hole

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hol (from neuter of hol, adjective, hollow) & holh; akin to Old High German hol, adjective, hollow and perhaps to Old English helan to conceal — more at hell Date: before 12th century 1. a. an opening through something ; perforation <

have a hole in my coat

> b. an area where something is missing ; gap: as (1) a serious discrepancy ; flaw, weakness <

some holes in your logic

> (2) an opening in a defensive formation; especially the area of a baseball field between the positions of shortstop and third baseman (3) a defect in a crystal (as of a semiconductor) that is due to an electron's having left its normal position in one of the crystal bonds and that is equivalent in many respects to a positively charged particle 2. a hollowed-out place: as a. a cave, pit, or well in the ground b. burrow c. an unusually deep place in a body of water (as a river) 3. a. a wretched or dreary place b. a prison cell especially for solitary confinement 4. a. a shallow cylindrical hole in the putting green of a golf course into which the ball is played b. a part of the golf course from tee to putting green <

just beginning play on the third hole

>; also the play on such a hole as a unit of scoring <

won the hole by two strokes

> 5. a. an awkward position or circumstance ; fix <

got the rebels out of a hole at the battle — Kenneth Roberts

> b. a position of owing or losing money <

$10 million in the hole

> <

raising money to get out of the hole

> II. verb (holed; holing) Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. to make a hole in 2. to drive or hit into a hole <

hole a putt

> intransitive verb to make a hole in something