hole
Pronunciation: (hōl), [key]
— n., v., holed, hol•ing.
—n.
- an opening through something; gap; aperture: a hole in the roof; a hole in my sock.
- a hollow place in a solid body or mass; a cavity: a hole in the ground.
- the excavated habitation of an animal; burrow.
- a small, dingy, or shabby place: I couldn't live in a hole like that.
- a place of solitary confinement; dungeon.
- an embarrassing position or predicament: to find oneself in a hole.
- a cove or small harbor.
- a fault or flaw: They found serious holes in his reasoning.
- a deep, still place in a stream: a swimming hole.
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- a small cavity, into which a marble, ball, or the like is to be played.
- a score made by so playing.
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- the circular opening in a green into which the ball is to be played.
- a part of a golf course from a tee to the hole corresponding to it, including fairway, rough, and hazards.
- the number of strokes taken to hit the ball from a tee into the hole corresponding to it.
- opening; slot:p.m. hole. We need an experienced person to fill a hole in our accounting department. The radio program was scheduled for the
- (in wire drawing) one reduction of a section.
- a mobile vacancy in the electronic structure of a semiconductor that acts as a positive charge carrier and has equivalent mass.
- an air pocket that causes a plane or other aircraft to drop suddenly.
- to urge one to spend money quickly: His inheritance was burning a hole in his pocket.
- a small or confining place, esp. one that is dingy, shabby, or out-of-the-way: Their first shop was a real hole in the wall.
- After Christmas I am always in the hole for at least a month.
- in debt; in straitened circumstances:After Christmas I am always in the hole for at least a month.
- Baseball,Softball.pitching or batting with the count of balls or balls and strikes to one's disadvantage, esp. batting with a count of two strikes and one ball or none.
- Stud Poker.being the card or one of the cards dealt face down in the first round:a king in the hole.
- to take a large part of: A large bill from the dentist made a hole in her savings.
- to find a fault or flaw in: As soon as I presented my argument, he began to pick holes in it.
—v.t.
- to make a hole or holes in.
- to put or drive into a hole.
- to hit the ball into (a hole).
- to bore (a tunnel, passage, etc.).
—v.i.
- to make a hole or holes.
- to strike the ball into a hole: He holed out in five, one over par.
- The police think the bank robbers are holed up in Chicago.
- to go into a hole; retire for the winter, as a hibernating animal.
- to hide, as from pursuers, the police, etc.:The police think the bank robbers are holed up in Chicago.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.