glory hole

noun

1
a
: a furnace for softening glass when it becomes stiff in offhand working and for fire-polishing glass
b
: an opening directly into the interior of such a furnace
specifically : bottoming hole
2
: a receptacle (as a box or cupboard) or area into which odds and ends are put haphazardly and in no particular order
3
b
: the quarters of stewards or stokers on board a ship
4
: an opencut or funnel-shaped excavation formed by drawing off soft or broken ore through an underground passage

called also mill hole

5
: a hole made through a wall or partition to enable people to perform sex acts anonymously

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Cite this Entry

“Glory hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glory%20hole. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

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