hole
hole — verb
1. to break through a hard surface such as a ship's hull or container, creating an
to break through a hard surface such as a ship's hull or container, creating an opening that lets water or other contents escape and often causes damage.
The fishing boat was holed by a submerged rock and began to sink.
passive: be holed by [cause]
Rafael accidentally holed the garden fence when he swung the axe too hard.
Debris from the explosion holed the hull of the nearest ship.
collocation: hole the hull
Drifting icebergs holed the supply vessel's steel plates during the Antarctic mission.
The builders holed the old plaster wall while installing new pipes.
different context: construction/renovation
- hole + hull
- hole + vessel
- rock + hole
- debris + hole
Grammar Patterns
hole + object (ship, hull, wall, fence, surface)
Usage Note
Frequently used in the passive voice, especially when describing damage to ships or boats. The agent (the thing that causes the hole) is often introduced by 'by'.
Common Mistakes
2. in golf, to sink a putt that completes a section of play on the green.
in golf, to sink a putt that completes a section of play on the green.
Mizuki holed a long putt from the edge of the green and won the tournament.
collocation: hole a putt
From the far side of the green, Lan holed a difficult putt to save par.
With steady hands, Christopher holed the last putt and claimed the trophy.
From over twenty metres away, Dewi holed the putt and won the tournament.
pattern: hole [distance-word] putt
- hole + putt
- hole + ball
- hole + chip
- hole + [distance]
- miss
to fail to get the ball into the hole
Grammar Patterns
hole + object (ball, putt, chip shot)
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in golf contexts. The object is typically 'the ball' or a specific type of shot such as 'putt', 'chip', or 'approach'.
Common Mistakes
hole — noun
1. an empty area in a solid object, with an opening on the surface that may continu
an empty area in a solid object, with an opening on the surface that may continue partway in or run from one side to the other.
Karim noticed a small hole in his jacket pocket.
The old wooden fence had a hole that the dog could squeeze through.
hole + in [object]; hole as passage
Allison used a needle to make a hole in the leather strap.
A large hole appeared in the roof after heavy rain last night.
Water leaked through a tiny hole in the metal pipe under the sink.
hole + through [object]
- hole in the wall
- hole in the ground
- dig a hole
- fill a hole
- small hole
- tiny hole
Grammar Patterns
hole + in + [object]
hole + through + [object]
Usage Note
Often followed by 'in' to name the object that contains the opening.
Common Mistakes
2. on a golf course, the round target in the short grass that players aim for, foun
on a golf course, the round target in the short grass that players aim for, found at the end of each section of play.
Sana watched as the ball rolled toward the hole and dropped in.
The hole on the ninth green is hidden behind a large sand trap.
Joon needed only two putts to guide the ball into the hole.
golf: guide/sink the ball into the hole
Each hole on the course has a flag to show its position on the green.
- into the hole
- hole on the green
- the flag marks the hole
Usage Note
In golf, the word 'hole' on its own always refers to this cup-like target on the green.
3. a section of a golf course covering the whole route from the starting point to t
a section of a golf course covering the whole route from the starting point to the putting green; one of about eighteen stretches that together make up a full game.
Paloma finished the first nine holes in forty strokes.
golf: play/finish a number of holes
The seventh hole is a short one with a dangerous water hazard.
Allison booked a tee time and played eighteen holes on Saturday.
The course has three holes that run right along the ocean shore.
- nine holes
- eighteen holes
- back nine holes
- front nine holes
- play a hole
Grammar Patterns
number + hole(s)
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2: this refers to the whole playing area from tee to green, not just the target cup.
4. in golf match-play, a scoring unit awarded to the player who finishes a section
in golf match-play, a scoring unit awarded to the player who finishes a section of the course in fewer strokes than their opponent.
Yael won the second hole with a score of three strokes.
golf: win/lose/lose a hole (scoring sense)
After her ball landed in the rough on the sixth hole, Inês lost two straight holes.
Each hole is worth one point in their match-play competition.
Owen led by three holes going into the final section of the course.
- win a hole
- lose a hole
- lead by [number] holes
- straight holes
Grammar Patterns
win/lose + [number] + hole(s)
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in match-play scoring, where the result of each section is counted as a separate point.
5. a space dug out under the surface by a wild creature, used as its home or shelte
a space dug out under the surface by a wild creature, used as its home or shelter.
A rabbit darted out of its hole when Ayana walked past.
The children found a small hole in the garden that led to a mouse nest.
Élise spotted a fox hole beneath the roots of the old oak tree.
hole as animal's home; [animal] hole
Snakes sometimes take over abandoned holes left by other animals.
- rabbit hole
- mouse hole
- fox hole
- an animal's hole
- hole in the ground
Grammar Patterns
[animal] + 's + hole
hole + in the ground
Common Mistakes
❌ 'The dog dug a hole in the garden to hide its bone.' (This is correct! But note: this sense is specifically for wild animal homes, not any hole in the ground.)
6. a critical term for a small, dirty, uncomfortable room or building where people
a critical term for a small, dirty, uncomfortable room or building where people live or spend time — suggesting neglect and poor condition.
The hotel room was a dirty hole with broken furniture and no heat.
Karim had to live in a tiny hole of an apartment during his first year abroad.
informal: a hole of a [place]
The bar near the station was a dark, smoky hole that nobody recommended.
Eri refused to spend another night in that miserable hole of a flat.
