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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hals, n. Also: als(e, halse, hal(l)is, hause, hawse, hass(e. Plur.: halsis; hals, halis. [e.m.E. and ME. hals, OE. hals, heals, ON. hals.]

1. The neck.Common in the phr. to hang be the hals, see Hang v., Hing v., and in the verse-tag hede and hals, see Hede n. Also to los the hals, to be put to death, see Los v.¹ 3 c (5).(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 627.
Ere and cheik doun in the hals He schare, and of the schuldir als a1400 Leg. S. ii. 271.
Of his hals firste milk out ran Ib. xxxvi. 838.
Thai … gert a basare cum … to strik in twa his als c1420 Wynt. vii. 2872.
Wyth rapys and wethyis abowt thare hals 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 322.
Giffin to the goldsmyth that maid the Kingis cace of gold to were about his hals a1500 Seven S. 1489.
Scho sayd, ‘he … has a fair hals to kis’ 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. I. 300.
Coursouris twelf, … raw silk brechamis ouir thair halsis hingis c1550 Rolland C. Venus I. 141.
Rattilland chenȝeis about his hals so quhite 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 383.
That thai [sc. flescheouris] nather pluk the woll of the hals, or … uther part [of the sheep] 1603 Philotus xxxi.
Ȝour tablet be ȝour hals that hinges(b) a1400 Leg. S. iv. 196.
Thai a rud rape … can ta And band abowte sancte Iames alse 15.. Clar. v. 1875.
With goidin chainȝe about hir halse so quhyte 1596 Dalr. I. 94/10.
Jewalis about thair neck, broches hinging at thair halse(c) a1578 Pitsc. I. 174/16.
Ane great chenȝie of gould about his hallis 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 225.
That the said flescheoures … nother pluk the woll of the halis, wambe, nor vther pairt(d) 1600-1610 Melvill 167.
Giff Mr. James Lawsones head war als grait as a haystak he sould cause it lope from his hause

2. The throat, gullet.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xx. 4.
Fore il of awne or bane That in the hals mony men has tane c1500 Rowll Cursing 52 (M).
Emerides or the sair als [B. hals], The chowkkis, the spynnage in the hals 1513 Doug. ii. xii. 27.
Speke mycht I not, the voce in my hals swa stak 1533 Boece ix. xi. 313 b.
Be the maladyis of ane rewme and cholkis fallin in his hals he was invadit 1535 Stewart 40624.
The breid … in his hals … stak so fast 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxxviii. 34.
Thow … begylit vs with baitis in our hals 1590 R. Bruce Serm. 12.
Is it possible that my drouth can be slokened with that drinke that passed never over my halse?(b) 1647 Durham Univ. J. XXXIV. 64.
She was Johne Giffanes wyfes death … by putting the wirlle wind in her hasse 1682 Lauder Observes 305.
He … willing to have swallowed it down, … bot … it passed not, … one part of it hindering another, fighting in his hasse a1689 Cleland Poems 22.
He got of beer a full bowl glass Which got bad passage at his hasse

3. transf. A narrow place; a ‘narrow’ or ‘neck’ of land or water; an isthmus, narrow inlet, or defile. c1475 Wall. vii. 808.
Throuch out the moss delyuerly thai ȝeid, Syne tuk the hals, quharoff thai had most dreid 1513 Doug. I. iv. 8.
Ane havyn place with a lang hals or entre Thar is, with ane ile enveronyt on athir part 1531 Bell. Boece I. xxvii.
Nidisdaill … beginis with ane narow and strait hals Ib. xxxi.
Lorn, quhilk … lyis in maner of ane toung … with ane lang hals 1533 Boece vi. vii. 198.
Entering at the hals of the strenth Ib. ix. xii. 137 b.
The hals and stratis of Anandale

4. To hald in (also, by) the hals, to have in one's power or at one's mercy. a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 524.]
[In hyr bed he can hyre our-ta, … & held hyr sa fast in the hals, That [etc.] a1568 Scott xxiii. 23.
Hir fenȝeit wordis fals … held me in the hals, To lufe vnluvit agane 1584 Sat. P. xlv. 783.
With mony flattering taill and fals He held that bischop in the hals 1580-92 James VI Lusus R. 36.
Faire & false tormentis me thus, & haldis me by the halse 1616 Hart Pref. to Bruce (1620) 14 (J).
Edward had … long time holden them in the hals, upon vain hope of the kingdome

Also absol. 1603 Philotus 683.
O sex vncertane, ... With honie lips to hald in hals

5. Attrib., in sense 1, with armosie taffiteis, band, bedis, cheinze, claith, peirl, ribbane. a1500 Henr. III. 103/28.
Hir hals ribbane of rewth 1550 Treas. Acc. IX. 452.
For hals bedis … and certane uthir gagis a1568 Bann. MS. 228 b/51.
Hir hals peirlis of pudicitie 1567 Fleming Q. Mary 508.
Of quhyte hals armosie taffiteis vj elnis a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. ii. 36.
Thair collaris, carcattis, and hals beiddis 1591 Crim. Trials I. 253.
Ane bairnis aiproune and halsclaith 1594 Treas. Acc. 143 b.
Fyne small holane clayth to be hals claythis 1603 Philotus xxviii.
Of Parreis wark … Ȝour fyne hals-cheinȝeis ȝe sall haue 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II. 323.
A musquet ball, which entered at his halsband, grazed up the foirpart of his scull

6. a. The neck of a vessel. 1543-4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 115.
That all nychtbures ... haif stowppis of mesour with tawponis in the hals

b. The narrow neck-like part of an axle. c 1630 Montrose Treas. Acc. MS.
For naills to the halls of the extrie [of the wind-mill]