holt

¹ American  

[hohlt] / hoʊlt /

noun

Archaic.

1. a wood or grove.

2. a wooded hill.

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Holt ² American  

[hohlt] / hoʊlt /

noun

1. Harold Edward, 1908–67, Australian political leader: prime minister 1966–67.

2. a town in central Michigan.

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Holt ¹ British  

/ həʊlt /

noun

1. Harold Edward. 1908–67, Australian statesman; prime minister (1966–67); believed drowned

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holt ² British  

/ həʊlt /

noun

1. archaic a wood or wooded hill

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holt ³ British  

/ həʊlt /

noun

1. the burrowed lair of an animal, esp an otter

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Etymology

Origin of holt

before 900; Middle English holte, Old English holt; cognate with Dutch hout, Old Norse holt, German Holz wood; akin to Greek kládos twig ( see clado-), Old Irish caill wood

Example Sentences

In the zoo's otter holt two vulnerable Asian short-clawed otter pups were born last month to mother Midge and father Siyam.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2025

It didn’t take but a second for me to see that what was grabbing holt of me was what Ma use to call the green-eye monster.

From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis

The sheriff said, “He ain’t trying nothing, Petey. You remember what I said; we’s all got a job here and yourn ain’t nothing but to holt on to them reins.”

From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis

He run through the cars and grab holt of me before my head tole my feet to run.

From "Girls Like Us" by Gail Giles

He had the look ’bout him of one ’em kittens whose mother had bit holt of the scruff of its neck and was walking ’round with it swaying from one side to the ’nother.

From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis