sinkhole

What it means

1. geographyA hole formed in soluble rock by the action of water, serving to conduct surface water to an underground passage.

   Several people had to be rescued after two vehicles fell into this sinkhole in Chatsworth on January 10.

   2023 January 16, “California’s flooding, in pictures”, in CNN, archived from the original on 17 Mar 2023

   1 more example

   A sinkhole suddenly opened up beneath the track of a heavy freight route in the eastern United States. Golfers playing the 13th hole at Hartford, Connecticut, had a new obstacle to tackle: a section of track suspended in mid-air after heavy rainfall in the aftermath of Storm Ida.

   2021 September 22, “Network News: Sinking feeling on unlucky 13th”, in RAIL, number 940, page 18

   Synonyms: cenote, doline, dolina, shakehole, sink, swallet, swallow hole

2. A depressed area in which waste or drainage collects.
3. pinballA hole in the playfield that rewards the player when the ball is guided into it.

   Pro Pinball is as authentic as pinball has ever been on the PC. It's all here, from the ramps, bumpers and sinkholes to the satisfying "clack" when you make the high-score list.

   1997, Windows magazine, volume 8, numbers 1-3

In a sentence

A sinkhole suddenly opened up beneath the track of a heavy freight route in the eastern United States. Golfers playing the 13th hole at Hartford, Connecticut, had a new obstacle to tackle: a section of track suspended in mid-air after heavy rainfall in the aftermath of Storm Ida.

2021 September 22, “Network News: Sinking feeling on unlucky 13th”, in RAIL, number 940, page 18

Where it comes from

1. Middle Englishsinkehole
2. Englishsinkhole

From Middle English sinkehole, sinkeholl, equivalent to sink + hole.