holed up

verbtake refuge

Word Origin & History

Old English hol "orifice, hollow place, cave, perforation," from Proto-Germanic *hul (cf. Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Old High German hol, Middle Dutch hool, Old Norse holr, German hohl "hollow," Gothic us-hulon "to hollow out"), from PIE root *kel- (see cell).

As a contemptuous word for "small dingy lodging or abode" it is attested from 1610s. Meaning "a fix, scrape, mess" is from 1760. Obscene slang use for "vulva" is implied from mid-14c. Hole in the wall "small and unpretentious place" is from 1822; to hole up first recorded 1875. To need (something) like a hole in the head, applied to ...

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Example Sentences for holed up

It wa'n't good for him to be holed up out there in them hills all his life.

I should say it would be safe to assume the Waernu are holed up in Michaels' home.

This mythical Wells gang could have been holed up in the city, too, you know.

He holed up one day, until it really hit him that he couldn't get any more.

Now they are holed up in their strongholds, waiting developments.

Here's ...

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Synonyms for holed up

verb take refuge

More words related to holed up

concealed

adjective. hidden, secret

holed up

Synonyms for holed up

More words related to holed up

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concealed