Plural of hole; openings, gaps, or cavities in a surface or object. Can refer to physical apertures, flaws in arguments, or golf course targets.
From Old English 'hol' meaning 'cave' or 'hollow place,' related to Proto-Germanic 'hulaz.' The word has remained remarkably stable across Germanic languages. Figurative uses like 'hole in an argument' developed in the 16th century.
The concept of holes fascinates physicists and philosophers alike - they're defined entirely by what's not there, yet have measurable properties and effects. In topology, the number of holes in an object (its 'genus') is a fundamental characteristic that remains unchanged even when the object is stretched or deformed.
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