mousehole: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/Descriptive (for literal sense), Informal/Metaphorical (for extended sense), Formal/Geographic (as a place name).
Quick answer
What does “mousehole” mean?
A small hole gnawed or made by a mouse.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small hole gnawed or made by a mouse; a hole through which a mouse passes.
A small, cramped, or insignificant opening, space, or passageway; can refer to a small harbour or inlet (especially in place names in Cornwall, UK).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the literal and metaphorical senses. The place name 'Mousehole' is a well-known village in Cornwall, giving the word a specific cultural resonance in the UK.
Connotations
UK: Strong association with the Cornish village, potentially evoking imagery of fishing harbours, tourism, and local history. US: Purely the literal or metaphorical hole, with no toponymic connotation.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English due to the place name, but still low overall.
Grammar
How to Use “mousehole” in a Sentence
[prepositional phrase] in/through/into a mousehole[verb] a mousehole (block, find, seal)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mousehole” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Not standardly used as a verb)
American English
- (Not standardly used as a verb)
adverb
British English
- (Not standardly used as an adverb)
American English
- (Not standardly used as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- (Not standardly used as an adjective)
American English
- (Not standardly used as an adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically in real estate: 'The office was little more than a mousehole.'
Academic
Rare, except in zoology or descriptive geography.
Everyday
Used for describing actual rodent evidence or cramped spaces: 'We need to fill that mousehole behind the fridge.'
Technical
In pest control or construction (sealing entry points).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mousehole”
- Misspelling as 'mouse hole' (two words) is common and often accepted, but the single-word form is standard for the specific term.
- Pronouncing the 'seh' in the Cornish village name (it's pronounced /ˈmaʊzəl/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly written as one word ('mousehole'), though the open form ('mouse hole') is also seen and is generally understood.
Contrary to its spelling, the village is pronounced /ˈmaʊzəl/ ('mow-zuhl'), not /ˈmaʊs.hoʊl/.
No, it is specific to mice. For rats, you would say 'rat hole'.
It is a recognised metaphorical use to describe a very small or cramped space, but it is not a high-frequency idiom. Its effectiveness lies in its vivid imagery.
A small hole gnawed or made by a mouse.
Mousehole is usually formal/descriptive (for literal sense), informal/metaphorical (for extended sense), formal/geographic (as a place name). in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none directly, but used metaphorically: 'living in a mousehole' for a very small space]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HOUSE for a MOUSE - a MOUSEHOLE is the hole where a mouse lives in your house.
Conceptual Metaphor
SMALL/INSIGNIFICANT SPACE IS A MOUSEHOLE; DIFFICULTY/OBSCURITY IS CRAWLING INTO A MOUSEHOLE.
Practice
Quiz
What is a specific cultural association of 'Mousehole' in British English?