in the hole

English edit

(idiomatic) Having suffered net losses; in debt.
- 1993, Shelby Foote, introduction to Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage, The Modern Library (1993), →ISBN, unnumbered pages:
  Further testimony to his commercial incompetence lay in the fact that, at fifty cents a copy, a complete sellout would have left him worse than $300 in the hole—proof enough, if proof was needed, that it wasn't primarily money he was after; it was fame.
- 1999 June 18, Dwight Ott, “A Share Of Bridge Tolls For Camden?”, in Philadelphia Inquirer:
  Finance Director Robert Law added that even if Camden laid off all of its civilian employees, it would still be millions in the hole.
- 2011 September 15, Matt Prigge, “How 'Drive' Director Nicolas Winding Refn was influenced by 'Pretty Woman'”, in Philadelphia Weekly:
  Instead it was a critical and commercial bomb that put his production company millions in the hole, necessitating two Pusher sequels (in 2004 and 2005) to get him in the black.
(stud poker) Of a card ("the hole card") which is dealt face down and thus unknown to all but its holder; hence (idiomatic) in reserve; in particular ace in the hole.