pothole
pothole Lexical Profile
pothole Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A depression or hollow in a road surface caused by wear or subsidence.
"The driver swerved slightly to avoid a deep pothole in the middle of the lane."
A deep, more or less circular hole or vertical shaft worn into solid rock by the rotating action of stones in a riverbed or formed by water erosion in limestone karst regions.
"Geologists examined the smooth walls of the ancient pothole carved into the granite riverbed."
• verb
British To explore underground caves and vertical rock shafts as a pastime or sport.
"They spent the weekend potholing in the limestone caverns of the Yorkshire Dales."
To form potholes in a road or other surface, or to become pitted with potholes.
"Repeated freeze-thaw cycles had severely potholed the rural highway by early spring."
• Rhymes for pothole
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating in the early 19th century, the word combines 'pot' and 'hole', initially referring to the deep pits dug by potters in central England to extract clay, which frequently damaged passing wagon wheels.