different between eyelet vs loophole

English

Etymology

From Middle English oylet, from Old French oillet, equivalent to Old French oil (“eye”) + -et (diminutive suffix). Spelling as eye +? -let is due to folk etymology.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?a?.l?t/
• Homophone: islet

Noun

eyelet (plural eyelets)

1. An object that consists of a rim and small hole or perforation to receive a cord or fastener, as in garments, sails, etc. An eyelet may reinforce a hole.

   Push the aglet of the shoelace through each of the eyelets, one at a time.

2. A shaped metal embellishment containing a hole, used in scrapbook. Eyelets are typically set by punching a hole in the page, placing the smooth side of the eyelet on a table, positioning the paper over protruding edge and curling the edge down using a hammer and eyelet setter.
3. Cotton fabric with small holes.
4. The contact tip of the base of a light bulb.
5. A peephole.
6. A little eye.

Coordinate terms

• grommet

Translations

Verb

eyelet (third-person singular simple present eyelets, present participle eyeleting, simple past and past participle eyeleted)

1. (transitive) To make eyelets in.

References

English

Etymology

From Middle English loupe (“opening in a wall”) +? hole, from a Germanic source. Compare Medieval Latin loupa, lobia and Middle Dutch lupen (“to watch”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?lu?ph??l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?lupho?l/
• Hyphenation: loop?hole

Noun

loophole (plural loopholes)

1. (historical) A slit in a castle wall; today, any similar window for shooting a ranged weapon or letting in light.
   • 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe:

     ... and having a fair loophole, as it were, from a broken hole in the tree, he took a sure aim, without being seen, waiting till they were within about thirty yards of the tree, so that he could not miss.

   • 1809, Maria Edgeworth, The Absentee:

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

Derived terms

• lo mein loophole

Translations

Verb

loophole (third-person singular simple present loopholes, present participle loopholing, simple past and past participle loopholed)

1. (military, transitive) To prepare a building for defense by preparing slits or holes through which to fire on attackers
2. (transitive) To exploit (a law, etc.) by means of loopholes.
   • 2005, Deborah Rhode, David Luban, Legal Ethics Stories

     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.

Further reading

• loophole on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• loophole (firearm) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References