n. & v.
n. 1 a small hole in paper, leather, cloth, etc., for string or rope etc. to pass through. 2 a metal ring reinforcement for this. 3 a small eye, esp. the ocellus on a butterfly's wing (cf. EYE n. 11a). 4 a form of decoration in embroidery. 5 a small hole for observation, shooting through, etc.
v.tr. (eyeleted, eyeleting) provide with eyelets.
[ ME f. OF oillet dimin. of oil eye f. L oculus ]