"part of a ship's bow containing the hawse-holes," late 15c., from Old English or Old Norse hals "part of a ship's prow," literally "neck," from Proto-Germanic *h(w)alsaz, the general Germanic word (source also of Gothic, Danish, Swedish, Dutch, German hals), cognate with Latin collum (see collar (n.)), from PIE root from PIE root *kwel- (1) "revolve, move round; sojourn, dwell." Respelled with -aw- 16c.