See loophole in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for loophole meaning in English (18.3kB)
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0",
"word": "boyfriend loophole"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0",
"word": "every law has a loophole"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0",
"word": "every law has its loophole"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0",
"word": "lo mein loophole"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0",
"word": "poophole loophole"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "loupe",
"3": "hole",
"lang1": "enm",
"t1": "opening in a wall"
},
"expansion": "Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem"
},
"expansion": "Germanic",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "ML.",
"2": "loupa",
"3": "loupa, lobia"
},
"expansion": "Medieval Latin loupa, lobia",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "lupen",
"t": "to watch"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "loopholes",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "loophole (plural loopholes)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"loop‧hole"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "33 26 12 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "30 26 17 27",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms with consonant pseudo-digraphs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1809, Maria Edgeworth, The Absentee",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1949, George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, page 25",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light. Also written loop hole."
],
"id": "en-loophole-en-noun-62-dtLe0",
"links": [
[
"slit",
"slit"
],
[
"window",
"window"
],
[
"loop hole",
"loop hole"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(historical) A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light. Also written loop hole."
],
"tags": [
"historical"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "ambrazura",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "амбразура"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "espitllera"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "槍眼"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "qiāngyǎn",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "枪眼"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "schietgat"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "ampuma-aukko"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "meurtrière"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "seteira"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "troneira"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "ka",
"lang": "Georgian",
"roman": "ambrazura",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "ამბრაზურა"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "Schießscharte"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "(crenel) lőrés"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "(peephole) kémlelőnyílás"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "poll lámhaigh"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "feritoia"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"alt": "じゅうがん",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "jūgan",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "銃眼"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "whakarua kōtare"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "no",
"lang": "Norwegian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "skyteskår"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "seteira"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "ambrazúra",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "амбразу́ра"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "bojníca",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "бойни́ца"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "arquera"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "aspillera"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "ballestera"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "lancera"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "saetera"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "saetía"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "barbacana"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "tronera"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"common-gender"
],
"word": "skottglugg"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 5",
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "mazgal"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "33 26 12 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "25 37 13 25",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"parents": [
"Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "30 26 17 27",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms with consonant pseudo-digraphs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1838, Charles Dickens, chapter 49, in Oliver Twist, page 236",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2002, Marc Lawrence, Two Weeks Notice (motion picture)",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2013 February 9, Barack Obama, The Support They Need",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect."
],
"id": "en-loophole-en-noun-PGjdhrSu",
"links": [
[
"method",
"method"
],
[
"escape",
"escape"
],
[
"ambiguity",
"ambiguity"
],
[
"exception",
"exception"
],
[
"exploit",
"exploit"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect."
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "vratička",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "вратичка"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "escapador"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "lòudòng",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "漏洞"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "mezera"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "achterdeur"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine",
"masculine"
],
"word": "maas"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "porsaanreikä"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "échappatoire"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "brèche"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "ka",
"lang": "Georgian",
"roman": "tavis daʒvrena",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "თავის დაძვრენა"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "Ausflucht"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "Hintertürchen"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "Schlupfloch"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"roman": "pirtsa",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "פרצה"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "kibúvó"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "kiskapu"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "joghézag"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "jogi kiskapu"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "jogi kibúvó"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "lúb ar lár"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "scappatoia"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "cavillo"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "pretesto"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "sottigliezza"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "sofisma"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "paralogismo"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"alt": "ぬけみち",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "nukemichi",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "抜け道"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "no",
