unhole

English

Etymology 1

From un- (reversive prefix) +‎ hole.

Verb

unhole (third-person singular simple present unholes, present participle unholing, simple past and past participle unholed)

(transitive) To remove or drive out (a creature, a button, etc) from a hole.
- 1830, John Stevenson, The Sportsman's, Farmer's, and Cattle-doctor's Vade Mecum: Containing the Most Approved Methods ... Etc, page 60:
  [...] superior to other dogs at entering the hole after them, and driving them out or destroying them in the earth, if otherwise they cannot unhole them. The tumbler is chiefly for coney-warrens, where he displays much cunning and sagacity in taking and destroying rabbits […]
- 1901, William Tucker Washburn, The Deuce of Hearts, page 445:
  "'Tis the dry weather unholes them," said Erbengeld. "The pesky critters are wondrous fond of water."
- 1907, C. J. Cutcliffe Hyne, McTodd, page 232:
  The bag was crisp with ice, and with my fingerless gloves I was a bit of time unholing the buttons. But I got the flap turned back at last, and there was Ryan grey-faced and stark. Yes, and as cold as the ice-field beneath.
- 1920, National Petroleum News: NPN., page 54:
  […] if the groundhog sees his shadow on the day he unholes himself. Some say it means the end of winter, but the majority believe there will be six weeks more of coal bills.
- 1969, Lawrence Garber, Garber's Tales from the Quarter, page 230:
  Subject apparently unhooks button, releases clasp, pulls zipper, draws string, unholes button, loosens band. Trousers fall to buttock, revealing white rubber panties.
- (Can we date this quote?), Welder Series catalog, Welder Series, page 52:
  UNHOLES (HOLE PLUGS) - Great to use for filling holes in firewalls, frame rails, the ends of tubing, or anywhere there is a hole that needs to be “unholed”.
- 2023, Sidney Thompson, The Forsaken and the Dead: The Bass Reeves Trilogy, Book Three, U of Nebraska Press, →ISBN, page 171:
  […] the frothy devil [dog] would, at last, unhole itself to charge and chomp.

Etymology 2

From un- (not) +‎ hole.

Noun

unhole (plural unholes)

That which is not a hole; in particular, that which fills or formerly filled a hole.
- 1956, Scientific American, page 96:
  (2) […] If there is no pin, hole or lever in a given position, we talk about unpins, unholes and unlevers. (3) No locks have levers behind unholes, because such a lock could never be opened.
- (Can we date this quote?), Welder Series catalog, Welder Series, page 52:
  UNHOLES (HOLE PLUGS) - Great to use for filling holes in firewalls, frame rails, the ends of tubing, or anywhere there is a hole that needs to be “unholed”.
- 2006 May 16, Adrienne Miller, The Coast of Akron: A Novel, Macmillan, →ISBN, page 335:
  The white dots were litter from a hole puncher. Unholes, as it were. Ray-Ray had been making holes in white paper before the party, while wearing his wig.