what ho

English

Interjection

what ho

1. (Commonwealth, UK, Ireland, informal, dated) An exclamation of greeting, summons, or surprise.

   What ho, Frobisher!

   • 1912 February 6 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Androcles and the Lion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act II, page 44:

     What ho, there! All who are within hearing, return without fear. Caesar has tamed the lion.

   • 1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, →OCLC, section I, page 18:

     ‘What ho!’ […] ‘Treasons, strategems and spoils.’