- a hole of a place
- a miserable hole
- a dirty hole
- a dark hole
- palace
a large, grand place — the opposite of a cramped unpleasant space
Grammar Patterns
[be] a hole
a hole of [place]
Usage Note
Always a negative, critical expression. Common in the fixed phrase 'a hole of a [place]'.
7. a mistake or weak point in a plan, argument, theory, or story that makes it less
a mistake or weak point in a plan, argument, theory, or story that makes it less convincing or effective
Mateo found several holes in the company's financial plan before the meeting.
hole in [plan/argument/theory]
The lawyer pointed out a hole in the witness's story during the trial.
Dr. Okafor found a hole in the economic model — it could not explain why food prices kept rising.
pattern: found a hole in [abstract idea]
Brooke's research paper had so many holes that her professor asked her to rewrite it.
Before we accept the proposal, we need to check it for holes.
- pick holes in
- find holes in
- full of holes
- holes in the argument
- holes in the story
- strength
a strong or well-supported point in an argument
Grammar Patterns
hole + in + [plan/argument/theory]
Usage Note
Common in informal expressions like 'pick holes in something', meaning to find every weak point in a plan or argument. The preposition 'in' always connects the hole to the thing that has the fault.
Common Mistakes
8. a position or space that has become empty because someone or something has left,
a position or space that has become empty because someone or something has left, requiring someone or something new to take its place
When Eri left the project, it left a huge hole in the team.
leave a hole in [group/team]
The company saw a hole in the market for affordable electric bicycles.
hole in the market
The death of his grandfather left a hole in his life that never fully healed.
We need to hire two more nurses to fill the holes in our evening shift.
The flood destroyed the school, and no one could fill the hole it left in town.
- fill a hole
- leave a hole
- hole in the market
- hole in the team
Grammar Patterns
leave a hole in [group/market]
fill a/the hole in [group/system]
Usage Note
Often used with 'fill' (to replace what is missing) or 'leave' (to create the emptiness). The thing that is missing was usually present before and is expected to return or be replaced.
Common Mistakes
9. a difficult, unpleasant, or awkward situation that is hard to get out of
a difficult, unpleasant, or awkward situation that is hard to get out of
After losing his job, Mateo found himself in a deep financial hole.
in a [adjective] hole
The company was in a hole after its new product failed to attract buyers.
Hamza knew he was digging himself into a deeper hole by lying to his boss.
informal: dig oneself into a hole
Fix this problem now, or we will be in a real hole next month.
The new policy put the country in a hole that took years to escape from.
- in a hole
- dig a hole
- financial hole
- out of the hole
Grammar Patterns
in a hole
dig oneself into a hole
out of a/the hole
Usage Note
Common in informal speech and writing. 'Dig oneself into a hole' adds the idea that the person's own actions are making the situation worse. 'In a hole' usually describes a financial or career-related crisis.
Common Mistakes
an ace in the hole
idiomA secret advantage that you keep ready to use when needed.
Maya kept her coding skills as an ace in the hole.
Did Brian have an ace in the hole for the negotiation?
When money makes you want to spend it immediately.
The birthday money burned a hole in Diego's pocket.
Does that bonus burn a hole in your pocket already?
To create a difficult situation for yourself that is hard to escape.
Sara dug herself into a hole by lying about her grades.
How did you dig yourself into a hole with that client?
in a hole
idiomIn a difficult or unpleasant situation.
After losing his job, Tom found himself in a hole.
Is the company still in a hole after the scandal?
in the hole
idiomOwing money; in debt.
The business ended the quarter $50,000 in the hole.
How deep in the hole are you after the vacation?
To use up a large amount of something, especially money.
The car repairs made a big hole in Min's savings.
Did the wedding make a hole in your budget?
To find faults or weaknesses in something like a plan or idea.
The critics picked holes in the new policy proposal.
Why do you always pick holes in my suggestions?
A person who does not fit well in a particular situation or role.
Aiden felt like a square peg in the corporate world.
Was she a square peg in the team from the start?
Word family
- holeyadjectiveC1
- holelessadjectiveC1
- potholenounB1
- loopholenounC1
- black holenounB2
- rabbit holenounC1
- wormholenounC1
- hole-in-onenounB2
- pocket holenounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
A hole is a general word for an opening in a solid object or surface — the most everyday term of the group. A cavity is a scientific or technical term for a space inside something, such as a tooth cavity or a body cavity. A hollow is a curved, bowl-like indentation on a surface rather than a through-opening (hollow of a tree, hollow of a hand). A gap emphasises the space between two separate things (a gap between teeth, a gap in the market). An opening is the broadest word and can apply to any accessible space, including doors, windows, and natural passages. A pit is a deep hole in the ground, usually man-made or natural, that is notably larger and deeper than a typical hole. For everyday use, 'hole' is the simplest and most versatile choice.
Common collocations
Adverbs
- straight through a hole
- deeply into a hole
Phrases
- dig a hole
- fill a hole
- make a hole
- drill a hole
- cover a hole
- poke a hole
- rip a hole
- tear a hole
- a hole in the ground
- a hole in the wall
- pick holes in something
- dig oneself into a hole
- full of holes
Prepositions
- in a hole
- through a hole
- out of a hole
- into a hole
Etymology
Old English hol ('a hollow place'), from Proto-Germanic *hulą, sharing a root with Old English helan ('to hide, conceal'). Cognates include Dutch hol ('cave, hollow') and German hohl ('hollow'). The sense 'opening in a solid surface' emerged early; figurative uses such as 'flaw in an argument' and 'difficult situation' developed from the 16th century onward.