EtymologyEdit
From earlier holk, from Middle English holken, from holk (“a hollow part, cavity”), see holk. Cognate with Low German holken (“to make hollow, hollow out”).
howk (third-person singular present howks, present participle howkin, past howkit, past participle howkit)
- to dig
- to dig out, uproot
- to mine or quarry
- to dig into, investigate
- to root, burrow (pigs etc)