(hôl) noun
1. A passage or corridor in a building.
2. A small room or enclosure at the entry of a house; a vestibule; lobby.
3. A large building or room devoted to public or semipublic business or entertainments.
4. In a university or college, a large building used as a dormitory, classroom building, laboratory, etc.
5. A meeting place for a fraternity or society; also the society itself: Tammany Hall.
6. Brit. A college dining-room; also, the dinner served there.
7. In medieval times, the large main room of a castle or other great house, used for dining, entertaining, and, often, sleeping.
8. The country residence of a baron, squire, etc. See synonyms under HOUSE. ♦ Homophone: haul. [OE heall]

(hôl), Charles Francis,
1821–71, U.S. Arctic explorer.
—G(ranville) Stanley,
1846–1924, U.S. psychologist and editor.