It is used as a metaphor, warning that when in an untenable position, it is best to stop making the situation worse.
The adage has been attributed to a number of sources.
It appeared in print on page six of The Washington Post dated 25 October 1911, in the form: "Nor would a wise man, seeing that he was in a hole, go to work and blindly dig it deeper..."[7][8] In 1983, Bill Brock was quoted "Let me tell you about the law of holes: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
"[9] In the United Kingdom, it has been referred to as "Healey's first law of holes"[5] after politician Denis Healey, who used the adage in the 1980s and later.
[4] On 4 May 2024, British politician Suella Braverman wrote in The Daily Telegraph: "The hole to dig us out is the PM's, and it's time for him to start shovelling.