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Shallow vs Hollow - What's the difference?

shallow | hollow |

As adjectives the difference between shallow and hollow

is that shallow is having little depth; significantly less deep than wide while hollow is (of something solid) Having an empty space or cavity inside.

As nouns the difference between shallow and hollow

is that shallow is a shallow portion of an otherwise deep body of water while hollow is a small valley between mountains; a low spot surrounded by elevations.

As verbs the difference between shallow and hollow

is that shallow is to make or become less deep while hollow is to make a hole in something; to excavate.

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.

shallow

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide.
    • This crater is relatively shallow .
    Saute the onions in a shallow pan.
  • Extending not far downward.
    • The water is shallow here.
  • Concerned mainly with superficial matters.
    • It was a glamorous but shallow lifestyle.
  • Lacking interest or substance.
    • The acting is good, but the characters are shallow .
  • Not intellectually deep; not penetrating deeply; simple; not wise or knowing.
    • shallow learning
  • * Francis Bacon
    • The king was neither so shallow , nor so ill advertised, as not to perceive the intention of the French king.
  • (obsolete) Not deep in tone.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • the sound perfecter and not so shallow and jarring
  • (tennis) Not far forward, close to the net
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=June 28 , author=Jamie Jackson , title=Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=Rosol spurned the chance to finish off a shallow second serve by spooning into the net, and a wild forehand took the set to 5-4, with the native of Prerov required to hold his serve for victory.}}

    Antonyms

    * deep

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A shallow portion of an otherwise deep body of water.
    • The ship ran aground in an unexpected shallow .
  • * Francis Bacon
    • A swift stream is not heard in the channel, but upon shallows of gravel.
  • * Dryden
    • dashed on the shallows of the moving sand
  • A fish, the rudd.

    • Usage notes

    * Usually used in the plural form.

    See also

    * shoal * sandbar * sandbank

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make or become less deep
  • * {{quote-journal, 2009, date=February 6, Andrew Z. Krug et al., Signature of the End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction in the Modern Biota, Science citation
    • , passage=The shallowing of Cenozoic age-frequency curves from tropics to poles thus appears to reflect the decreasing probability for genera to reach and remain established in progressively higher latitudes ( 9 ). }}

    Anagrams

    *

    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)