holt1
/həʊlt
/noun
1The den of an otter.They have built a false otter holt, or den, by the river - its exact location is a carefully kept secret - and there are unconfirmed reports that an otter-like creature has been seen in the location....
- The trust has also built artificial holts in which otters can breed, and encouraged farmers, landowners and the public to do the same.
- Wild bird cover crops, an otter holt and boxes for owls, kestrels and bats all contribute to wildlife diversity.
2 dialect, chiefly North American A grip or hold: if you’re lucky enough to get a holt to an alligator tail...
- He couldn't get a holt on any money, so I told him about the Farmers' Loan
- But the new teacher, very wise, and understanding June's spirit, soon enough found a way to get a holt on the girl's heart strings.
Origin
Late Middle English (in sense 2): variant of hold1.
Rhymes
holt2
/həʊlt/noun archaic or dialect
A wood or wooded hill.Miller also refers to a change in this landscape, presumably after enclosure: ‘The crofts and garths, holms and holts… were no longer known’.
Origin
Old English, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch hout and German Holz, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek klados 'twig'.