loophole
Meaning
-
- A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light. Also written loop hole.
- A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect.
Synonyms
loop-hole
secret passage
space character
Frequency
Hyphenated as
loop‧hole
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈluːphəʊl/
Etymology
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”).
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Notes