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.
Etymology: ME f. OF oillet dimin. of oil eye f. L oculus