loophole
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small mistake or missing piece of information in a law or contract that allows you to avoid a rule.
n.an ambiguity or omission in a system of laws or rules that can be exploited to evade a particular obligation.
Simple“His lawyer found a legal loophole that allowed him to avoid paying the fine.”
In context“The corporation exploited a tax loophole by registering its intellectual property in a low-tax jurisdiction, effectively reducing its domestic liability to zero.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.a narrow vertical opening in a castle wall used for shooting arrows or letting in light.
n.a narrow vertical slit in the wall of a fortification through which missiles may be discharged.
Simple“The archers stood behind each loophole, ready to defend the castle gates.”
In context“The medieval tower featured several narrow loopholes, designed to provide the defenders with a wide field of fire while remaining protected from enemy arrows.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to make narrow holes in a building's walls so soldiers can fire weapons through them.
v.to prepare a structure for military defense by creating apertures for small-arms fire.
Simple“The soldiers began to loophole the farmhouse walls as the enemy approached.”
In context“The commanding officer ordered the engineers to loophole the perimeter wall, transforming the garden into a formidable defensive position.”
UsageThe verb is transitive and requires a physical structure as its object.
“Alongside, the paper reports minsters are under pressure to close a legal loophole that allows paedophiles and other sex offenders to change their identity.”
“The president is using lawful methods to identify loopholes in the court’s decision.”
From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. By surface analysis, loop + hole. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.