What does Loophole mean?

Definitions for Loophole
ˈlupˌhoʊlloop·hole

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Loophole.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. loopholenoun

    an ambiguity (especially one in the text of a law or contract) that makes it possible to evade a difficulty or obligation

  2. loopholenoun

    a small hole in a fortified wall; for observation or discharging weapons

GCIDE

  1. Loopholenoun

    An amibiguity or unintended omission in a law, rule, regulation, or contract which allows a party to circumvent the intent of the text and avoid its obligations under certain circumstances. -- used usually in a negative sense; -- distinguished from escape clause in that the latter usually is included to deliberately allow evasion of obligation under certain specified and foreseen circumstances; as, a loophole in the law big enough to drive a truck through.

Wiktionary

  1. loopholenoun

    A method of escape, especially an ambiguity or exception in a rule that can be exploited in order to avoid its effect.

  2. loopholenoun

    A slit in a castle wall. Later: any similar window for shooting a weapon or letting in light.

  3. loopholeverb

    To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Loopholenoun

    Etymology: loop and hole.

    The Indian herdsman shunning heat,
    Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds;
    At loopholes cut through thickest shade. John Milton, Par. Lost.

    Ere the blabbing Eastern scout
    The nice morn on the Indian steep,
    From her cabin’d loophole peep. John Milton.

    Walk not near yon corner house by night; for there are blunderbusses planted in every loophole, that go off at the squeaking of a fiddle. John Dryden, Spanish Friar.

    Needless, or needful, I not now contend,
    For still you have a loophole for a friend. Dryden.

Wikipedia

  1. Loophole

    A loophole is an ambiguity or inadequacy in a system, such as a law or security, which can be used to circumvent or otherwise avoid the purpose, implied or explicitly stated, of the system. Originally, the word meant an arrowslit, a narrow vertical window in a wall through which an archer (or, later, gunman) could shoot. Loopholes were commonly used in U.S. forts built during the 1800s. Located in the sally port, a loophole was considered a last ditch defense, where guards could close off the inner and outer doors trapping enemy soldiers and using small arms fire through the slits.Loopholes are distinct from lacunae, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. In a loophole, a law addressing a certain issue exists, but can be legally circumvented due to a technical defect in the law, such as a situation where the details are under-specified. A lacuna, on the other hand, is a situation in which no law exists in the first place to address that particular issue.

ChatGPT

  1. loophole

    A loophole is an ambiguity or inadequacy in a system, set of rules or laws, which can be exploited or used to circumvent or otherwise avoid the intended purpose or outcome of that system, set of rules or laws.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Loopholenoun

    a small opening, as in the walls of fortification, or in the bulkhead of a ship, through which small arms or other weapons may be discharged at an enemy

  2. Loopholenoun

    a hole or aperture that gives a passage, or the means of escape or evasion

Wikidata

  1. Loophole

    Loophole is a black-and-white B-movie film noir crime drama. The film was directed by former editor Harold D. Schuster. Mary Beth Hughes plays the movie's femme fatale.

Matched Categories

How to pronounce Loophole?

How to say Loophole in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of Loophole in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of Loophole in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of Loophole in a Sentence

  1. Steven Rosenthal:

    There will be a lot of rough edges, which advisers and taxpayers will exploit, the COGS loophole for BEAT is a straightforward gimmick, but I am unsure how or whether the IRS will stop it.

  2. Bernie Sanders:

    I have voted time and again for the background checks, and I want to see it improved and expanded. I want to see them do away with the gun show loophole. ... I don't know that there's any disagreement here.

  3. Evan Greer:

    Its time to recognize that Big Tech plus Big Government equals Big Brother. Police departments typically have to answer to city and state elected officials, who are supposed to provide oversight to ensure theyre not abusing their power, amazon has found the perfect loophole: by entering into these partnerships with police theyre building a privately-run, for-profit, surveillance dragnet without any real accountability.

  4. David Henkin:

    We are confident the Supreme Court will agree with the appeals court that, when Congress passed the Clean Water Act to protect our nation's waters, it did not give polluters a loophole to use groundwater as a sewer to convey harmful pollutants into our oceans, lakes and rivers.

  5. Hiromi Yamaoka:

    Any inconsistency in rules among countries creates a loophole that renders the rules ineffective.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

Loophole#10000#38678#100000

Translations for Loophole

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for Loophole »

Translation

Find a translation for the Loophole definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Loophole." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Loophole>.

Discuss these Loophole definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for Loophole? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Browse Definitions.net

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
    A elate
    B render
    C cleave
    D transpire

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for Loophole: