English
loophole
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈluːphəʊl/
Noun

loophole (plural loopholes)

  1. (historical) A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light.
    • 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe:
      ... 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.
    • 1809, Maria Edgeworth, The Absentee:
      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.
  2. A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect.
    • 1839, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist:
      […] I left him no loophole of escape, and laid bare the whole villainy which by these lights became plain as day.
    • 2002, Two Weeks Notice (movie):
      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.
Translations Translations Verb

loophole (loopholes, present participle loopholing; past and past participle loopholed)

  1. (military, transitive) To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers
  2. (transitive) To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes.
    • 2005, Deborah Rhode, ‎David Luban, Legal Ethics Stories
      De-moralizing the subject can be, quite simply, demoralizing, as stirring statements of ideals turn into persnickety rules with exceptions crying out to be loopholed.


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