26984 words

holes

16 definitions • 21 examples
1
an empty space in an object, usually with an opening to the object's surface, or an opening that goes completely through an object:

Examples:

dig a hole We dug a hole and planted the tree.
hole in My jumper's got a hole in it.
Drill a hole through the back of the cupboard and pass the wires through.
2
in golf, one of the small circular spaces in the ground into which the ball is hit
3
in golf, one of the usually 18 areas of play:

Examples:

an 18-hole course
He ran into trouble on the fourteenth hole.
4
in some games of golf, a score given to the person who uses the fewest strokes (= hits of the ball) to get the ball into one of the holes:

Examples:

She had to make a short putt to win the hole.
They won the match by two holes.
5
a place in the ground where a small animal lives:

Examples:

6
a small unpleasant place where someone lives:

Examples:

What a hole that house was - I'm so pleased we moved.
7
a mistake or problem in an argument, discussion, plan, etc.:

Examples:

hole in The new proposal has several holes in it.
8
to make a hole in something, especially a ship or boat:

Examples:

A torpedo holed the ship below the water and it quickly sank.
9
an empty space or opening in an object:

Examples:

We dug a hole to plant the tree.
My sweater has a hole in it.
10
A hole is also something that has been left out or not explained:

Examples:

The new proposal is full of holes.
11
In golf, a hole is one of the small hollow spaces in the ground into which the ball is hit, or one of the usually 18 areas of play:

Examples:

12

Examples:

Without their starting quarterback, the team is in a (bit of a) hole.
13
a loss or an amount that cannot be explained:

Examples:

He's a fund manager who has fashioned a career by finding the holes in financial statements.
The company has revealed a £20m hole in its pension fund because of collapsing share markets.
14
to be in a difficult situation:

Examples:

We've lost the order and we're in a bit of a hole.
15
in debt:

Examples:

the account is $143 in the hole
16
to reduce an amount of money by a lot:

Examples:

The price of travel can make a hole in even the deepest pocket.

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