holian

Old English

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *holōn, related to Old English holh, hol. Cognate with Old High German holōn (“to dig out, excavate”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxo.li.ɑn/, [ˈho.li.ɑn]

Verb

holian

1. to hollow something out, to make something hollow
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project.

     Hī ðā hwæthwega holodon and ðǣrrihte ðæt wæter swā genihtsumlīce ūt flēow ðæt hit arn strēamrynes of ðam munte.

     to make a hole in something

2. to make a hole; dig

Conjugation

Conjugation of holian (weak class 2)

infinitive	holian	holienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	holiġe	holode
second person singular	holast	holodest
third person singular	holaþ	holode
plural	holiaþ	holodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	holiġe	holode
plural	holiġen	holoden
imperative
singular	hola
plural	holiaþ
participle	present	past
	holiende	(ġe)holod

Derived terms

• āholian
• ġeholian
• þurhholian

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *hōlōn, from Proto-Germanic *hōlōną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxoː.li.ɑn/, [ˈhoː.li.ɑn]

Verb

hōlian

1. to oppress
2. to slander
   • 1921, Joseph Bosworth & Thomas Northcote Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, German Lexicon Project.

     Ne sele ðū mē hōliendum mē.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Conjugation

Conjugation of hōlian (weak class 2)

infinitive	hōlian	hōlienne
indicative mood	present tense	past tense
first person singular	hōliġe	hōlode
second person singular	hōlast	hōlodest
third person singular	hōlaþ	hōlode
plural	hōliaþ	hōlodon
subjunctive	present tense	past tense
singular	hōliġe	hōlode
plural	hōliġen	hōloden
imperative
singular	hōla
plural	hōliaþ
participle	present	past
	hōliende	(ġe)hōlod

Related terms

• hōl
• hōltihte
• hōlunga
• hēlan

References

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “holian”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.