loophole
UK /ˈluːphəʊl/ · US /ˈluphoʊl/ noun, verb
Forms loopholes loopholing loopholed loop hole
- noun (historical) A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light.
- noun (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.
- verb (military, transitive) To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers
- verb (transitive) To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) + hole, from a Germanic source. By surface analysis, loop + hole. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “loophole”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details