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Glite Dictionary
poophole loophole

poophole loophole

9.9
A hidden gap in a law or rule that lets people avoid it
  • noun
  • /ˈpuːpoʊl ˈloʊphoʊl/
  • US
translation icon : vacío legal
  • The new tax bill closed the poophole loophole that many corporations had been using for years.

Examples

  • Regulators are working to eliminate any poophole loophole that financial firms might exploit.

  • Lawyers discovered a poophole loophole in the agreement, allowing their client to bypass a major restriction.

  • The new policy has a serious poophole loophole that needs to be addressed.

  • Many companies exploit the poophole loophole to avoid taxes.

  • Lawyers discovered a poophole loophole in the agreement, allowing their client to bypass a major restriction.

  • Regulators are working to eliminate any poophole loophole that financial firms might exploit.

  • The new tax bill closed the poophole loophole that many corporations had been using for years.

Synonyms

flaw
vspoophole loophole
131 3.0

A weakness in a plan or idea that makes it fail

is hidden and allows exploitation of technicalities to avoid a rule's intended effect
loophole
vspoophole loophole
115 5.8

A gap in a law or rule that lets people avoid following it

is a hidden flaw used to exploit technicalities to bypass a rule's intent

How Serious

exploit
  • Specialized
13 8.5
poophole loophole
  • US
9.9
technicality
47 6.5

Surface Forms

poophole loophole singular
poophole loopholes plural

Morphology

poophole + loophole

The expression looks like a humorous or nonce play on the existing word 'loophole' with a nonstandard/taboo form 'poophole' that does not contribute a predictable compositional meaning. Even if a learner knows both surface words, the overall sense (legal/technical evasion) is not transparently built from the parts and reads as idiosyncratic wordplay, so it would be unpredictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Poophole loophole plays on the old word loophole, which first named a tiny loop or hole in a castle wall where a defender could look or shoot through. That image of a small hidden opening is why poophole loophole now means a little, secret gap people use 'to avoid' a law or rule.