in the hole for (something)

slang

1. Lacking a particular amount of money. Aw man, I'm in the hole for $500 after our night at the casino. But we just got paid! How are you already in the hole for $1,000? I just paid off my student loans and have no desire to get in the hole for tens of thousands of dollars again anytime soon!

2. Lacking money for a particular amount of time. One weekend in Las Vegas left me in the whole for nearly two months. My cat is doing better now, but I'm going to be in the hole for a while as I pay off her medical expenses. If I lend you that much money, I'll be in the hole for months!

3. In a prison cell (often for solitary confinement) for a particular amount of time. Throw that guy in the hole for a few hours—maybe that'll put him in a talking mood. A: "Wait, he attacked another inmate?" B: "Yep, that's why he's been in the hole for days." I hate solitary, man. I can't stand to be in the hole for five minutes, let alone hours or days.

4. In solitary confinement as a result of a particular crime or misdeed. They put him in the hole for assaulting another inmate. I heard that guy's in the hole for threatening one of the guards. Is it true that he's in the hole for trying to bust out of this place?