"lang": "Norwegian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "smutthull"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "luka"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"colloquial",
"masculine"
],
"word": "kruczek"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"colloquial",
"feminine"
],
"word": "furtka"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "brecha"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "lazéjka",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "лазе́йка"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uvjórtka",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "увёртка"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "escapatoria"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "kryphål"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "th",
"lang": "Thai",
"roman": "chɔ̂ng-wòo",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "ช่องโหว่"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "kaçamak"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "cy",
"lang": "Welsh",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "ffordd ymwared"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 100",
"code": "cy",
"lang": "Welsh",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "dihangfa"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈluːphəʊl/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈluphoʊl/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-uːphəʊl"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-loophole.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "loophole"
}
{
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "loupe",
"3": "hole",
"lang1": "enm",
"t1": "opening in a wall"
},
"expansion": "Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem"
},
"expansion": "Germanic",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "ML.",
"2": "loupa",
"3": "loupa, lobia"
},
"expansion": "Medieval Latin loupa, lobia",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "lupen",
"t": "to watch"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "loopholes",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "loopholing",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "loopholed",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "loopholed",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "loophole (third-person singular simple present loopholes, present participle loopholing, simple past and past participle loopholed)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"loop‧hole"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Military",
"orig": "en:Military",
"parents": [
"Society",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "33 26 12 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "30 26 17 27",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms with consonant pseudo-digraphs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1896, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Exploits Of Brigadier Gerard",
"text": "The lower windows were barricaded, and the whole building loopholed for musketry fire.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1907, A. E. W. Mason, The Broken Road",
"text": "The doors were barricaded, the shutters closed upon the windows and loopholed, and provisions were brought in from the outhouses.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1915, W. H. L. Watson, Adventures of a Despatch Rider",
"text": "The Germans were loopholing it for defence.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers"
],
"id": "en-loophole-en-verb-6hCiYJCW",
"links": [
[
"military",
"military"
],
[
"building",
"building"
],
[
"attacker",
"attacker"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(military, transitive) To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers"
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
],
"topics": [
"government",
"military",
"politics",
"war"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "33 26 12 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "30 26 17 27",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms with consonant pseudo-digraphs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1988, Macabee Dean, The Ashmadai Solution: A Surrealistic Extrapolation of a Gentle Genocide",
"text": "Abroad they had developed loopholing the law into an art; in Israel they jettisoned loopholing for ignoring the law wherever possible. Obeying laws was for naive fools.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2005, Deborah Rhode, David Luban, Legal Ethics Stories",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes."
],
"id": "en-loophole-en-verb-3zNreogX",
"links": [
[
"exploit",
"exploit"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈluːphəʊl/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈluphoʊl/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-uːphəʊl"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-loophole.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav.mp3",
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"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "loophole"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English compound terms",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English terms derived from Germanic languages",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links",
"English terms with consonant pseudo-digraphs",
"English verbs",
"Rhymes:English/uːphəʊl",
"Rhymes:English/uːphəʊl/2 syllables"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "boyfriend loophole"
},
{
"word": "every law has a loophole"
},
{
"word": "every law has its loophole"
},
{
"word": "lo mein loophole"
},
{
"word": "poophole loophole"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "loupe",
"3": "hole",
"lang1": "enm",
"t1": "opening in a wall"
},
"expansion": "Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem"
},
"expansion": "Germanic",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "ML.",
"2": "loupa",
"3": "loupa, lobia"
},
"expansion": "Medieval Latin loupa, lobia",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "lupen",
"t": "to watch"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "loopholes",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "loophole (plural loopholes)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"loop‧hole"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with historical senses",
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1809, Maria Edgeworth, The Absentee",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1949, George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, page 25",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light. Also written loop hole."
],
"links": [
[
"slit",
"slit"
],
[
"window",
"window"
],
[
"loop hole",
"loop hole"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(historical) A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light. Also written loop hole."
],
"tags": [
"historical"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1838, Charles Dickens, chapter 49, in Oliver Twist, page 236",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2002, Marc Lawrence, Two Weeks Notice (motion picture)",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2013 February 9, Barack Obama, The Support They Need",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect."
],
"links": [
[
"method",
"method"
],
[
"escape",
"escape"
],
[
"ambiguity",
"ambiguity"
],
[
"exception",
"exception"
],
[
"exploit",
"exploit"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule or law that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect."
