hod
UK[hɒd]US[hɑːd]
n
A V-shaped open container on a pole, used for carrying bricks, mortar, or other building materials on the shoulder.
n
A coal scuttle.
Etymology
The word 'hod' entered English in the late medieval period, its precise lineage obscured by its common, utilitarian nature. It is likely a specialized term from the building trades, possibly evolving from a dialectal term for a basket or receptacle. The core concept has remained remarkably stable from its first recorded uses to the present day: a portable, shoulder-borne container for carrying bulk materials like bricks or coal. This semantic stability reflects the enduring practicality of the tool itself in construction and domestic contexts.
Analysis
This word is a simplex form. It is a borrowing from Middle English hodde, which itself is of uncertain origin, possibly related to or a variant of hot (a basket). Its functional role is as a standalone noun.
Examples
The mason's apprentice carefully balanced the hod full of bricks on his shoulder.
She filled the hod by the fireplace with coal for the evening.
A traditional hod is a familiar sight on many historical building sites.