Hollow vs Cove - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between hollow and cove

is that hollow is a small valley between mountains; a low spot surrounded by elevations while cove is a hollow in a rock; a cave or cavern.

As verbs the difference between hollow and cove

is that hollow is to make a hole in something; to excavate while cove is to arch over; to build in a hollow concave form; to make in the form of a cove.

As an adjective hollow

is (of something solid) Having an empty space or cavity inside.

As an adverb hollow

is completely, as part of the phrase beat hollow or beat all hollow.

As an interjection hollow

is alternative form of lang=en.

As a proper noun Cove is

a town in Arkansas.

hollow

English

Alternative forms

* holler

Etymology 1

(etyl) holw, holh, from (etyl) . More at cave.

Adjective

(er)

(of something solid) Having an empty space or cavity inside.

a hollow''' tree; a '''hollow sphere

(of a sound) Distant]], eerie; echoing, [[reverberate, reverberating, as if in a hollow space; dull, muffled; often low-pitched.

a hollow moan

(Dryden)

(figuratively) Without substance; having no real or significant worth; meaningless.

a hollow victory

(figuratively) Insincere, devoid of validity; specious.

a hollow promise

Depressed; concave; gaunt; sunken.

* Shakespeare

With hollow eye and wrinkled brow.

Derived terms

* hollow leg

Adverb

(-)

(colloquial) Completely, as part of the phrase beat hollow or beat all hollow.

Etymology 2

(etyl) holow, earlier holgh, from (etyl) . See above.

Noun

(en noun)

A small valley between mountains; a low spot surrounded by elevations.

* Prior

Forests grew upon the barren hollows .

* Tennyson

I hate the dreadful hollow behind the little wood.

He built himself a cabin in a hollow high up in the Rockies.

A sunken area or unfilled space in something solid; a cavity, natural or artificial.

the hollow of the hand or of a tree

(US) A sunken area.

(figuratively) A feeling of emptiness.

a hollow in the pit of one's stomach

Verb

(en verb)

to make a hole in something; to excavate (transitive)

Etymology 3

Compare holler.

Verb

(en verb)

To urge or call by shouting; to hollo.

* Sir Walter Scott

He has hollowed the hounds.

Interjection

(en interjection)

(Webster 1913)

cove

English

(wikipedia cove)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) cofa, from (etyl) . Cognate with German Koben, Swedish kofva. This word has probably survived as long as it has due to its coincidental phonetic resemblence to the unrelated word "cave".

Noun

(en noun)

(architecture) A concave vault or archway, especially the arch of a ceiling.

A small coastal inlet, especially one having high cliffs protecting vessels from prevailing winds.

* Holland

vessels which were in readiness for him within secret coves and nooks

(US) A strip of prairie extending into woodland.

A recess or sheltered area on the slopes of a mountain.

(nautical) The wooden roof of the stern gallery of an old sailing warship.

(nautical) A thin line, sometimes gilded, along a yacht's strake below deck level.

Verb

(cov)

(architecture) To arch over; to build in a hollow concave form; to make in the form of a cove.

* H. Swinburne

The mosques and other buildings of the Arabians are rounded into domes and coved roofs.

Etymology 2

From (etyl) . Perhaps change in consonants due to lower class th-fronting.

Noun

(en noun)

(British) A fellow; a man.

(Australia) A friend; a mate.

Derived terms

* Abram cove * badge-cove * bang up cove

Etymology 3

Compare (etyl) couver, (etyl) covare. See covey.

Verb

(cov)

To brood, cover, over, or sit over, as birds their eggs.

* Holland

Not being able to cove or sit upon them [eggs], she [the female tortoise] bestoweth them in the gravel.

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