glory hole

American  

noun

1. Nautical.

   1. the quarters on a ship that are occupied by the stewards or stokers.

   2. lazaretto.

   3. any locker or enclosed space for loose gear.

2. Glassmaking. an auxiliary furnace for reheating glass that has cooled during offhand blowing.

3. Mining. drawhole.

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glory hole British  

noun

1. informal a room, cupboard, or other storage space that contains an untidy and miscellaneous collection of objects

2. nautical another term for lazaretto

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Usage

What else does glory hole mean? A glory hole is sexual slang for a slot in a wall in which a man inserts his penis for sexual stimulation by someone on the other side.Content warning: the following content includes references to sexual activity.

Etymology

Origin of glory hole

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Officials urge spectators and lake recreaters to be careful and not get close to the glory hole.

From Los Angeles Times

Seattle public health officials have suggested the use of “glory holes” as a way to practice “safer” sex during the coronavirus pandemic.

From Washington Times

Elsewhere, gloved hands delivered bites of food from openings in a wall designed to evoke glory holes, and later in the evening a palate cleanser was served in the form of a fruit-infused ball gag.

From New York Times

I’d never heard of glory holes or hookups in bathrooms, or of a queer culture of desire that ripples inaudibly through public spaces like an ultrasonic whistle only some of us were born to hear.

From Los Angeles Times

A crowd of spectators in California surrounding Lake Berryessa's famous "glory hole" was watching the mesmerizing spillway when they spotted a duck getting pulled in by the current.

From Fox News