loophole
/ˈluːphəʊl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈluːphəʊl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlüp-ˌhōl/ (ame, mw)
loophole — 名詞
- loopholesingular
- loopholesplural
1. an unclear or poorly worded part of a law, contract, or written agreement that a
漏洞
法律或合約中可規避義務的模糊條文
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.
該公司在稅法中發現一個漏洞，幾乎不用繳任何稅。
collocation: find a loophole
Lawyers for the factory owner used a loophole related to emissions reporting to avoid the fine.
工廠老闆的律師利用排放申報相關的漏洞，逃避了罰款。
collocation: use a loophole
A loophole in the rental agreement allowed the landlord to raise the rent every three months.
租約中的一個漏洞讓房東每三個月就能調漲租金。
The government promised to close the loophole that let wealthy individuals hide their income overseas.
政府承諾要堵住讓富人將收入隱藏在海外的漏洞。
- 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
射擊孔
城牆上供射擊或採光的狹長開口
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.
守軍從城牆上狹窄的射擊孔向外射箭。
historical sense: physical opening in walls
Each stone tower had loopholes on three sides, giving archers a wide field of fire.
每座石塔的三面都有射擊孔，讓弓箭手有寬廣的射擊範圍。
The small loophole let in just enough morning light to read by.
那個小射擊孔剛好透進足夠閱讀的晨光。
Historians believe these loopholes were widened in the sixteenth century to fit early muskets.
歷史學家認為這些射擊孔在十六世紀被擴大，以容納早期的火槍。
- 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 — 動詞
- 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
鑽漏洞；製造漏洞
在合約或法規中刻意製造模糊之處
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.
遊說團體在新的環保法案通過前，設法在其中製造漏洞。
rare transitive usage: loophole a bill
Critics accused the committee of loopholing the safety regulations to favour factory owners.
批評者指控該委員會在安全法規中製造漏洞，偏袒工廠業主。
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.