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Hollow vs Ditch - What's the difference?

hollow | ditch |

In transitive terms the difference between hollow and ditch

is that hollow is to make a hole in something; to excavate while ditch is to throw into a ditch.

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.

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)

    ditch

    English

    Etymology 1

    From earlier deche, from (etyl) dechen, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (es)

    • Noun

    (en-noun)

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) dich, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (es)
  • A trench; a long, shallow indentation, as for irrigation or drainage.
    • Digging ditches has long been considered one of the most demanding forms of manual labor.
    Derived terms
    * ditchdigger * ditch weed * ditcher * ox is in the ditch
    See also
    * fosse * moat

    Verb

  • To discard or abandon.
    • Once the sun came out we ditched our rain-gear and started a campfire.
  • To deliberately crash-land an airplane on the sea.
    • When the second engine failed, the pilot was forced to ditch ; their last location was just south of the Azores.
  • To deliberately not attend classes; to play hookey.
    • The truant officer caught Louise ditching with her friends, and her parents were forced to pay a fine.
  • To dig ditches.
    • Enclosure led to fuller winter employment in hedging and ditching .
  • To dig ditches around.
    • The soldiers ditched the tent to prevent flooding.
  • To throw into a ditch.
    • The engine was ditched and turned on its side.
    Synonyms
    * abandon * discard * dump * jettison * lose * shed * See also