foxhole

[ foks-hohl ]

noun

1. a small pit, usually for one or two soldiers, dug as a shelter in a battle area.

foxhole

/ ˈfɒksˌhəʊl /

noun

1. military a small pit dug during an action to provide individual shelter against hostile fire

Word History and Origins

Origin of foxhole¹

First recorded in 1915–20; fox + hole

Example Sentences

Even his friends who adored the EMT lifestyle, with its sense of purpose and foxhole camaraderie, usually ended up leaving after two or three years.

From ProPublica

I think there’s an awareness that we’re in the foxhole together, and there’s not a lot of us, and we’re being assaulted, and so you’ve got to be together.

From Washington Post

[He tears off the tape] They stole into my foxhole at night and covered my face with Scotch tape.

From The Daily Beast

But what if a soldier had my book in their foxhole: would they curse me or thank me?

From The Daily Beast

Some colleagues viewed him as “calm, friendly, collected, a foxhole type of guy.”

From The Daily Beast

So he would go from foxhole to foxhole and, by any means, would get his men to fight.

From The Daily Beast

Nor is he likely to be found, as Saddam Hussein was, cowering in a covered foxhole.

From The Daily Beast

A grenade had come flying into the foxhole where Dane and Harding had felt reasonably safe.

From Project Gutenberg

With morning he was half a mile away, in a foxhole less than sixty yards from the massive outer perimeter of the arena.

From Project Gutenberg

The foxhole had two entrances, both well-concealed, and he had rigged elaborate warning devices should the vicinity be approached.

From Project Gutenberg

The shower of rock is somewhat reminiscent of Ungava's meteor spray or splintered debris forced down a soldier's foxhole.

From Project Gutenberg

And while an officer wouldn't be expected to pitch a tent, he would dig his own foxhole, unless he was well up in grade.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dike
• gorge
• gully
• moat
• pit
• trough
• waterway