full of holes

Unsound or flawed; having many faults that do not stand up to scrutiny or criticism. Alludes to a leaky, porous vessel—hence the related expression, "doesn't hold water." Does anyone have a better suggestion? Mark's idea is clearly full of holes. The suspect's whole alibi is full of holes.

full of holes

Fig. [of an argument or plan] that cannot stand up to challenge or scrutiny. (See also not hold water; pick holes in something) Your argument is full of holes. This plan is full of holes and won't work.

See also: full, hole, of

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

See also:

chips are down, the
tree hugger
tell (one) what (one) can do with (something)
tell someone what to do with something
tell what to do with
drum (something) into one's head, to
be pushing up (the) daisies
be pushing up daisies
be pushing up the daisies
beggar

References in classic literature

There was a time when he was the best known doctor in the West Country--Look at him now--He hasn't any money and his stockings are full of holes!"

Story of Doctor Dolittle

Don Quixote was left with a face as full of holes as a sieve and a nose not in very good condition, and greatly vexed that they did not let him finish the battle he had been so stoutly fighting with that villain of an enchanter.

Don Quixote

clipped it full of holes, and then fumigated it with villainous

The Innocents Abroad

There was a woman with a cancer in her breast, swelled to a monstrous size, full of holes, in two or three of which I could have easily crept, and covered my whole body.

Gullivers Travels

But the king's son soon fell asleep; and when he awoke in the morning he found that the princesses had all been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes. The same thing happened the second and third night: so the king ordered his head to be cut off.

Fairy Tales

His clothes were shaggy, his boots were shaggy and full of holes, and his hair and whiskers were shaggy.

The Road to Oz

I can rise when the air is calm and full of holes, and I can rise when its boiling, and by my control of my plane areas I can come pretty close to making any speed I want.

The Night Born

All the while I was eating, and after that when I was drinking the punch, I could scarce come to believe in my good fortune; and the house, though it was thick with the peat-smoke and as full of holes as a colander, seemed like a palace.

Kidnapped

It floated too low and was shot full of holes before it could reach the fortresses.

The Iron Heel

"You'd better slide outa this here," Barchi said threateningly, "or we'll fill you so full of holes you wouldn't float in molasses."

Tales of the Fish Patrol

Now if thou dost not carry me back, and that speedily, I swear I will prick thy skin till it is as full of holes as a slashed doublet."

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

In a preposterous coat, like a beadle's, with cuffs and flaps exaggerated to an unspeakable extent; in an immense waistcoat, knee-breeches, buckled shoes, and a mad cocked hat; with nothing fitting him, and everything of coarse material, moth-eaten and full of holes; with seams in his black face, where fear and heat had started through the greasy composition daubed all over it; anything so grimly, detestably, ridiculously shameful as the whelp in his comic livery, Mr.

Hard Times

And this thing that they have done vexes my heart exceedingly: they have eaten holes in my sacred robe, which I wove painfully spinning a fine woof on a fine warp, and made it full of holes. And now the money-lender is at me and charges me interest which is a bitter thing for immortals.

Collection Of Hesiod Homer and Homerica

"If the police here knew their business they would shoot you full of holes with revolvers, or else try to sand-bag you from behind in broad daylight."

The Secret Agent

The river has a clayey bottom and is full of holes, so that half a horse is constantly disappearing unexpectedly, and can't be found again for some time.

American Notes for General Circulation

词组	full of holes
释义	full of holes full of holes Unsound or flawed; having many faults that do not stand up to scrutiny or criticism. Alludes to a leaky, porous vessel—hence the related expression, "doesn't hold water." Does anyone have a better suggestion? Mark's idea is clearly full of holes. The suspect's whole alibi is full of holes. See also: full, hole, of Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. full of holes Fig. [of an argument or plan] that cannot stand up to challenge or scrutiny. (See also not hold water; pick holes in something) Your argument is full of holes. This plan is full of holes and won't work. See also: full, hole, of McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. See also: chips are down, the tree hugger tell (one) what (one) can do with (something) tell someone what to do with something tell what to do with drum (something) into one's head, to be pushing up (the) daisies be pushing up daisies be pushing up the daisies beggar References in classic literature There was a time when he was the best known doctor in the West Country--Look at him now--He hasn't any money and his stockings are full of holes!" Story of Doctor Dolittle Don Quixote was left with a face as full of holes as a sieve and a nose not in very good condition, and greatly vexed that they did not let him finish the battle he had been so stoutly fighting with that villain of an enchanter. Don Quixote clipped it full of holes, and then fumigated it with villainous The Innocents Abroad There was a woman with a cancer in her breast, swelled to a monstrous size, full of holes, in two or three of which I could have easily crept, and covered my whole body. Gullivers Travels But the king's son soon fell asleep; and when he awoke in the morning he found that the princesses had all been dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes. The same thing happened the second and third night: so the king ordered his head to be cut off. Fairy Tales His clothes were shaggy, his boots were shaggy and full of holes, and his hair and whiskers were shaggy. The Road to Oz I can rise when the air is calm and full of holes, and I can rise when its boiling, and by my control of my plane areas I can come pretty close to making any speed I want. The Night Born All the while I was eating, and after that when I was drinking the punch, I could scarce come to believe in my good fortune; and the house, though it was thick with the peat-smoke and as full of holes as a colander, seemed like a palace. Kidnapped It floated too low and was shot full of holes before it could reach the fortresses. The Iron Heel "You'd better slide outa this here," Barchi said threateningly, "or we'll fill you so full of holes you wouldn't float in molasses." Tales of the Fish Patrol Now if thou dost not carry me back, and that speedily, I swear I will prick thy skin till it is as full of holes as a slashed doublet." The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood In a preposterous coat, like a beadle's, with cuffs and flaps exaggerated to an unspeakable extent; in an immense waistcoat, knee-breeches, buckled shoes, and a mad cocked hat; with nothing fitting him, and everything of coarse material, moth-eaten and full of holes; with seams in his black face, where fear and heat had started through the greasy composition daubed all over it; anything so grimly, detestably, ridiculously shameful as the whelp in his comic livery, Mr. Hard Times And this thing that they have done vexes my heart exceedingly: they have eaten holes in my sacred robe, which I wove painfully spinning a fine woof on a fine warp, and made it full of holes. And now the money-lender is at me and charges me interest which is a bitter thing for immortals. Collection Of Hesiod Homer and Homerica "If the police here knew their business they would shoot you full of holes with revolvers, or else try to sand-bag you from behind in broad daylight." The Secret Agent The river has a clayey bottom and is full of holes, so that half a horse is constantly disappearing unexpectedly, and can't be found again for some time. American Notes for General Circulation
随便看	raised raised by wolves raised in a barn raise eyebrows raise from raise from the dead raise glass to raise havoc with raise havoc with (someone or something) raise hell raise hell with someone raise hell with (someone or something) raise hell with something raise hob with raise hob (with someone or something) raise its (ugly) head raise/lower the temperature raise/lower your sights raise money for raise money for (someone or something) raise money to (do something) raise objection raise on raise (one's) consciousness raise (one's) eyebrows