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holiday
holidaymaker
holier-than-thou
Holiness
holiness
holism
holistic
Holland
holland
hollandaise sauce
holler (1)
holler (2)
hollow
hollowware
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holly oak
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hole

hole [ hōl ]


noun  (plural holes)
Definition:
 
1. cavity: a hollow space in a solid object or area
The hole had filled with water.

2. aperture: a gap or opening in or through something
a hole in my socks
a hole in the defensive line

3. burrow: a hollowed-out area in the ground where an animal such as a rabbit or mouse lives

4. flaw: a fault or flaw in something such as logic, an argument, or a position
But there are so many holes in her theory.

5. unpleasant place: a dark or dirty place, especially a place where somebody lives ( informal )

6. awkward situation: an awkward or embarrassing situation ( informal )

7. prisoner's cell: a prison cell or dungeon, or solitary confinement ( informal )

8. golf target in golf: in golf, a small round cavity or cup on a green into which the ball is hit

9. golf area of golf course: a part of a golf course that consists of a tee, a fairway, and a green with a hole and is a basic element in scoring. A golf course usually has 18 holes.

10. electronics mobile space in semiconductor: a space normally occupied by an electron in the lattice structure of a semiconductor material that is mobile and can act as a carrier of a positive charge

11. geography cove: a small bay or harbor on the coast

12. regional agriculture pile of vegetables: a heap of vegetables, usually potatoes, covered with earth and mulch and sometimes stored in a shed



verb  (past and past participle holed, present participle hol·ing, 3rd person present singular holes)
Definition:
 
1. transitive verb perforate something: to make a hole or holes in something
This new device holes a ream of paper perfectly.

2. transitive verb put ball in hole: to hit or drive a ball into one of the holes of a golf course

3. intransitive verb go into hole: to go or climb into a hole

[ Old English hol "hollow," probably < Indo-European, "hide, conceal"]

hol·ey adjective

in the hole 

1. 
owing money
 

2. 
having a score of less than zero
 

3. 
in a position of disadvantage


make a hole in something to use up a large part of something (slang)
The monthly rent makes a considerable hole in my salary.


pick holes in something to look for and find minor mistakes in something, particularly in an argument


Spelling Note

hole or whole? Do not confuse the spelling of hole and whole, which sound similar. Hole is chiefly used as a noun, denoting a hollow space, a gap, an unpleasant place, or an awkward situation, as in a hole in the ground; it is also used as a verb, meaning "make a hole in" or "put in a hole." Whole is an adjective, noun, or adverb referring to something in its entirety, as in the whole world, the whole of the summer, a whole new ball game.


Regional History

See bank2.


Word Key: Synonyms

See criticize.

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