loophole

Meaning

Noun

1. (historical) A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light.
2. (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.

Verb

1. (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.

Synonyms

embrasure

loop-hole

embattle

hole

🕳️

eyelet

elusion

evasion

gap

idea

💡

interstice

lacuna

lacunae

leak

loop

➿

mouth

opening

port

porthole

prevarication

quibble

quirk

rent

shift

shortcoming

slot

solution

space

stall

subterfuge

tergiversation

vista

way out

secret passage

space character

blank

crenelle

chink

cranny

crenel

crevice

Translations

feritoia

échappatoire

meurtrière

Schießscharte

escapatoria

aspillera

seteira

faille

scappatoia

schietgat

brecha

Schlupfloch

balestriera

lacune

Hintertürchen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈluːphəʊl/

Etymology

Cognate with Middle Dutch: lupen

In summary

From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).