[f. TOUCH- in touch-powder + HOLE.] A small tubular hole in the breech of a fire-arm, through which the charge is ignited; the vent.
1501. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 25. Item, for casting of the erd fra Mons [Meg], and to turne hir and lay the twych hole vp,… iij s. ij d.
1560. Whitehorne, Ord. Souldiours, 33. Putting sum poulder in the touchehole and aboute the touchhole, the Gunne is then charged.
1618. in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1906), 31. The fire out of hir toutchole (as yt is most likely) tooke hold of the bandeleros.
1709. Dampier, Voy., III. II. 81. Six bad Guns … whose Touch-holes … are so enlarg’d … that a great part of the strength of the Powder flies away there.
1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville (1849), 193. Some of the more knowing … contrived to stop the touch-holes of the field-pieces with dirt.
b. fig. or allusively.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., II. Wks. 1856, I. 19. The match … will presently set fire to the touch-hole of intemperance.
1617. Middleton & Rowley, Fair Quarrel, II. ii. Ay, a fire of her touch-hole, that cost many a proper man’s life since that time.
a. 1625. Fletcher & Mass., Cust. Country, III. iii.
| Hee’s foule i’th touch-hole; and recoiles againe, | |
| The main Spring’s weakned that holds up his cock. |
1664. Butler, Hud., II. II. 830. Like linstock, to the horse’s touch-hole.
