hollow Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a cavity or space in something
    • hunger had caused the hollows in their cheeks
  2. noun a small valley between mountains
    holler.
    • he built himself a cabin in a hollow high up in the Appalachians
  3. noun a depression hollowed out of solid matter
    hole.
  4. verb remove the inner part or the core of
    dig; excavate.
    • the mining company wants to excavate the hillside
  5. verb remove the interior of
    hollow out; core out.
    • hollow out a tree trunk
  6. adjective not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
    • a hollow wall
    • a hollow tree
    • hollow cheeks
    • his face became gaunter and more hollow with each year
  7. adjective satellite as if echoing in a hollow space
    • the hollow sound of footsteps in the empty ballroom
  8. adjective satellite devoid of significance or point
    vacuous; empty.
    • empty promises
    • a hollow victory
    • vacuous comments

WordNet

Hol"low adjective
Etymology
OE. holow, holgh, holf, AS. holh a hollow, hole. Cf. Hole.
Definitions
  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. Syn.- Concave; sunken; low; vacant; empty; void; false; faithless; deceitful; treacherous.
Hol"low noun
Definitions
  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.
Hol"low transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Hollowed ; present participle & verbal noun Hollowing
Definitions
  1. To make hollow, as by digging, cutting, or engraving; to excavate. "Trees rudely hollowed." Dryden.
Hol"low adverb
Definitions
  1. 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.
Hol*low" interjection
Etymology
See Hollo.
Definitions
  1. Hollo.
Hol"low intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To shout; to hollo.
    Whisperings and hollowings are alike to a deaf ear. Fuller.
Hol"low transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To urge or call by shouting.
    He has hollowed the hounds. Sir W. Scott.

Webster 1913