hole (redirected from holey)

an ace in the hole (American)

an advantage that you have that other people do not know about. The local team has an ace in the hole with their new player.

See also: ace

be full of holes

if an idea or plan is full of holes, it is not complete or has many faults. His theory is full of holes so we should have no problem convincing people that he's wrong.

See also: full

be in a hole (British & Australian, informal)

to be in a difficult or embarrassing situation. We're in a bit of a hole here, because we've lost the letter they sent telling us what we were supposed to do.

be in the hole (American, informal)

if someone is an amount of money in the hole, they owe that amount of money. He's $500 in the hole after buying his car.

blow a hole in something

if you blow a hole in someone's opinions or arguments, you show that they are not true or right. Bloodstains on the sheets blew a hole in the defence's argument.

See also: blow

blow/make a hole in something

if something makes a hole in an amount of money, it takes a lot of that money to pay for it. The trip made a hole in our savings, but it was worth it. The new tax is likely to blow an enormous hole in our profits.

See also: blow

dig yourself into a hole (British & Australian, informal)

to do something which makes you embarrassed or causes you problems which will be difficult to solve. The government is digging itself into an even deeper hole by refusing to admit it made a mistake.

See also: dig

dig/get someone out of a hole (British & Australian, informal)

to help someone who is in a difficult situation. She got me out of a hole by lending me the money for the flight back to New York. I managed to dig myself out of a hole by pretending I had only been joking. (often reflexive)

See also: dig

go into the hole (American, informal)

be in the hole - if someone is an amount of money in the hole, they owe that amount of money. The campaign has run out of money and is going into the hole.

have something burning a hole in your pocket (humorous)

if someone has money burning a hole in their pocket, they want to spend it as soon as possible. I had a fifty dollar bill that was burning a hole in my pocket, so I figured I'd go out and have a really good time.

See also: burning, pocket

a hole card (American)

a secret advantage that is ready to use when you need it. She still had one hole card to get out of police custody - a phone call to an influential friend.

See also: card

a hole in the wall (American)

a small, dark shop or restaurant. It's just a hole in the wall, but the food is good.

See also: wall

hole-and-corner (British, British)

hole-and-corner activities are kept secret, usually because they are dishonest. I don't want any more hole-in-the-corner deals, from now all our business will be done in the open. (always before noun)

hole-in-the-wall

a hole in the wall - a small, dark shop or restaurant. We spent the day going around hole-in-the-wall antique shops looking for bargains. (always before noun)

need something like (you need) a hole in the head (humorous)

if you say you need something like a hole in the head, you mean you do not need it and do not want it. We need a new shopping centre in our neighbourhood like we need a hole in the head!

See also: head, like, need

pick holes in something

to find mistakes in something someone has done or said, to show that it is not good or not correct. The lawyer did her best to pick holes in the witness's statement.

See also: pick

a square peg (in a round hole)

someone whose character makes them completely wrong for the type of work they are doing or for the situation they are in. I never did understand what Paddy was doing in accounts - he was a square peg in a round hole.

See also: peg, square

---

full of holes

including many faults. Experts say the scientists' research is full of holes and unrealistic assumptions. Their stories are so full of holes that anyone who knows the facts can see right through them.

See also: full

hole up (somewhere)

to stay in a hidden place. While writing his book, he holed up for a year in a cabin in the woods.

in the hole

owing money. We're in the hole – every year our revenues grow more slowly than our costs.

Usage notes: often used after an amount of money: He's $500 in the hole after buying his car.

pick holes in something

to find mistakes in something someone has done or said. We send the articles out and let other scientists in the same area of study try their best to pick holes in your research.

See also: pick

put someone/something in a hole

to cause a difficult situation for someone or something. Whitson gave up home runs to Palmeiro and Bonilla that put Cleveland in a hole. I campaigned against two opponents from this state, and I think it put me in a hole.

in a tight spot

in a bind

a square peg (in a round hole)

someone who is different from most people of the same age and situation. In high school she was defininitely a square peg, but even if they didn't understand her, most kids admired her.

See also: peg, square