Hole, n. [OE. hol, hole, AS. hol, hole, cavern, from hol, a., hollow; akin to D. hol, OHG. hol, G. hohl, Dan. huul hollow, hul hole, Sw. hål, Icel. hola; prob. from the root of AS. helan to conceal. See Hele, Hell, and cf. Hold of a ship.] 1. A hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit; an opening in or through a solid body, a fabric, etc.; a perforation; a rent; a fissure.
The holes where eyes should be. Shak.
The blind walls
Were full of chinks and holes. Tennyson.
The priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid. 2 Kings xii. 9.
2. An excavation in the ground, made by an animal to live in, or a natural cavity inhabited by an animal; hence, a low, narrow, or dark lodging or place; a mean habitation. Dryden.
The foxes have holes,... but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Luke ix. 58.
Syn. — Hollow; concavity; aperture; rent; fissure; crevice; orifice; interstice; perforation; excavation; pit; cave; den; cell.
Hole and corner, clandestine, underhand. “The wretched trickery of hole and corner buffery.” Dickens. — Hole board(Fancy Weaving), a board having holes through which cords pass which lift certain warp threads; — called also compass board.