hollow Hear it!

Jump To: synonymsSynonyms · examplesUsage Examples · quotesQuotes · linkLink/Cite
Also found in: idiomsAH Idiom Dictionary
hollow definition

hol·low (häl′ō)

adjective

  1. having an empty space, or only air, within it; having a cavity inside; not solid
  2. depressed below the surrounding surface; shaped like a cup or bowl; concave
  3. deeply set; sunken hollow cheeks
  4. empty or worthless; not real or meaningful hollow praise
  5. hungry
  6. deep-toned, dull, and muffled, as though resounding from something hollow

Etymology: ME holwe < OE holh: see hole

adverb

in a hollow manner

noun

  1. a hollow formation or place; cavity; hole
  2. a small, sheltered valley

transitive verb, intransitive verb

to make or become hollow

Related Forms:

hollow Idioms

beat all hollow

Informal to outdo or surpass by far

hollow out

to make by hollowing

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms hollow idiom

hollow Synonyms

hollow

modif.

  1. Empty

    vacant, unfilled, void, vain; see empty 1.

  2. Concave

    rounded inward, curving inward, bellshaped, curved, carved out, sunken, depressed, arched, vaulted, cup-shaped, excavated, infundibular, hollowed out, indented, incurved, cupped, cyathiform, incurving, incurvate, troughlike; see also bent, round 3.

    Antonyms convex, raised*, elevated. *

  3. Sounding as though from a cave

    cavernous, echoing, deep, resonant, ghostly, deep-toned, blooming, roaring, rumbling, reverberating, muffled, nonresonant, plangent, dull, resounding, vibrant, muffled, sepulchral, vibrating, low, booming, ringing, clangorous, deep, mute, deep-mouthed, deep-toned, muted, thunderous; see also loud 1.

    Antonyms dead*, mute*, silent. *

  4. False

    flimsy, artificial, unsound; see false 2.

  5. *Hungry

    unsatisfied, ravenous, starved; see hungry. See syn. study at vain.

beat all hollow*

outdo, beat, overcome; see surpass.


hollow

n.

  1. A cavity

    depression, dip, pit; see hole 2.

  2. *A valley

    dale, bowl, basin; see valley. See syn. study at hole.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

hollow Usage Examples

Object

  • chamfer: Single light in east wall with hollowed chamfers, all in yellow freestone.

Preposition: out

  • log: A further current problem on traditional hives is that many are made from hollowed out logs obtained from large trees.

Adjective modifier

  • damp: Redshank chicks can be spotted feeding in the damp grassy hollows left by winter flooding, gorging on the variety of insects.

Modifies a noun

  • chamfer: East wall: splayed window with clear glass except for edges; has an internal hollow chamfer.

Used with adjective complement

  • ring: The usual defense of the royal family is starting to ring hollow: ' they are good for tourism ' .

Noun used with modifier

  • inter-drumlin: Landscape Key Characteristics Rolling drumlins with broad areas of wetland and bog in inter-drumlin hollows; small rounded loughs are fringed by moss.

Modifying Another Word

  • deeply: Deeply hollowed jambs are original, but mullions and tracery renewed.
hollow usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

hollow quotes

Whohathmeasured thewatersinthehollowof hishand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

-Bible (Old Testament)

We are the hollow men We are the stuffed men Leaning together Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!

-Eliot,T(homas) S(tearns)

Mud! Mud! Glorious mud! Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood. So follow me, follow, Down to the hollow, And there let us wallow In glorious mud.

-Flanagan, Bud stage name of Robert Winthrop

hollow quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Link to this page:

Cite this page:

MLA Style

"hollow." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/hollow>

APA Style

hollow. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/hollow

Comments:

Please or Register to post a comment