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈluːphəʊl/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈluphoʊl/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-uːphəʊl"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-loophole.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "ambrazura",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "амбразура"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "espitllera"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "槍眼"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "qiāngyǎn",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "枪眼"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "schietgat"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "ampuma-aukko"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "meurtrière"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "seteira"
},
{
"code": "gl",
"lang": "Galician",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "troneira"
},
{
"code": "ka",
"lang": "Georgian",
"roman": "ambrazura",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "ამბრაზურა"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "Schießscharte"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "(crenel) lőrés"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "(peephole) kémlelőnyílás"
},
{
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "poll lámhaigh"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "feritoia"
},
{
"alt": "じゅうがん",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "jūgan",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "銃眼"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "whakarua kōtare"
},
{
"code": "no",
"lang": "Norwegian",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "skyteskår"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "seteira"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "ambrazúra",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "амбразу́ра"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "bojníca",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "бойни́ца"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "arquera"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "aspillera"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "ballestera"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "lancera"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "saetera"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "saetía"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "barbacana"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "tronera"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"tags": [
"common-gender"
],
"word": "skottglugg"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "slit in a castle wall",
"word": "mazgal"
},
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "vratička",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "вратичка"
},
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "escapador"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "lòudòng",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "漏洞"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "mezera"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "achterdeur"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine",
"masculine"
],
"word": "maas"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "porsaanreikä"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "échappatoire"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "brèche"
},
{
"code": "ka",
"lang": "Georgian",
"roman": "tavis daʒvrena",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "თავის დაძვრენა"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "Ausflucht"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "Hintertürchen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "Schlupfloch"
},
{
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"roman": "pirtsa",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "פרצה"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "kibúvó"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "kiskapu"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "joghézag"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "jogi kiskapu"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "jogi kibúvó"
},
{
"code": "ga",
"lang": "Irish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "lúb ar lár"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "scappatoia"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "cavillo"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "pretesto"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "sottigliezza"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "sofisma"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "paralogismo"
},
{
"alt": "ぬけみち",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "nukemichi",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "抜け道"
},
{
"code": "no",
"lang": "Norwegian",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "smutthull"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "luka"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"colloquial",
"masculine"
],
"word": "kruczek"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"colloquial",
"feminine"
],
"word": "furtka"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "brecha"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "lazéjka",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "лазе́йка"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "uvjórtka",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "увёртка"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "escapatoria"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "kryphål"
},
{
"code": "th",
"lang": "Thai",
"roman": "chɔ̂ng-wòo",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "ช่องโหว่"
},
{
"code": "tr",
"lang": "Turkish",
"sense": "method of escape",
"word": "kaçamak"
},
{
"code": "cy",
"lang": "Welsh",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "ffordd ymwared"
},
{
"code": "cy",
"lang": "Welsh",
"sense": "method of escape",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "dihangfa"
}
],
"word": "loophole"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English compound terms",
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English terms derived from Germanic languages",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links",
"English terms with consonant pseudo-digraphs",
"English verbs",
"Rhymes:English/uːphəʊl",
"Rhymes:English/uːphəʊl/2 syllables"
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "loupe",
"3": "hole",
"lang1": "enm",
"t1": "opening in a wall"
},
"expansion": "Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem"
},
"expansion": "Germanic",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "ML.",
"2": "loupa",
"3": "loupa, lobia"
},
"expansion": "Medieval Latin loupa, lobia",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "lupen",
"t": "to watch"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "loopholes",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "loopholing",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "loopholed",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "loopholed",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "loophole (third-person singular simple present loopholes, present participle loopholing, simple past and past participle loopholed)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"loop‧hole"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs",
"en:Military"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1896, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Exploits Of Brigadier Gerard",
"text": "The lower windows were barricaded, and the whole building loopholed for musketry fire.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1907, A. E. W. Mason, The Broken Road",
"text": "The doors were barricaded, the shutters closed upon the windows and loopholed, and provisions were brought in from the outhouses.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1915, W. H. L. Watson, Adventures of a Despatch Rider",
"text": "The Germans were loopholing it for defence.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers"
],
"links": [
[
"military",
"military"
],
[
"building",
"building"
],
[
"attacker",
"attacker"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(military, transitive) To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers"
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
],
"topics": [
"government",
"military",
"politics",
"war"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English transitive verbs",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1988, Macabee Dean, The Ashmadai Solution: A Surrealistic Extrapolation of a Gentle Genocide",
"text": "Abroad they had developed loopholing the law into an art; in Israel they jettisoned loopholing for ignoring the law wherever possible. Obeying laws was for naive fools.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2005, Deborah Rhode, David Luban, Legal Ethics Stories",
"text": "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.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes."
],
"links": [
[
"exploit",
"exploit"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈluːphəʊl/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈluphoʊl/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"rhymes": "-uːphəʊl"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-loophole.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9d/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-loophole.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "loophole"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.