ˈhigh-hole U.S.
[A variant, due to popular etymology, of hyghwhele, highwale, hewhole, early forms of hickwall, q.v.; cf. Eng. dial. hey-hoe, high-hoe, etc.]
The Golden-winged Woodpecker, or Flicker, of North America, Colaptes auratus.
| 1860 Bartlett Dict. Amer. (ed. 3), Clape..the Golden⁓winged Woodpecker..elsewhere called High-hole, Yucker, Flicker, Wake-up, and Pigeon Woodpecker. 1884 Century Mag. Dec. 222/2 The high-hole appears to drum more promiscuously than does downy [woodpecker]. 1888 Advance 5 Apr. 209 The piercing note of the ‘high-hole’. |