sb. Forms: 6 ilet-, 6–7 oylet-, 6–9 eylet-, 7 eylot-, ilot-, oilet-, 7–8 ey(e)lid-, 8 eilet-, 9 oilete-, 7– eyelet-. [f. EYELET sb. + HOLE.]

1

  1.  = EYELET 1 a; also a hole for inserting a metal eyelet (see EYELET 1 b).

2

1580.  North, Plutarch (1676), 573. A Brigandine made of many folds of Canvas with Oylet-holes.

3

1599.  A. M., trans. Gabelhouer’s Bk. Physicke, 184/2. The thonge must lye the bredth of hande on the rupture, vvhich must on both his sydes have to eyletheles.

4

1627.  Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., vii. 31. The eylot holes of the saile.

5

1658.  A. Fox, trans. Würtz’ Surg., II. xxiv. 144. Splinters made … with fitting fillets and bands, on which there are small eylid holes.

6

1743.  Zollman, in Phil. Trans., XLII. 365. A sort of Boat of Turkey Leather … with … Eilet-holes for receiving Hooks.

7

1762.  Falconer, Shipwr., II. 335. The reef-lines next … Through eyelet-holes … were reeved.

8

1850.  Carlyle, Latter-d. Pamph., Downing Street, 45. This poor tailor’s-bodkin, hardly adequate to bore an eylet-hole.

9

1861.  Pearson, Early & Mid. Ages Eng., 206. Wool and flax, with silk for the lappets and the eyelet holes, were the common materials.

10

  transf.  1599.  Porter, Angry Wom. Abingt. (Percy Soc.), 132. Twill be a good while ere you wish your skin full of ilet holes.

11

1634.  Ford, P. Warbeck, II. iii. Or let my skin be punch’d full of oylet-holes with the bodkin of derision.

12

  2.  a. A small hole for the purpose of observation. b. A hole or slit for the discharge of missiles.

13

  a.  1797–1803.  Foster, in Life & Corr., 1846, I. 178. An eyelet-hole, through which I fancied visions of entrancing beauty.

14

1848.  W. H. Ainsworth, Lanc. Witches, I. x. Nor was she long in discovering a small eyelet-hole in the carving which commanded the room.

15

1869.  Latest News, 3 Oct., 15. Scarcely any of the helmets have eyeletholes, but the viser was in general left partly open.

16

  b.  1858.  Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Jrnls., I. 606. Embrasures for guns and eyelet holes for musketry.

17

1879.  Sir G. Scott, Lect. Archit., I. 260. In a fortification external windows must be wholly avoided or reduced to mere eyelet-holes.

18

  3.  nonce-use = EYEHOLE a.

19

a. 1845.  Hood, Jack Hall, xix. Death … gave a wink, As well as eyelet holes can blink.

20

  Hence Eyelet-hole v. a. intr. To make eyelet-holes. b. trans. To make eyelet-holes in; to pierce through and through; to riddle. Eyelet-holed ppl. a., furnished with eyelet-holes. Eyelet-holing vbl. sb.

21

1747.  Gentl. Mag., XVII. Feb., 71/2. These lovers are to eylet-hole one another in Miss Biddy’s presence.

22

1590.  Barwick, Disc. Manuall Weapons, 21. Ilet holed dublets very easie.

23

1845.  Dickens, Chimes, 63. I introduced pinking and eyelet-holeing among the men.

24