hole

A hole isn't just an empty space. It's a break in something solid, a way through something, or a place where something is missing. You might find a hole in your sock, dig one in the garden, or feel like you're in a hole when life gets hard.

Think of a mouse making a hole in the wall, a golfer aiming for the hole, or the ozone hole in the sky. Holes can be tiny, like one made by a pin, or huge and dangerous, like a sinkhole. Sometimes the word is not physical at all. A story can have plot holes, which means parts of it do not make sense.

The word "hole" refers to an opening, gap, or empty space in something solid, or a passage through something else. It is a very flexible word, and its meanings go beyond the physical sense. For example, a hole in a wall, a hole in the ground, or a hole in a piece of cloth all describe a real opening.

But we also use "hole" in figurative ways. A hole in your argument means there is a weak point in your reasoning, while being in a financial hole suggests you are deeply in debt. The hole in a donut is the empty space in its center, and a plot hole is a part of a story that does not fit with the rest.

Historically, "hole" comes from Old English, simply meaning an opening or cavity. It's been used for centuries to describe everything from animal burrows to defensive fortifications.

You might dig a hole, fall into a hole, or try to fill a hole. The word also appears in verb phrases: "hole up" means to hide or stay in a safe place for a while.

So whether it is a physical opening, a flaw in logic, or a hiding place, "hole" usually points to an empty or missing part inside something else.