Etymology: Old English hálga , definite form of hálig, adjective, holy (se hálga , seo hálge , the holy (man, woman), þa hálgan the holy ones), used at length as an ordinary weak noun. (Compare German der heilige , die heiligen , Latin sanctus , Italian santo , French saint .) The -en plural was retained in the south during the Middle English period, while halwes appeared in the midlands and north before 1300. In the radical form hálig , the á became regularly ō , and the ig became -y ; but in hálga the consonant group caused shortening of the á to a , and the g before a back-vowel produced w , between which and the l was developed o , as in arrow , widow , etc. Compare hallow v.¹

Etymology: < hallow v.² Often identified in spelling with halloo v., although pronounced with stress on first syllable.

Etymology: probably the same word as hallow n.², transferred to the material encouragement given to the hounds.

Etymology: Old English hálgian , -ode , = Old Saxon hêlagôn (Middle Dutch hēligen , heiligen ), Old High German heilagôn (German heiligen ), Old Norse helga (Swedish helga , Danish hellige ), Common Germanic derivative of hailag- holy adj. and n. For the Middle English shortening of the á to a , see hallow n.¹

Etymology: Middle English halow-en, corresponding to and probably < Old French hallo-er to pursue crying or shouting.

Etymology: apparently a variant of hollo interj., influenced by hallow v.², hallow n.²