all hollow

obsolete A premeditated or foregone result or circumstance. Many considered his defeat to be all hollow, as he never had a real chance from the outset. The company is certainly in a very precarious position, as bankruptcy seems all hollow now. After how poorly the team has played so far this season, it's all hollow that they won't make it to the championship.

beat (one) hollow

To defeat an opponent easily or by a wide margin. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. The final score was 17–1? Wow, we really beat that team hollow! As predicted, that candidate dominated in the election and beat her opponent hollow. The young team's inexperience showed on the field today, as the veteran squad beat them hollow.

beat (someone or something) all hollow

To totally outdo or defeat (someone or something). Primarily heard in UK, Australia. A: "Did you guys win today?" B: "We sure did! We beat them all hollow: 10-0!" I worked so hard on this project and beat it all hollow—everyone else's looked so bad compared to mine! The young team's inexperience showed on the field today, as the veteran squad beat them all hollow.

have a false ring

To seem or sound false, insincere, inauthentic, or deceitful. I personally think that their reasoning has a false ring to it. The actor's vacuous, overblown performance is sure to have a false ring for anyone who grew up in that part of the country. I know she's not sorry about what happened, that's why her apology had a false ring to me.

have a hollow leg

To be able to consume a larger amount of food or drink (especially alcohol) than is typical. Also seen as "have hollow legs." The steakhouse, known for its huge portions, is introducing a number of smaller menu items for those who don't have a hollow leg. The way she drinks on a night out, you'd swear she has a hollow leg. Lou must have a hollow leg because I know how much he's had to drink tonight, and I would be absolutely bombed by now.

have a hollow ring

To seem or sound false, insincere, inauthentic, or deceitful. I personally think that their reasoning has a hollow ring to it. The actor's vacuous, overblown performance is sure to have a hollow ring for anyone who grew up in that part of the country. Her apology totally had a hollow ring to me. Come on, she's not sorry about what she did, she's just sorry she got caught!

have hollow legs

To be able to consume a larger amount of food or drink (especially alcohol) than is typical. Also seen as "have a hollow leg." The steakhouse, known for its huge portions, is introducing a number of smaller menu items for those who don't have hollow legs. The way she drinks on a night out, you'd swear she has hollow legs. Lou must have hollow legs because I know how much he's had to drink tonight, and I would be absolutely bombed by now.

hollow gesture

Some action or effort that is insincere or disingenuous. You tell me reach out to you, but it feels like a hollow gesture because you never return my calls! Look, volunteering is a hollow gesture if you're just counting the minutes till you can leave! If you don't ever follow through on your offer, it's going to seem like a hollow gesture.

hollow leg(s)

The ability to consume a larger amount of food or drink (especially alcohol) than is typical. The steakhouse, known for its huge portions, is introducing a number of smaller menu items for those who don't have a hollow leg. The way she drinks on a night out, you'd swear she has hollow legs. Lou must have a hollow leg because I know how much he's had to drink tonight, and I would be absolutely bombed by now.

hollow out

1. To create a cavity, gap, or space within something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hollow" and "out." The criminals hollowed out a tree and stashed the stolen cash inside. We need to hollow the pumpkin out before we can carve a face on it. Look! I hollowed out this old hardcover book, and now we can hide stuff in here!

2. To form something by making a hollow space (within something else). A noun or pronoun can be used between "hollow" and "out." The bird hollows out a nest in the side of the cliff. My brother and I hollowed a space out in the log where we could keep our various treasures and discoveries. That darn dog has hollowed out holes all over the backyard. Keep him away from my garden!

3. To cause someone to feel devoid of purpose, happiness, contentment, ebullience, etc. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hollow" and "out." I had always said I would never get a job in some heartless corporate machine that hollows out its employees into passionless husks. My divorce really hollowed me out for a while, leaving me wondering what the point of it all really was. Depression is so insidious. It starts to hollow you out before you're even fully aware of what's happening.

