# hole up

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hole-up
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to hide or take shelter

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to stay in a safe place for a long time, often because you are hiding or want to be alone.

For teachers: to remain in a secure or secluded location for an extended period, typically to avoid discovery or unpleasant conditions.

- The family decided to hole up in a small cabin until the storm passed.
- The fugitives were believed to be holing up in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city while the police searched the downtown area.

Usage: This is an intransitive phrasal verb and does not take a direct object.

Teaching tip: While the literal origin refers to animals in holes, in modern English it almost always refers to people seeking privacy or safety.

## Examples

- We had to hole up in a cabin during the snowstorm.
- The robbers holed up in an abandoned warehouse while the police searched the city.
- The author holed up in a remote cottage for three months to finish her manuscript without any digital distractions.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: the verb 'hole' evokes the image of an animal retreating into a burrow for safety, which helps students remember the sense of hiding or seeking shelter.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.