How Do You Spell HOE?

Pronunciation: [hˈə͡ʊ] (IPA)

The word "hoe" is spelled with the silent "e" at the end, which changes the pronunciation of the "o" from its typical short sound to a long sound. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is written as /hoʊ/. The "o" is pronounced with a long "o" sound as in the word "toe," while the "e" is not pronounced at all. The word "hoe" is often used to refer to a gardening tool used for cultivating soil, and is sometimes spelled differently in other English-speaking countries, such as "ho" in British English.

HOE Meaning and Definition

  1. Noun: Hoe (hō)

    1. A long-handled garden tool with a thin, flat blade set transversely at a right angle to the handle, used for loosening soil, weeding, and cultivating plants.

    2. Slang: A derogatory term used to refer to a promiscuous woman or prostitute, particularly in African American Vernacular English.

    Verb: Hoe (hō)

    3. To use a hoe tool to cultivate, till, or dig the soil, typically in a garden or field.

    4. Slang: To engage in casual or promiscuous sexual activities; to have multiple sexual partners with little emotional attachment or commitment.

    Originating in Old English as "hāwa," the noun form of "hoe" primarily refers to a common gardening tool used for preparing soil and removing weeds or unwanted plants. These tools typically consist of a flat blade attached at a right angle to a long handle, allowing the user to push or pull it through the ground. Hoes are essential for loosening compacted soil, leveling surfaces, or creating furrows for planting.

    However, in contemporary slang, the noun "hoe" has taken on a derogatory connotation. It is used to devalue or insult women, often implying a lack of sexual morals or promiscuous behavior. This usage is considered offensive and disrespectful.

    As a verb, "to hoe" describes the act of using a hoe tool for cultivating or tilling the soil. Additionally, in colloquial language, the verb "to hoe" has also become slang for engaging in casual sexual relationships without emotional commitment or a monogamous partnership.

  2. • A common garden or field tool.
    • To dig or cleanse with a hoe; to clean from weeds.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for HOE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for HOE

Etymology of HOE

The word "hoe" has a few different etymological origins, depending on its specific usage:

1. As a gardening tool: The word "hoe" for a gardening tool is derived from the Old English word "hāwan", which means "to cut, hack, or hew". This Old English term was used to describe a tool for breaking up the earth or cutting roots in farming or gardening.

2. As a derogatory term: The word "hoe" used as a derogatory term for a promiscuous person, particularly a woman, has its origins in African American Vernacular English (AAVE). It is believed to derive from the word "ho", which itself is a shortening of "whore" or "prostitute". In AAVE, "hoe" has evolved to become a slang term used to refer to someone who is perceived as sexually promiscuous.

Idioms with the word HOE

  • hoe one's own row The idiom "hoe one's own row" means to mind one's own business or to attend to one's own responsibilities without interfering in the affairs of others. It suggests focusing on personal tasks or duties rather than getting involved in other people's matters.
  • a tough row to hoe The idiom "a tough row to hoe" means to have a difficult or challenging task or situation to deal with. It originates from agriculture, where a row to hoe refers to a line of prepared soil for planting crops. These rows can be physically demanding to cultivate, requiring strength and effort. Therefore, when someone says they have a tough row to hoe, they mean they have a difficult path ahead that will demand much effort and perseverance.
  • tough row to hoe The idiom "tough row to hoe" means a difficult or challenging task, situation, or responsibility. It refers to the demanding and labor-intensive work of cultivating crops by manually breaking up the soil, removing weeds, and preparing it for planting, metaphorically indicating a significant challenge that requires perseverance, effort, and determination to overcome.
  • a hard row to hoe The idiom "a hard row to hoe" means having a difficult task or a challenging situation to deal with. It is often used to describe a situation that requires significant effort, perseverance, or struggle to overcome.
  • a hard/tough row to hoe The idiom "a hard/tough row to hoe" is a metaphorical expression that means facing difficult or challenging tasks or problems that require a great deal of effort, perseverance, and resilience to overcome. It refers to the arduous and laborious task of manually cultivating or digging a field, highlighting the tough and demanding nature of the challenge at hand.
  • hard row to hoe The idiom "hard row to hoe" means that one has a difficult and challenging task or situation to deal with. It originates from the practice of farming, where a row that is tough or filled with obstacles, such as rocks or weeds, requires more effort and perseverance from the farmer to cultivate. Thus, the idiom implies that a person is faced with a particularly tough or demanding path that requires considerable effort and resilience to overcome.
  • a long row to hoe The idiom "a long row to hoe" typically means having a difficult or challenging task ahead or having a lot of work to do. It originated from the physical labor of farming, where tilling and cultivating fields required hard work and perseverance to complete long rows. Therefore, the idiom implies that the situation at hand will require significant effort, time, and dedication to accomplish.
  • a hard (or tough) row to hoe The idiom "a hard (or tough) row to hoe" is used to describe a situation or task that is challenging, difficult, or requires a lot of effort and perseverance. It originates from farming, specifically the laborious task of hoeing rows in a field to prepare them for planting crops.
  • hoe A hoe is a slang term that is often used to refer to a promiscuous or sexually promiscuous person, especially a woman.

Similar spelling words for HOE

Plural form of HOE is HOES

Conjugate verb Hoe

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have hoed
you would have hoed
he/she/it would have hoed
we would have hoed
they would have hoed
I would have hoe
you would have hoe
he/she/it would have hoe
we would have hoe
they would have hoe

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been hoing
you would have been hoing
he/she/it would have been hoing
we would have been hoing
they would have been hoing

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would hoe
you would hoe
he/she/it would hoe
we would hoe
they would hoe

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be hoing
you would be hoing
he/she/it would be hoing
we would be hoing
they would be hoing

FUTURE

I will hoe
you will hoe
he/she/it will hoe
we will hoe
they will hoe

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be hoing
you will be hoing
he/she/it will be hoing
we will be hoing
they will be hoing

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have hoed
you will have hoed
he/she/it will have hoed
we will have hoed
they will have hoed

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been hoing
you will have been hoing
he/she/it will have been hoing
we will have been hoing
they will have been hoing

IMPERATIVE

you hoe
we let´s hoe

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to hoe

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was hoing
you were hoing
he/she/it was hoing
we were hoing
they were hoing

PAST PARTICIPLE

hoed

PAST PERFECT

I had hoed
you had hoed
he/she/it had hoed
we had hoed
they had hoed

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been hoing
you had been hoing
he/she/it had been hoing
we had been hoing
they had been hoing

PRESENT

I hoe
you hoe
he/she/it hoes
we hoe
they hoe

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am hoing
you are hoing
he/she/it is hoing
we are hoing
they are hoing

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

hoing

PRESENT PERFECT

I have hoed
you have hoed
he/she/it has hoed
we have hoed
they have hoed

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been hoing
you have been hoing
he/she/it has been hoing
we have been hoing
they have been hoing

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it hoe

SIMPLE PAST

I hoed
you hoed
he/she/it hoed
we hoed
they hoed

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