hough

plural houghs

1. alternativeAlternative form of hock (“the hollow behind the knee”).

   In the bright light, lightened and cooled in limb, he eyed carefully his black trousers, the ends, the knees, the houghs of the knees.

   1922, James Joyce, Ulysses

2. alternativeAlternative form of hock (“tarsal joint of a digitigrade quadruped”).

present singular third person houghs · participle present houghing · participle past houghed · past houghed

1. alternativeAlternative form of hock (“to hamstring”).

   Far and wide the farms were burnt over their owners’ heads, the growing crops upon the ground; the horses were houghed, the cattle driven off; while of human death and misery there was no end.

   1866, Charles Kingsley, chapter 25, in Hereward the Wake, London: Nelson, page 337

   Synonyms: hamstring, hock, hox

plural houghs

1. obsoleteObsolete spelling of hoe.

present singular third person houghs · participle present houghing · participle past houghed · past houghed

1. archaicArchaic spelling of hoe.

   1748, James Thomson, The Castle of Indolence, K:LV Better the toiling Swain, oh happier far! Perhaps the happieſt of the Sons of Men! Who vigorous plies the Plough, the Team, or Car; Who houghs the Field, or ditches in the Glen, Delves in his Garden, or ſecures his Pen.

plural houghs

1. alternativeAlternative form of hoe.

1. A surname.
2. A village and former civil parish, now in Hough and Chorlton parish, south of Crewe, Cheshire East district, Cheshire, England (OS grid ref SJ7150).
3. A hamlet in Alderley Edge parish, Cheshire East district, Cheshire (OS grid ref SJ8578).
4. A settlement on the island of Tiree, Argyll and Bute council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NL9545).
5. A neighbourhood of Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
6. An unincorporated community in Texas County, Oklahoma, United States.