hole

n.

1. A hollowed place in something solid; a cavity or pit: dug a hole in the ground with a shovel.
2. 1. An opening or perforation: a hole in the clouds; had a hole in the elbow of my sweater.
   2. Sports. An opening in a defensive formation, such as the area of a baseball infield between two adjacent fielders.
   3. A fault or flaw: There are holes in your argument.
3. A deep place in a body of water.
4. An animal's hollowed-out habitation, such as a burrow.
5. An ugly, squalid, or depressing dwelling.
6. A deep or isolated place of confinement; a dungeon.
7. An awkward situation; a predicament.
8. Sports.
   1. The small pit lined with a cup into which a golf ball must be hit.
   2. One of the divisions of a golf course, from tee to cup.
9. Physics. A vacant position in a crystal left by the absence of an electron, especially a position in a semiconductor that acts as a carrier of positive electric charge. Also called electron hole.

v., holed, hol·ing, holes.

v.tr.

1. To put a hole in.
2. To put or propel into a hole.

v.intr.

To make a hole in something.

phrasal verbs:

hole out Sports.

1. To hit a golf ball into the hole.

hole up

1. To hibernate in or as if in a hole.
2. Informal. To take refuge in or as if in a hideout.

idiom:

in the hole

1. Having a score below zero.
2. In debt.
3. At a disadvantage.

[Middle English, from Old English hol.]

1. A vacant electron position in the lattice structure of a solid that behaves like a mobile positive charge carrier. 2. A vacant electron position in one of the inner orbitals of an atom.

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also hole up

noun

1. A space in an otherwise solid mass: cavity, hollow, pocket, vacuity, void. See convex/concave.
2. An opening, especially in a solid structure: breach, break, gap, perforation, rupture. See open/close.
3. An open space allowing passage: aperture, mouth, opening, orifice, outlet, vent. See open/close.
4. A place used as an animal's dwelling: burrow, den, lair. See protection/exposure.
5. An ugly, squalid dwelling: hovel, hut, shack, shanty. See good/bad, rich/poor.
6. A difficult, often embarrassing situation or condition: box¹, corner, deep water, difficulty, dilemma, Dutch, fix, hot spot, hot water, jam, plight¹, predicament, quagmire, scrape, soup, trouble. Informal bind, pickle, spot. See easy/hard.

verb

To make a hole or other opening in: breach, break (through), gap, perforate, pierce, puncture. See open/close.

phrasal verb - hole up

To shut oneself up in secrecy: hide out. Idioms: go underground, laylielow. See show/hide.

Idioms beginning with hole:
hole in one
hole in the wall
hole up

See also ace in the hole; black hole; in a bind (hole); in the hole; money burns a hole in one's pocket; need like a hole in the head; pick holes in; square peg in a round hole.

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n

Definition: opening in solid object
Antonyms: closure, solid

n

Definition: predicament
Antonyms: advantage, benefit, good fortune

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v. 1. make a hole or holes in: a fuel tank was holed by the attack and a fire started.

2. pierce the hull of (a ship), allowing water to run in.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Window, from the naval term porthole. See "make a hole".

IN BRIEF: An opening in or through something.

A hole is nothing at all, but you can break your neck in it. — Austin O'Malley (1858-1932)

Tutor's tip: Did you dig the "whole" (entire thing) "hole" (an opening or gap)?

A hole in the ground represents a pitfall if one dreams of falling into a hole or one's life is represented by dark holes. It can also mean that the dreamer is "stuck" in a hole or that something is hidden. (See also Cave; Pit).

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - hul, åbning, boring, forlegenhed, knibe
v. tr. - hulle, gennemhulle, åbne, bore
v. intr. - få i hul

idioms:

• a hole in one    hole in one, gå i hul med et slag
• be in a hole    være i forlegenhed, være i knibe
• hole and corner    lyssky
• hole up    lukke sig inde, gemme sig
• need like a hole in the head    det sidste man har behov for

Nederlands (Dutch)
gat, hol, opening, kuil, tunnel, perforatie, leegte, golf-hole, bres, leger, scheur, zwak punt, defect, in een gat slaan, gat/tunnel graven, opening maken, in een gat kruipen, lek slaan

Français (French)
n. - trou, brèche, (GB) cavité (d'une dent), (Aut) nid de poule, (fig) faille, trou (d'une souris), terrier, (Écol) trou, trou (financier), trou (endroit) (péj), (Sport) trou (golf), (US) trou (isolement)
v. tr. - crever (carcasse d'un bâtiment), (Naut) faire une brèche dans, (Sport) rentrer la balle (golf), faire le trou (en) (golf)
v. intr. - (Sport) faire ou terminer le trou (golf)

idioms:

• hole and corner    clandestin
• hole in one    un trou d'un coup
• hole out    (Sport) finir le parcours (en) (golf, cricket)
• hole up    se terrer
• in a hole    avoir des ennuis, être dans le pétrin
• in the hole    dans le trou
• make a hole in    utiliser une grande quantité de (qch)
• need like a hole in the head    ne pas avoir vraiment besoin de ça (excl), ne manquer plus que cela (excl)

Deutsch (German)
n. - Loch, Höhle, Bau, Kaff, Klemme
v. - ein Loch machen, einlochen

idioms:

