loophole
/ˈluːphəʊl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈluːphəʊl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlüp-ˌhōl/ (ame, mw)
loophole — noun
- loopholesingular
- loopholesplural
1. an unclear or poorly worded part of a law, contract, or written agreement that a
an unclear or poorly worded part of a law, contract, or written agreement that allows someone to avoid doing what the rules were meant to require, without actually breaking any rule
The company found a loophole in the tax law that let them pay almost nothing.
collocation: find a loophole
Lawyers for the factory owner used a loophole related to emissions reporting to avoid the fine.
collocation: use a loophole
A loophole in the rental agreement allowed the landlord to raise the rent every three months.
The government promised to close the loophole that let wealthy individuals hide their income overseas.
- ambiguity
loophole is a type of ambiguity — ambiguity is any unclear meaning; a loophole is one that lets someone escape an obligation
- gap
more general; a gap in the law is similar but carries less implication of intentional avoidance
- technicality
focuses on a narrow procedural detail rather than unclear wording
用法筆記
Frequently paired with verbs like find, exploit, close, or plug, and nouns like tax, legal, regulatory.
常見錯誤
2. a narrow vertical opening cut into a castle or fortress wall, through which sold
a narrow vertical opening cut into a castle or fortress wall, through which soldiers could shoot arrows or guns at attackers while staying protected behind the stone
The defenders fired arrows through narrow loopholes in the castle wall.
historical sense: physical opening in walls
Each stone tower had loopholes on three sides, giving archers a wide field of fire.
The small loophole let in just enough morning light to read by.
Historians believe these loopholes were widened in the sixteenth century to fit early muskets.
- arrow slit
more specific — refers only to archery, while loophole includes firearms use
- embrasure
a wider opening that flares outward; a loophole is a narrower slit
- crenel
an open notch at the top of a battlement, different from a vertical slit in the wall
用法筆記
This is the original historical meaning (first recorded 1591). In modern contexts it appears mostly in historical or architectural writing.
loophole — verb
- loopholepresent simple I / you / we / they
- loopholes3rd person singular
- loopholing-ing form
- loopholedpast simple
1. to deliberately write unclear or flexible wording into a law, contract, or set o
to deliberately write unclear or flexible wording into a law, contract, or set of rules, creating a way for someone to later avoid an obligation without breaking the rules
The lobbyists worked to loophole the new environmental bill before it passed.
rare transitive usage: loophole a bill
Critics accused the committee of loopholing the safety regulations to favour factory owners.
文法句型
loophole + a document/system
用法筆記
This is a very rare transitive verb derived from the noun. Most writers and speakers prefer the verb phrase "find a loophole in" or "exploit a loophole in" instead.