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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.

Holl, Hol, n. See also How n. [ME. holl(e, OE. holl, hol. Cf. Hole n.]

1. a. A hole or excavation in the ground. Also attrib. See also Lime-holl n. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 1118.
Scho sped hyre syne … One to the gret hol of that waste c1475 Wall. v. 1022.
He … In a dyrk holl kest him doun in that sted Ib. xi. 343.
A dern holl furth … thai had To the watter 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 193.
The querriouris … oblist thame … to cast the red behin thame and fill vp the hollis 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. xvii.
Quhen gret wild beists … into hols and bors thame hyd 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 197.
For sand to fill up the holl that the cuikstull was set in 1611 Crim. Trials III. 131.
Taking ane spaid and schule, [he] caist hollis in the sand to have buried him 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 38.
To the fishers for draining the holl at Cramond for fish 1696 Aberd. Chart. 382.
Betwixt the first holl of the links and Garvacks wynd 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 240.
To Jonie Frizill for stoping the holls of the fox and brocksattrib. 1672 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt July 5.
For putting throw ane hich in the new holl erse

b. A hole in a thing, substance, or fabric. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 47.
All the hollis wes stoppit hard 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xlviii.
In the small boris and hollis thairof growis small wormis 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 183.
To caus big … and compleit the sloppis and hollis in … the toun wallis 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 7.
The mys schur ane holl in the boddum of hir purs 1630 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 85.
Under the payne of aucht pennyes for ilk skoire, holl, or blayme that salbe fund in the saids skynnis 1673 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 285.
[Several persons had] made ane holl by tacking out certane of the keystones [of the Tollbooth]

c. A vile place: a prison. (Cf. Brokis-hole.) 1616 Melrose P. 255.
Being innocent, it is a pitty to smother me in this loathsum holle 1643–4 Misc. Spald. C. V. 107.
For enterteaning of the charmerer now in the holl, at 3^d ilk day

2. a. The depth (of winter).Current in 19th c. northern Eng. dial. also of night. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1695.
Thus to the se thai maid thaim bowne In-to the holl of wyntir richt

b. A hollow; a low-lying area. Cf. How n. 1489 Acta Aud. 137/1.
The tak and maling of four ox gang of land with the orchard in the hollis of Arth

c. A hollow part, cavity. c 1420 Liber Calchou 449.
The hart has his clengyng plas vnder the armys that is in the hol of the oxserts

3. The hold of a vessel. Prob. after MDu. and Du. hol in the same sense. Cf. How n. c1475 Wall. ix. 122.
Bathe schip maistir, and the ster man also, In the holl … , he gert thaim go Ib. x. 836.
Be caus thai had no weid, Out of the holl thai tuk skynnys a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 458.
Quhen that the schip was … vndir saile, Foul brow in holl thow preposit for to pas 1513 Doug. v. iii. 95.
Sum deill slaw was sche For that hir holl was of sa hevy tre 1527 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 231.
The inferior part callit the holl of his schip