# hole /ˈhoʊɫ/ (US) · /hˈəʊl/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hole Updated: 2026-08-15 ## Senses ### 1. an opening or gap noun · CEFR A2 an opening that goes all the way through something, like a gap in a fence or a tear in clothes. For teachers: a perforation or aperture that passes entirely through a solid body or fabric. - I have a small hole in my sock where my toe sticks out. - The tailor noticed a tiny hole in the vintage silk jacket that would require delicate invisible mending to repair. ### 2. a hollow space noun · CEFR A2 a hollow place or a space dug into the ground. For teachers: a cavity, depression, or excavation in a surface or solid mass. - The dog dug a deep hole in the garden to hide its bone. - Archaeologists carefully cleared the sediment from the hole, revealing a cache of Bronze Age pottery fragments. ### 3. in sports noun · CEFR A2 the small opening in the ground that you try to hit a ball into, especially in golf. For teachers: a small pit into which a ball is played in various games, particularly golf. - He managed to hit the ball into the final hole in just three strokes. - The golfer studied the slope of the green carefully before attempting to putt the ball into the tenth hole. ### 4. a logical flaw noun · CEFR B2 a mistake or a missing part in an argument, story, or plan. For teachers: a flaw, gap, or inconsistency in an argument, theory, or legal document. - There are several holes in his story that make me think he is lying. - The defence attorney exploited several logical holes in the prosecution's timeline of events during the cross-examination. ### 5. an unpleasant place noun · CEFR B2 · Informal a place that is very dirty, small, or unpleasant to live in. For teachers: a small, dingy, or wretched place of residence or business. - I can't believe he pays so much rent for that tiny hole in the city. - After years of living in a damp hole of an apartment, she finally saved enough to move to a modern studio. ### 6. financial difficulty noun · CEFR B2 · Informal a difficult situation, especially when you owe a lot of money. For teachers: a state of difficulty or embarrassment, specifically regarding debt or financial deficit. - He got himself into a financial hole by spending too much on credit cards. - The company found itself in a deep financial hole after the primary investor withdrew support without warning. ### 7. software vulnerability noun · CEFR C1 · Technical a weakness in a computer program that allows hackers to get in. For teachers: a security vulnerability in software that can be exploited to gain unauthorised access. - The company released a patch to fix a security hole in their browser. - Cybersecurity experts identified a critical hole in the encryption protocol that could expose sensitive user data to third parties. ### 8. physics particle noun · CEFR C2 · Technical a space where an electron is missing that acts like a positive charge. For teachers: the absence of an electron in an atom or crystal lattice, treated mathematically as a positively charged particle. - In semiconductors, electricity can flow through the movement of holes. - The researcher explained how the recombination of electrons and holes within the material generates light in the LED. ### 9. solitary confinement noun · CEFR C1 · Slang a small prison cell where a prisoner is kept alone as a punishment. For teachers: a high-security cell used for solitary confinement within a correctional facility. - The prisoner was sent to the hole for three days after the fight. - Human rights advocates argued that spending extended periods in the hole causes significant psychological trauma to inmates. ### 10. to make a hole in verb · CEFR B2 to make a hole in something, often by hitting it. For teachers: to pierce or puncture a surface or object, often resulting in damage or destruction. - The ship was holed by a large rock and started to sink. - The heavy artillery fire holed the defensive walls in several places, allowing the infantry to advance into the city. ### 11. to hit into a hole verb · CEFR B1 to hit a ball into a hole in a game like golf. For teachers: to drive or hit a ball into a hole, typically in golf or billiards. - She holed the final putt to win the tournament. - The professional golfer holed a spectacular thirty-foot putt on the eighteenth green to secure his lead. ## Examples - There is a small hole in my favorite socks. - The workers spent the entire morning digging a deep hole in the garden to plant the new tree. - The detective noted a significant hole in the suspect's alibi, as the timeline of events failed to account for the hour immediately following the crime. --- 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.