4. To weaken or diminish something by removing large portions of it. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hollow" and "out." The new owners hollowed the company out almost as soon as it was purchased, reducing it to a skeleton operation once its valuable intellectual property had been obtained. Many feel that the current economy is effectively hollowing out the middle class, leaving only people above it or below it. The stock market crash really hollowed out my savings account.

5. To cause a country's industrial or manufacturing sector to weaken or deteriorate by using the facilities of less expensive, less developed foreign nations. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hollow" and "out"; typically used in passive constructions. Once a titan of commercial manufacturing, the country is being hollowed out by the increase in readily available factories and inexpensive workforce overseas. Labor is cheaper in these small, developing nations, and our country has been hollowed out as a result You've got a workforce right here at home, so quit hollowing out our industries!

in the hollow of (one's) hand

Under one's total influence, domination, or control. Often used in the blessing "May God hold/keep you in the hollow of His hand." At this point in history, these four men held the entirety of Europe in the hollow of their hands. She now has the entire company in the hollow of her hand. We are all sending our thoughts and prayers to you and your family during this tragic time. May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

ring false

To seem or sound false, insincere, inauthentic, or deceitful. (Much less common than the opposite, "ring true.") I personally think that their reasoning rings a bit false. The actor's vacuous, overblown performance is sure to ring false for anyone who grew up in that part of the country.

ring hollow

To sound or give the sense of being false, insincere, or not genuine. The statements that followed made her apology ring hollow. The dialogue in the film rings hollow—no one talks like that in real life.

hollow something out

to make the inside of something hollow. Martha hollowed the book out and put her money inside. She hollowed out a book.

to have a hollow leg

Fig. to have a great capacity or need for food or drink. Bobby can drink more beer than I can afford. I think he has a hollow leg!

beat hollow

see under beat the pants off.

beat the pants off

Also, beat hollow. Win decisively over someone, outdo. For example, When it comes to the Patriots' Day parade, Lexington beats the pants off the neighboring towns , or This beer beats the other brands hollow. Both phrases use beat in the sense of "surpass." Pants off has served as an intensifier since about 1930; the variant dates from about 1775.

ring false

Also, have a false or hollow ring ; strike a false note. Seem wrong or deceitful, as in Her denial rings false-I'm sure she was there when it happened, or His good wishes always seem to have a hollow ring, or Carol's congratulatory phone call really struck a false note. Ring false and the antonym, ring true, which means "seem genuine," allude to the old practice of judging a coin genuine or fake by the sound it gives out when tapped. This practice became obsolete when coins ceased to be made of precious metals, but by then the idioms were being used to refer to other matters. [Mid-1800s]

beat someone hollow

BRITISH

If you beat someone hollow, you defeat them completely. Radio's attempts at horror are generally beaten hollow by the terrifying capabilities of cinema. If she hadn't been wearing high-heeled shoes, she would have beaten him hollow.

ring hollow

sound hollow

COMMON If a statement or promise rings hollow or sounds hollow, it does not seem true or sincere. Now the promise of a long, secure career rings hollow, employers must find new ways to attract staff. Official claims that the two countries are close friends sound increasingly hollow. Note: You can also say that a statement or promise has a hollow ring. The Government's claim to be making record investments in railways has a very hollow ring. Compare with ring true. Note: The idea is of an object that is meant to be solid making a loud noise when struck, indicating that it is weaker or cheaper than it was believed to be.

beat the pants off

prove to be vastly superior to. informal

1990 Paul Auster The Music of Chance ‘Not bad, kid,’ Nashe said. ‘You beat the pants off me.’

beat someone hollow

defeat or surpass someone completely or thoroughly.

hollow legs

a large capacity for drinking alcohol without getting drunk, or for eating without becoming sated. humorous

in the hollow of your hand

entirely in your power.

beat somebody/something ˈhollow

beat somebody easily in a contest, etc.; be much better than somebody/something: As a cook he beats the professionals hollow.

See also: beat, hollow, somebody, something

ring ˈtrue/ˈfalse/ˈhollow

seem true/false/insincere: What you’ve said about Jim just doesn’t ring true. Are we talking about the same person? ♢ His apology rings a little hollow.