holly

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Related to holly: mistletoe

hol·ly

(hŏl′ē)

n. pl. hol·lies

a. Any of numerous evergreen or deciduous trees or shrubs of the genus Ilex, especially several species having bright red berries and glossy evergreen leaves with spiny margins. Also called ilex.

b. Branches of these plants, traditionally used for Christmas decoration.

2. Any of various similar or related plants.

[Middle English holin, holi, from Old English holen.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

holly

(ˈhɒlɪ)

n, pl -lies

1. (Plants) any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex, such as the Eurasian I. aquifolium, having bright red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges

2. (Plants) branches of any of these trees, used for Christmas decorations

3. (Plants) holly oak another name for holm oak

[Old English holegn; related to Old Norse hulfr, Old High German hulis, German Hulst, Old Slavonic kolja prick]

Holly

(ˈhɒlɪ)

(Biography) Buddy. real name Charles Harden Holley. 1936–59, US rock-and-roll singer, guitarist, and songwriter. His hits (all 1956–59) include "That'll be the Day", "Maybe Baby", "Peggy Sue", "Oh, Boy", "Think It Over", and "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hol•ly

(ˈhɒl i)

n., pl. -lies.

1. any of numerous trees or shrubs of the genus Ilex, as I. opaca or I. aquifolium, with glossy leaves and red berries.

2. the foliage and berries, used esp. for Christmas decoration.

[before 1150; Middle English holi(e),holyn, Old English hole(g)n, akin to Old Saxon, Old High German hulis, Welsh celyn, Irish cuillean holly]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	holly - any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex having red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges genus Ilex, Ilex - a large genus of dicotyledonous trees and shrubs of the family Aquifoliaceae that have small flowers and berries (including hollies) Ilex decidua, possum haw, winterberry, bearberry - deciduous shrub of southeastern and central United States evergreen winterberry, gallberry, gall-berry, Ilex glabra, inkberry - evergreen holly of eastern North America with oblong leathery leaves and small black berries Ilex paraguariensis, Paraguay tea, mate - South American holly; leaves used in making a drink like tea American holly, Christmas holly - an evergreen tree low gallberry holly - an evergreen shrub tall gallberry holly - an evergreen shrub yaupon holly - an evergreen shrub deciduous holly - a holly tree juneberry holly - a holly shrub largeleaf holly - a holly tree Geogia holly - a holly shrub common winterberry holly - a holly shrub smooth winterberry holly - a holly shrub angiospermous tree, flowering tree - any tree having seeds and ovules contained in the ovary
	2.	Holly - United States rock star (1936-1959) Buddy Holly, Charles Hardin Holley

Translations

شجرة البَهْشِيَّه دائِمَة الخُضْرَهنَبَاتُ شَائِكُ الَأطْراف

cesmína

kristtornkristtjørn

piikkipaatsama

božikovina

magyalkrisztustövis

jólaviîur, kristòyrnir

agrifoglio

セイヨウヒイラギ

호랑가시나무

bugienis

akmeņozols

cezmína

järnek

ต้นฮอลลี่

çoban püskülüdikenli defne

cây nhựa ruồi

冬青冬青树

holly

[ˈhɒlɪ]

A. N → acebo m

B. CPD holly berry N → baya f de acebo
holly tree N → acebo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

holly

[ˈhɒli]

n → houx m
a sprig of holly → un brin de houx

modif
a holly leaf → une feuille de houx
a holly bush → un buisson de houx
a holly berry → une baie de houx

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

holly

(= tree) → Stechpalme f, → Ilex m; holly berry → Stechpalmenfrucht f

(= foliage) → Stechpalme (→ nzweige pl) f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

holly

[ˈhɒlɪ] n (also holly tree) → agrifoglio

holly

(ˈholi) noun

a type of evergreen tree or bush with prickly leaves and red berries.

holly

→ نَبَاتُ شَائِكُ الَأطْراف cesmína kristtorn Stechpalme λιόπρινο acebo piikkipaatsama houx božikovina agrifoglio セイヨウヒイラギ 호랑가시나무 hulst kristtorn ostrokrzew azevinho остролист järnek ต้นฮอลลี่ çoban püskülü cây nhựa ruồi 冬青树

References in classic literature ?

"Mount Holly," the beautiful old Gordon homestead, was a very gay place, overrun by Phil's friends of both sexes.

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Alec, as he left the breakfast table to open the door for a procession of holly, hemlock, and cedar boughs that came marching up the steps.

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For December, and January, and the latter part of November, you must take such things as are green all winter: holly; ivy; bays; juniper; cypress-trees; yew; pine-apple-trees; fir-trees; rosemary; lavender; periwinkle, the white, the purple, and the blue; germander; flags; orangetrees; lemon-trees; and myrtles, if they be stoved; and sweet marjoram, warm set.

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The cans of new milk were unladen in the rain, Tess getting a little shelter from a neighbouring holly tree.

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"And I waited behind the holly to see how they came back.

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They were sombre blues, opaque like a delicately carved bowl in lapis lazuli, and yet with a quivering lustre that suggested the palpitation of mysterious life; there were purples, horrible like raw and putrid flesh, and yet with a glowing, sensual passion that called up vague memories of the Roman Empire of Heliogabalus; there were reds, shrill like the berries of holly -- one thought of Christmas in England, and the snow, the good cheer, and the pleasure of children -- and yet by some magic softened till they had the swooning tenderness of a dove's breast; there were deep yellows that died with an unnatural passion into a green as fragrant as the spring and as pure as the sparkling water of a mountain brook.

View in context

She rose with an ill-favoured smile, and taking a few steps towards a wall of holly that was near at hand, dividing the lawn from a kitchen-garden, said, in a louder voice, 'Come here!' - as if she were calling to some unclean beast.

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A candle stood on the gravel walk, winking a little in the draughts; it threw inconstant sparkles on the clumped holly, struck the light and darkness to and fro like a veil on Alan's features, and sent his shadow hovering behind him.

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He climbed up the stepladder, which creaked under his weight, and began to twist the tough stems of the holly into the frame- work of the chandelier.

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Out in the garden stood a stately snow maiden, crowned with holly, bearing a basket of fruit and flowers in one hand, a great roll of music in the other, a perfect rainbow of an Afghan round her chilly shoulders, and a Christmas carol issuing from her lips on a pink paper streamer.

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The nocturnal adventures of Gurth were not yet concluded; indeed he himself became partly of that mind, when, after passing one or two straggling houses which stood in the outskirts of the village, he found himself in a deep lane, running between two banks overgrown with hazel and holly, while here and there a dwarf oak flung its arms altogether across the path.

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He brought some holly in and decorated the flat, and on Christmas Day he gave small presents to Mildred and the baby.