. : to form by a hollowing action — usually used with out
rain barrels hollow ed out from trees — Robert Shaplen
intransitive verb
: to become hollow
IV. adverb
Date: 1601
1. : so as to have a hollow sound
2. : completely , thoroughly
an ongoing story that has the old cowboy-and-Indians genre beat hollow — Barbara Bannon
— often used with all