from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Ho \Ho\, Hoa \Hoa\ (h[=o]), interj. [Cf. F. & G. ho.]
1. Halloo! attend! -- a call to excite attention, or to give
notice of approach. "What noise there, ho?" --Shak. "Ho!
who's within?" --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. [Perhaps corrupted fr. hold; but cf. F. hau stop! and E.
whoa.] Stop! stand still! hold! -- a word now used by
teamsters, but formerly to order the cessation of
anything. [Written also {whoa}, and, formerly, {hoo}.]
[1913 Webster]
The duke . . . pulled out his sword and cried "Hoo!"
--Chaucer.
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An herald on a scaffold made an hoo. --Chaucer.
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