hollow space
1 [C] a hollow space in sth solid or in the surface of sth:
He dug a deep hole in the garden. * The bomb blew a huge hole in the ground. * Water had collected in the holes in the road.
opening
2 [C] a space or opening that goes all the way through sth
SYNGAP:
to drill / bore / punch / kick a hole in sth * There were holes in the knees of his trousers. * The children climbed through a hole in the fence. * a bullet hole * the hole in the ozone layer
seealsoOZONEHOLE
animal's home
3 [C] the home of a small animal:
a rabbit / mouse hole
seealsoBOLT-HOLE
compareFOXHOLE, PIGEON-HOLE
unpleasant place
4 [C,usually sing.] (informal, disapproving) an unpleasant place to live or be in:
I am not going to bring up my child in this hole.
seealsoHELLHOLE
in golf
5 [C] a hollow in the ground that you must get the ball into; one of the sections of a GOLFCOURSE with the TEE at the beginning and the hole at the end:
The ball rolled into the hole and she had won. * an eighteen-hole golf course * He liked to play a few holes after work. * She won the first hole.
fault / weakness
6 [C,usually pl.] a fault or weakness in sth such as a plan, law or story:
He was found not guilty because of holes in the prosecution case. * I don't believe what she says-her story is full of holes.
seealsoLOOPHOLE
empty place / position
7 [sing.] a place or position that needs to be filled because sb/sth is no longer there:
After his wife left, there was a gaping hole in his life. * Buying the new equipment left a big hole in the company's finances.
HELPNOTE There are many other compounds ending in hole. You will find them at their place in the alphabet.
IDIOMS
in a hole (informal) in a difficult situation:
He had got himself into a hole and it was going to be difficult to get out of it.
in the hole (AmE, informal) in debt; owing money:
We start the current fiscal year $30 million in the hole.
make a hole in sth to use up a large amount of sth that you have, especially money:
School fees can make a big hole in your savings.
moreatACEn., BURNv., DIGv., PICKv.
词性: verb
make a hole
1 [VN] [usuallypassive] to make a hole or holes in sth, especially a boat or ship:
The ship had been holed by a missile. * The hull was holed in several places.
in golf
2 ~ (out) to hit a golf ball into the hole:
[VN] She holed a 25 foot putt. * [V] She holed out from 25 feet.
PHRASALVERBS
hole up
