Holster: Word To Use Today.

 When people think of holsters then they usually expect them to be holding guns: 

photo by Andrew Linnett from the British Ministry of Defence

but I keep my secateurs in mine: 

photo by KoS 

and a climber might keep an axe in his or hers.

pick 1, head 2, adze 3, leash 4. leash stop 5, shaft with rubber grip 6, spike 7

photo by Lacen 

There are also, for those without pockets (women, usually) phone holsters.

The main reason this word is featuring on The Word Den, though, is because of its connection with the Old English word heolstor.

Word To Use Today: holster. This word comes from the Netherlands, and England pinched it in the 1600s when our two countries were spending far too much time firing missiles of various sizes at each other. It's connected to the Old Norse hulstr, sheath (as for a sword) and the Old English heolstor, which means, thrillingly, darkness.