(Sax. bulmus, insula amnica), denotes an isle or fenny ground, according to Bede; or a river-island. And where any place is called by that name, and this syllable is joined with any other in the names of places, it signifies a place surrounded with water; as the Flatholmes and Stepholmes in the Severn near Bristol; but if the situation of the place is not near the water, it may then signify a hilly place; holm in Saxon, signifying also "a hill or cliff."