Book 7 Title

[lysippe11]

No: HPFGUIDX 163014

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Janette <jnferr at ...> wrote:
>
> On 12/21/06, elfundeb <elfundeb at ...> wrote:
> >
> > As Laura has reported, the title of Book 7 has been revealed
behind the
> > (now
> > unlocked) door on JKR's site.  If you want to discuss out how to
navigate
> > your way through the door to the title, please ask on the
OT-Chatter list.
> >
> > If you're ready to speculate on the title's meaning, read on . . . .
> 
> 
> 
> montims:
>  The Oxford English dictionary shows:
> hallow
> 
> /*hal*o/
> 
>   • *verb* *1* make holy; consecrate. *2* honour as holy. *3*
> *hallowed*greatly revered.
> 
>   • *noun* archaic a saint or holy person.
> and
> Halloween
> 
> (also *Hallowe'en*)
> 
>   • *noun* the night of 31 October, the eve of All Saints' Day.
> 
>   — ORIGIN contraction of *All Hallow Even*
> All Hallows is 1st November - All Saints Day.
> 
> I think it might refer to the fateful night and another Halloween
when Harry
> and Voldemort complete the prophecy...
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

I think the significant OED entry is the following:

2. In pl. ["Hallows," as used in the title] applied to the shrines or
relics of saints; the gods of the heathen or their shrines.
  In the phrase to seek hallows, to visit the shrines or relics of
saints; orig. as in sense 1, the saints themselves being thought of as
present at their shrines. Cf. quot. c1440 in 1.

Now this is really interesting...a "relic"  which contains a person's
"presence"...sounds like another way of saying a horcrux to me.  Also,
there's a pilgrimage overtone to the word, perhaps referring to
Harry's search for each of the horcrux/relics in turn?

Just a thought,
Lysi