• hole and corner    heimlich, zwielichtig
• hole in one    (Golf) Hole-in-one, As
• hole out    (Spo) einlochen
• hole up    sich verkriechen
• in a hole    in der Patsche sitzen
• in the hole    bis über die Ohren in Schulden stecken (fig.), er hat mehr Schulden, als Haare auf den Kopf
• make a hole in    (fig) eine ganze Menge von etwas verschlingen
• need like a hole in the head    das ist das Letzte, was man gebrauchen kann

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - τρύπα, οπή, τρήμα, άνοιγμα, λάκκος, λακκούβα, λαγούμι, φωλιά, τρώγλη, δύσκολη θέση, στρίμωγμα, αδύνατο σημείο (επιχειρήματος κ.λπ.)
v. - (δια)τρυπώ, ανοίγω τρύπα

idioms:

• a hole in one    (γκολφ) τρύπα με ένα χτύπημα
• be in a hole    είμαι σε δύσκολη θέση, στα στενά
• hole and corner    (καθομ.) συνωμοτικός
• hole up    τρυπώνω, κρύβομαι σε τρύπα
• need like a hole in the head    να μου λείπει

Italiano (Italian)
buca, buco, foro, tana

idioms:

• a hole in one    buca in un solo tiro (golf)
• be in a hole    essere in un guaio
• hole and corner    segreto, furtivo
• hole up    rintanarsi
• need like a hole in the head    ci mancava solo questa

Português (Portuguese)
n. - buraco (m), dificuldade (f)
v. - furar, embocar (uma bola)

idioms:

• a hole in one    gol (m) de primeira (Desp.)
• be in a hole    estar em problema
• hole and corner    clandestino
• hole up    hibernar
• need like a hole in the head    não precisar

Русский (Russian)
отверстие, яма, впадина, затруднительное положение, выбоина, нора, недостаток, пробел, темница, отдушина, прорыть, продырявить, забираться в яму

idioms:

• a hole in one    попадание с первого удара от колышка в лунку (гольф)
• be in a hole    быть в трудном положении
• hole and corner    тайный, тайком
• hole up    находиться в зимней спячке
• need like a hole in the head    нужно как собаке пятая нога

Español (Spanish)
n. - hoyo, agujero, abertura, orificio, madriguera, cubil, guarida, rotura, boquete, bache
v. tr. - agujerear, perforar, abrir una brecha
v. intr. - embocar

idioms:

• hole and corner    clandestino, secreto
• hole in one    hoyo en uno (golf), (golf) hacer un hoyo de un golpe
• hole out    (golf) hacer e hoyo, (cricket) pegarle a la pelota y que la atrapen
• hole up    esconderse, encontrar alojamiento temporal
• in a hole    endeudado, estar en un aprieto, estar en apuros, en circunstancias precarias
• in the hole    endeudado, estar en un aprieto, estar en apuros, en circunstancias precarias
• make a hole in    utilizar gran cantidad de algo
• need like a hole in the head    ¡sólo eso faltaba!

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - hål, lucka (bildl.), håla, knipa
v. - göra hål, slå i hål, få hål

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
孔, 穴, 洞, 挖洞, 掘坑, 进洞, 凿洞

idioms:

• a hole in one    一杆进洞
• be in a hole    处境困难
• hole and corner    秘密的, 暧昧的, 偷偷摸摸的
• hole up    躲藏, 把...监禁
• need like a hole in the head    认为...极为愚蠢讨厌, 绝对不需要...

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 孔, 穴, 洞
v. tr. - 挖洞, 掘坑
v. intr. - 進洞, 鑿洞

idioms:

• a hole in one    一桿進洞
• be in a hole    處境困難
• hole and corner    秘密的, 曖昧的, 偷偷摸摸的
• hole up    躲藏, 把...監禁
• need like a hole in the head    認為...極為愚蠢討厭, 絕對不需要...

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 구멍, 곤경, 결점
v. tr. - ~에 구멍을 뚫다, 굴에 몰아넣다
v. intr. - 구멍을 파다, 구멍에 기어들다

idioms:

• a hole in one    (골프) 홀인원
• be in a hole    곤경에 빠져 있다
• hole up    동면하다, 밀어 넣다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 穴, 破れ穴, 巣穴, 苦しい立場, 苦境, むさ苦しい家, ホール, 得点, 裂け目, 土牢
v. - 穴をあける, 掘る, ポケットに入れる, 穴を掘る

idioms:

• a hole in one    (スポーツ)ホールインワン
• be in a hole    穴に落ち込んで
• hole and corner    隅々
• hole up    冬ごもりする, 隠れる, 身を隠す
• watering hole    社交場

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) ثقب, حفرة, موضع عميق في جسم مائي نهر مثلا, جحر, نقيصه, عيب, نقطه ضعف, مسكن حقير أو قذر, ورطه أو مأزق (فعل) يثقب, يدخل في ثقب, يشق نفقا, يدخل جحرا, يستكن الحيوان في فترة الشتاء‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮חור, גומה, מאורה, כוך, נקב, מצב מוזר (מדוברת), חדר קטן‬
v. tr. - ‮עשה חור ב-, ניקב‬
v. intr. - ‮הכניס את הכדור לחור (גולף)‬

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hole punch	hole puncher
hole punches	pocket hole