What does "hoy" mean?
A small coaster vessel, usually sloop-rigged, used in conveying passengers and goods, or as a tender to larger vessels in port.
Hoy
/hɔɪ/ intj, name, noun, verb
intj, name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small coaster vessel, usually sloop-rigged, used in conveying passengers and goods, or as a tender to larger vessels in port.
- Grammar: hoy is listed as intj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: barge, boat, canoe, cruiser.
- Useful contrasts: anteriormente, ayer.
- Usage evidence: He sent to Germanie, straunge aid to reare, From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons, whom he for his safetie imployes.
How to use "hoy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hoy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hoy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hoy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hoy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hoy" is acting as intj, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "barge" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "hoy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small coaster vessel, usually sloop-rigged, used in conveying passengers and goods, or as a tender to larger vessels in port.
"He sent to Germanie, straunge aid to reare, From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons, whom he for his safetie imployes."
- 2 Initialism of head of year. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 3 a flatbottom boat for carrying heavy loads (especially on canals) wordnet
Verb
- 1 To incite; to drive onward. transitive
- 2 To throw. Australia, Northumbria
"They grab his duds and his picks as well. They hoy him down to the pit of hell. Down you go and fare ye well. You dirty blackleg miner."
Intj
- 1 Hey! ho!, hallo!, stop!
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 2 An island in south-west Orkney Islands council area, Scotland (OS grid refs HY20, ND29).
- 3 An unincorporated community in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States. countable, uncountable
- 4 A small uninhabited island of the Shetland Islands council area, Scotland (OS grid ref HU3744).
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He sent to Germanie, straunge aid to reare, From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons, whom he for his safetie imployes."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hoy"?
Common synonyms include: barge, boat, canoe, cruiser, en este día, este día.
How do you use "hoy" in a sentence?
He sent to Germanie, straunge aid to reare, From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons, whom he for his safetie imployes.
How do you pronounce "hoy"?
Pronounced /hɔɪ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from German Heu or Dutch gooi.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Dutch hoi, compare ahoy.
Etymology 3
Perhaps related to hoick and hoist.
Etymology 4
Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó hEochaidh (“descendant of Eochaid”).
Etymology 5
From Orkney and Shetland Scots Hoy, from Old Norse há (“high”) + ey (“island”).