Alexander Dyce, A General Glossary to Shakespeare's Works

a-hold “a-hold—Lay her,” THE TEMPEST, i. 1. 46. To lay a ship a-hold is explained, to bring her to lie as near the wind as possible,—to make herhold to the wind, and keep clear of land. (While this sheet was passing through the press, I received a note from Mr. Bolton Corney in which he says that in the present passagea-hold ought to be“a-hull,” and quotes from Smith'sSea-Grammar, 1627, p. 40, “If the storm grow so great that she [the ship] cannot bear it, then hull; which is to bear no sail;” but qy.?)