loophole en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈluːphəʊl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈluphoʊl/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. By surface analysis, loop + hole. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).
Meanings
-
(historical) A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light.
There was a loophole in this wall, to let the light in, just at the height of a person's head, who was sitting near the chimney.
1809, Maria Edgeworth, The Absentee:The sun had shifted round, and the myriad windows of the Ministry of Truth, with the light no longer shining on them, looked grim as the loopholes of a fortress.
1949, George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, page 25:[…] and having a fair loophole, as it were, from a broken hole in the tree, he took a sure aim, without being seen, waiting till they were within about thirty yards of the tree, so that he could not miss.
1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC:
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(figuratively) A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect.
They would rather ask more from the vast majority of Americans and put our recovery at risk than close even a single tax loophole that benefits the wealthy.
2013 February 9, Barack Obama, The Support They Need:You have a contract that says you will work until Island Towers is finalized, which I interpret as completion of construction, or I can stop you working elsewhere. And there's no loopholes, because you drafted it and you're the best.
2002, Marc Lawrence, Two Weeks Notice (motion picture):Behind the scenes, the system had quietly punched a neat loophole into the ballyhooed reform.
2008 September 9, Jim Hightower, “Breaking the Lobbyists' Stranglehold on Our Democracy”, in Creators, archived from the original on 26 Feb 2025:Coupling the poor girl's intelligence with my previous knowledge, and the result of our good friend's inquiries on the spot, I left him no loophole of escape, and laid bare the whole villany which by these lights became plain as day.
1838, Charles Dickens, chapter 49, in Oliver Twist, page 236:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| loop hole | alternative | lexicographic | |
| loopholes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
every law has a loophole · boyfriend loophole · poophole loophole · lo mein loophole · every law has its loophole
Relateds
Synonyms
arrowslit · arrow slit · barbican · balistraria · arrow-hole
Translations (77)
de Hintertürchen (method of escape) · it sofisma (method of escape) · hu kibúvó (method of escape) · ca escapador (method of escape) · he פרצה (method of escape) · es resquicio (method of escape) · es saetía (slit in a castle wall) · de Ausflucht (method of escape) · cmn 槍眼 /枪眼 (slit in a castle wall) · bg вратичка (method of escape) · es laguna (method of escape) · it feritoia (slit in a castle wall) · hu kiskapu (method of escape) · de Schlupfloch (method of escape) · de Schießscharte (slit in a castle wall) · ga poll lámhaigh (slit in a castle wall) · fr échappatoire (method of escape) · hu jogi kiskapu (method of escape) · es portañola (slit in a castle wall) · gl troneira (slit in a castle wall) · cs mezera (method of escape) · es recoveco (method of escape) · es cañonera (slit in a castle wall) · hu jogi kibúvó (method of escape) · ga lúb ar lár (method of escape) · es tronera (slit in a castle wall) · pt seteira (slit in a castle wall) · ka ამბრაზურა (slit in a castle wall) · hu (peephole) kémlelőnyílás (slit in a castle wall) · pt brecha (method of escape) · ru бойни́ца (slit in a castle wall) · fr brèche (method of escape) · ru лазе́йка (method of escape) · no smutthull (method of escape) · it paralogismo (method of escape) · ka თავის დაძვრენა (method of escape) · gl seteira (slit in a castle wall) · ru амбразу́ра (slit in a castle wall) · pl kruczek (method of escape) · es ballestera (slit in a castle wall) · es cucha (method of escape) · cy dihangfa (method of escape) · mi whakarua kōtare (slit in a castle wall) · bg амбразура (slit in a castle wall) · es aspillera (slit in a castle wall) · pl otwór strzelniczy (slit in a castle wall) · it cavillo (method of escape) · es fisura (method of escape) · es escapatoria (method of escape) · sv skottglugg (slit in a castle wall) · tr mazgal (slit in a castle wall) · it sottigliezza (method of escape) · ca espitllera (slit in a castle wall) · th ช่องโหว่ (method of escape) · tr kaçamak (method of escape) · fi porsaanreikä (method of escape) · es barbacana (slit in a castle wall) · sv kryphål (method of escape) · fi ampumarako (slit in a castle wall) · nl schietgat (slit in a castle wall) · it pretesto (method of escape) · el πολεμίστρα (slit in a castle wall) · ru увёртка (method of escape) · hu joghézag (method of escape) · cmn 漏洞 (method of escape) · cy ffordd ymwared (method of escape) · pl furtka (method of escape) · nl achterdeur (method of escape) · nl maas (method of escape) · it scappatoia (method of escape) · fr meurtrière (slit in a castle wall) · pl luka (method of escape) · hu (crenel) lőrés (slit in a castle wall) · ja 抜け道 (method of escape) · ja 銃眼 (slit in a castle wall) · no skyteskår (slit in a castle wall) · es saetera (slit in a castle wall)