Foxholes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of protective ditch or excavation used by soldiers during combat to provide cover from enemy fire
2. A defensive position dug into the ground, typically used by military personnel for shelter in battle
3. A shallow pit or hole dug into the earth, designed for the protection of individuals from attack or to conceal movement in conflict situations

Etymology: The "foxholes" you have here is the plural of "foxhole," so the story belongs to the singular. A foxhole was originally a literal hole where a fox lived, combining Old English "fox" with "hol," meaning a hollow or hole. The word traveled into Middle English as "foxhol" and kept its plain sense of an animal's den for centuries. Its military meaning, a small pit dug by soldiers for cover in battle, is the one that stuck. The shift follows the logic of the original: a fox digs a hole to hide and shelter in, and soldiers did the same thing when facing gunfire. The animal's den became the soldier's refuge, and the same image now serves both senses.