Ho \Ho\, Hoa \Hoa\ (h[=o]), interj. [Cf. F. & G. ho.]
1. Halloo! attend! -- a call to excite attention, or to give
notice of approach. ``What noise there, ho?'' --Shak.
``Ho! who's within?'' --Shak.
2. [Perhaps corrupted fr. hold; but cf. F. hau stop! and E.
whoa.]
Stop! stand still! hold! -- a word now used by
teamsters, but formerly to order the cessation of
anything. [Written also whoa, and, formerly, hoo.]
The duke . . . pulled out his sword and cried
``Hoo!'' --Chaucer.
An herald on a scaffold made an hoo. --Chaucer.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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