holp

English

Etymology

From Middle English holp (first and third person singular past indicative of helpen (“to help”)), from Old English healp (first and third person singular past indicative of helpan (“to help”)), from Proto-Germanic *halp (first and third person singular past indicative of *helpaną (“to help”)). More at help. Cognate with Dutch hielp (“holp”) and German half (“holp”).

Verb

holp

1. (archaic) simple past of help
   • c. 1605-08 William Shakespeare, Coriolanus, Act V scene ii^[1]:

     Thou art my warrior; I holp to frame thee.

   • c. 1610-11 William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act I scene ii^[2]:

     Both, both, my girl. / By foul play, as thou sayest, were we heav'd thence, / But blessedly holp hither.

Anagrams

• hopl-, loph