hough

From Middle English hough, houȝ, hoch, howghe, from Old English hōh (“heel, hough”), from Proto-West Germanic *hą̄h, from Proto-Germanic *hanhaz (“heel”). Doublet of hoo.

The regular modern English development would be /hʌf/, /haʊ/; this has been replaced by /hɒk/, originating in the compound huxen (also *hoxen), from Old English hōhsinu.

See hoe (“agricultural tool”).