starting hole

plural starting holes

1. obsoleteA loophole.

   Advaunce your standard Edward in the field, And march to fire them from their starting holes. A willow lies.

   1594, Christopher Marlow[e], The Troublesome Raigne and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, King of England: […], London: […] [R. Robinson] for William Iones […], →OCLC, [Act II]

   1 more example

   What trick? what deuice? what starting hole canst thou now find out, to hide thee from this open and apparant shame.

   c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act XXIV, scene iv]

2. obsoleteA place used to hide, or evade pursuit.

   Whilſt furiouſly all vp and downe doth ſwimme Th'inſnared Fiſh, here on the toppe doth ſcud, There vnderneath the banckes, then in the mud; And with his franticke fits ſo ſcares the ſhole, That each one takes his hyde, or ſtarting hole;

   1613, William Browne, “The Fifth Song”, in Britannia’s Pastorals. [The First Booke], London: […] Geo[rge] Norton, […], →OCLC, page 102

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see starting, hole.