An ambiguity (especially one in the text of a law or contract) that makes it possible to evade a difficulty or obligation.

Roget 671: escape, scape; avolation^†, elopement, flight; evasion etc. (avoidance) 623; retreat; narrow escape, hairbreadth escape; close call; come off, impunity.    [Means of escape] loophole etc. (opening) 260; path etc. 627; refuse etc. 666; vent, vent peg; safety valve; drawbridge, fire escape.    reprieve etc. (deliverance) 672; liberation etc. 750.    refugee etc. (fugitive) 623.    ... show more

Roget 717: defense, protection, guard, ward; shielding etc. v.; propugnation^†, preservation etc. 670; guardianship.    area defense; site defense.    self-defense, self-preservation; resistance etc. 719.    safeguard etc. (safety) 664; balistraria^†; bunker, screen etc. (shelter) 666; camouflage etc. (concealment) 530; fortification; munition, muniment^†; trench, foxhole; bulwark, fosse^†, moat, ditch, entrenchment, intrenchment^†; kila^†; dike, dyke; parapet, sunk fence, embankment, mound, mole, bank, sandbag, revetment; earth work, field-work; fence, wall dead wall, contravallation^†; paling etc. (inclosure) 232; palisade, haha, stockade, stoccado^†, laager^†, sangar^†; barrier, barricade; boom; portcullis, chevaux de frise [Fr.]; abatis, abattis^†, abbatis^†; vallum^†, circumvallation^†, battlement, rampart, scarp; escarp^†, counter-scarp; glacis, casemate^†; vallation^†, vanfos^†.    buttress, abutment; shore etc. (support) 215.    breastwork, banquette, curtain, mantlet^†, bastion, redan^†, ravelin^†; vauntmure^†; advance work, horn work, outwork; barbacan^†, barbican; redoubt; fort-elage [Fr.], fort-alice; lines.    loophole, machicolation^†; sally port.    hold, stronghold, fastness; asylum etc. (refuge) 666; keep, donjon, dungeon, fortress, citadel, capitol, castle; tower of strength, tower of strength; fort, barracoon^†, pah^†, sconce, martello tower^†, peelhouse^†, blockhouse, rath^†; wooden walls.    [body armor] bulletproof vest, armored vest, buffer, corner stone, fender, apron, mask, gauntlet, thimble, carapace, armor, shield, buckler, aegis, breastplate, backplate^†, cowcatcher, face guard, scutum^†, cuirass, habergeon^†, mail, coat of mail, brigandine^†, hauberk, lorication^†, helmet, helm, bassinet, salade^†, heaume^†, morion^†, murrion^†, armet^†, cabaset^†, vizor^†, casquetel^†, siege cap, headpiece, casque, pickelhaube, vambrace^†, shako etc. (dress) 225.    bearskin; panoply; truncheon etc. (weapon) 727.    garrison, picket, piquet; defender, protector; guardian etc. (safety) 664; bodyguard, champion; knight-errant, Paladin; propugner^†.    bulletproof window.    hardened site.    ... show more

Roget 441: vision, sight, optics, eyesight.    view, look, espial^†, glance, ken [Scot.], coup d'oeil [Fr.]; glimpse, glint, peep; gaze, stare, leer; perlustration^†, contemplation; conspection^†, conspectuity^†; regard, survey; introspection; reconnaissance, speculation, watch, espionage, espionnage [Fr.], autopsy; ocular inspection, ocular demonstration; sight-seeing.    point of view; gazebo, loophole, belvedere, watchtower.    field of view; theater, amphitheater, arena, vista, horizon; commanding view, bird's eye view; periscope.    visual organ, organ of vision; eye; naked eye, unassisted eye; retina, pupil, iris, cornea, white; optics, orbs; saucer eyes, goggle eyes, gooseberry eyes.    short sight etc. 443; clear sight, sharp sight, quick sight, eagle sight, piercing sight, penetrating sight, clear glance, sharp glance, quick glance, eagle glance, piercing glance, penetrating glance, clear eye, sharp eye, quick eye, eagle eye, piercing eye, penetrating eye; perspicacity, discernment; catopsis^†.    eagle, hawk; cat, lynx; Argus^†.    evil eye; basilisk, cockatrice [Myth.].    ... show more

Roget 260: hole, foramen; puncture, perforation; fontanel^†; transforation^†; pinhole, keyhole, loophole, porthole, peephole, mousehole, pigeonhole; eye of a needle; eyelet; slot.    opening; aperture, apertness^†; hiation^†, yawning, oscitancy^†, dehiscence, patefaction^†, pandiculation^†; chasm etc. (interval) 198.    embrasure, window, casement; abatjour^†; light; sky light, fan light; lattice; bay window, bow window; oriel [Arch.]; dormer, lantern.    outlet, inlet; vent, vomitory; embouchure; orifice, mouth, sucker, muzzle, throat, gullet, weasand^†, wizen, nozzle; placket.    portal, porch, gate, ostiary^†, postern, wicket, trapdoor, hatch, door; arcade; cellarway^†, driveway, gateway, doorway, hatchway, gangway; lich gate^†.    way, path etc. 627; thoroughfare; channel; passage, passageway; tube, pipe; water pipe etc. 350; air pipe etc. 351; vessel, tubule, canal, gut, fistula; adjutage^†, ajutage^†; ostium^†; smokestack; chimney, flue, tap, funnel, gully, tunnel, main; mine, pit, adit^†, shaft; gallery.    alley, aisle, glade, vista.    bore, caliber; pore; blind orifice; fulgurite^†, thundertube^†.    porousness, porosity.    sieve, cullender^†, colander; cribble^†, riddle, screen; honeycomb.    apertion^†, perforation; piercing etc. v.; terebration^†, empalement^†, pertusion^†, puncture, acupuncture, penetration.    key etc. 631, opener, master key, password, combination, passe-partout.    ... show more

Roget 626: plan, scheme, design, project; proposal, proposition, suggestion; resolution, motion; precaution etc. (provision) 673; deep-laid plan etc. (premeditated) 611; system etc. (order) 58; organization etc. (arrangement) 60; germ etc. (cause) 153.    sketch, skeleton, outline, draught, draft, ebauche [Fr.], brouillon [Fr.]; rough cast, rough draft, draught copy; copy; proof, revise.    drawing, scheme, schematic, graphic, chart, flow chart (representation) 554.    forecast, program, programme, prospectus; carte du pays [Fr.]; card; bill, protocol; order of the day, list of agenda; bill of fare etc. (food) 298; base of operations; platform, plank, slate [U.S.], ticket [U.S.].    role; policy etc. (line of conduct) 692.    contrivance, invention, expedient, receipt, nostrum, artifice, device; pipelaying [U.S.]; stratagem etc. (cunning) 702; trick etc. (deception) 545; alternative, loophole; shift etc. (substitute) 147; last shift etc. (necessity) 601.    measure, step; stroke, stroke of policy; master stroke; trump card, court card; cheval de bataille [Fr.], great gun; coup, coup d'etat [Fr.]; clever stroke, bold stroke, good move, good hit, good stroke; bright thought, bright idea.    intrigue, cabal, plot, conspiracy, complot^†, machination; subplot, underplot^†, counterplot.    schemer, schemist^†, schematist^†; strategist, machinator; projector, artist, promoter, designer etc. v.; conspirator; intrigant etc. (cunning) 702^†.    ... show more

Dutch: achterdeur

A small hole in a fortified wall; for observation or discharging weapons.

Dutch: schietgat