hollar
tread on
Definition & meaning
Hollar is a Spanish verb meaning to tread on, step on, or trample something, often leaving a mark or pressing it down. It can also be used figuratively to mean to violate, profane, or dishonor something, such as a right, a sacred place, or someone’s memory.
- Literal: hollar la hierba — to tread on the grass.
- Figurative: hollar un derecho — to violate a right.
The h is silent. In many Spanish-speaking regions, hollar and hallar (“to find”) sound alike, but they have different spellings and meanings.
Grammar & Word origin
Hollar is a transitive, regular -ar verb. Its present-tense forms include yo hollo, tú hollas, and él/ella holla. It has no meaningful parts that can be separated in modern Spanish.
It comes from Latin fullāre, meaning “to press or tread,” especially in the working of wool.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms vary by context:
- pisar means “to step on” and is usually more neutral and less forceful than hollar.
- pisotear means “to trample,” often suggesting repeated or contemptuous stepping.
- aplastar means “to crush”; it emphasizes damage or flattening rather than simply treading.
- profanar fits figurative uses involving something sacred or revered.
- vulnerar means “to infringe” or “violate,” especially a right or rule.
- humillar means “to humiliate”; it focuses on degrading a person rather than trampling something literally.
There is no single direct antonym in every sense. Depending on the context, respetar (“to respect”) or preservar (“to preserve”) can express the opposite of figurative hollar.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Mis botas hollan la nieve.verb
My boots tread on the snow.
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