hello

alternative UK hullo · alternative UK dated hallo · alternative UK dated hollo · alternative obsolete hilloa

1. A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.

   Hello, everyone.

2. A greeting used when answering the telephone.

   Hello? How may I help you?

   1 more example

   Hello. This is Marsha. ― Yes, Marsha.

   2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

3. A call for response if it is not clear if anyone is present or listening, or if a telephone conversation may have been disconnected.

   Hello? Is anyone there?

   1 more example

   I made a speaking trumpet of my hands and commenced to whoop “Ahoy!” and “Hello!” at the top of my lungs. […] The Colonel woke up, and, after asking what in brimstone was the matter, opened his mouth and roared “Hi!” and “Hello!” like the bull of Bashan.

   1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

4. colloquialUsed sarcastically to imply that the person addressed has done something the speaker considers to be foolish, or missed something that should have been obvious.

   You just tried to start your car with your cell phone. Hello?

   2 more examples

   Dionne: Hello? There was a stop sign. Cher: I totally paused.

   1995, Amy Heckerling, Clueless, spoken by Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash), spoken by Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone)

   Uh, hello? We're using a CANNON to get to the moon? Isn't that, like, dangerous?

   2004, Intelligent Systems, translated by Nintendo of America, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Nintendo, GameCube, level/area: Rogueport

5. UKAn expression of puzzlement or discovery.

   Hello! What’s going on here?

   Synonyms: adzooks, ay, caramba, mirabile dictu, chihuahua, begorra, bleeding heck, bleeding Nora

plural hellos · plural helloes · alternative UK hullo · alternative UK dated hallo · alternative UK dated hollo · alternative obsolete hilloa

1. "Hello!" or an equivalent greeting.

   They gave each other a quick hello when they met, and went back on their merry ways.

   1 more example

   In many new buildings, though, neighbors are venturing beyond tight-lipped hellos at the mailbox.

   2007 April 29, Stephanie Rosenbloom, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC

   Synonyms: greeting

present singular third person hellos · present singular third person helloes · participle present helloing · participle past helloed · past helloed · alternative UK hullo · alternative UK dated hallo · alternative UK dated hollo · alternative obsolete hilloa

1. transitiveTo greet (someone) with "hello".

   He helloes to my daughter:[…]

   1927, Ohio State Engineer, page 18

   3 more examples

   She is there guarding and looking after the candy and the children generally, and she helloes and renders an exclamation that Maidie is crossing the street.

   1891, Records and Briefs in Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of Minnesota, page 227

   ‘Hello Minka! Great to meet you!’ Minka seems nonplussed at what I thought was an uncontroversial opening remark. There’s an awkward pause. She then helloes me back. But that’s all I get.

   2012, Mark Dolan, Do You Mind if I Put My Hand on it?: Journeys into the Worlds of the Weird, HarperCollins, →ISBN

   I had to traipse around somewhat, helloing people and being helloed, before I spotted my mother and my father, sharing shade and a spread blanket with Pete and Marie Reese and Toussaint Rennie near the back of the park.

   2013, Ivan Doig, English Creek, page 139