[hole] n [ME, fr. OE hol (fr. neut. of hol, adj., hollow) & holh; akin to OHG hol, adj., hollow; perh. akin to OE helan to conceal--more at hell] (bef. 12c) 1 a: an opening through something: perforation "have a ~ in my coat" b: an area where something is missing: gap: as (1): a serious discrepancy: flaw, weakness "there are ~s in your logic" (2): an opening in a defensive formation; esp: the area of a baseball field between the positions of shortstop and third baseman (3): a defect in a crystal (as of a semiconductor) that is due to an electron's having left its normal position in one of the crystal bonds and that is equivalent in many respects to a positively charged particle
2: a hollowed-out place: as a: a cave, pit, or well in the ground b: burrow c: an unusually deep place in a body of water
3: a wretched or dreary place
4. a: a shallow cylindrical hole in the putting green of a golf course into which the ball is played b: a part of the golf course from tee to putting green "just beginning play on the third ~"; also: the play on such a hole as a unit of scoring "won the ~ by two strokes"
5. a: an awkward position or circumstance: fix "got the rebels out of a ~ at the battle --Kenneth Roberts" b: a position of owing or losing money "$10 million in the ~" "raising money to get out of the ~" -- in the hole 1: having a score below zero
2: at a disadvantage
[2]hole vb holed ; hol.ing vt (bef. 12c) 1: to make a hole in
2: to drive or hit into a hole ~ vi: to make a hole in something