Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) a euph. abbr. of asshole n.; thus a-hole buddy, close friend.

1942		Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Sl.
1962		J. Quirk No Red Ribbons (1968) 90: If he wants me to be his A-hole buddy, he’s got a long wait.
1966		Trimble 5000 Adult Sex Words and Phrases.
1976		P. Conroy Great Santini (1977) 391: Yeah, the tow-headed so-and-so with two busted A-holes for eyes.
1998		‘Bill E. Goodhead’ Nubile Treat 🌐 Ned was working his mother’s a-hole with nice, easy strokes.
2007		J. Stahl ‘Pure’ in Love Without 167: Her aching a-hole begged to differ. She called it her Greek chorus.

2. a term of abuse.

1963		T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 22: Imagine – these a-holes thinking they could make a pross happy.
1986		S. King It (1987) 21: What an a-hole you are [...] Nothing but a great big brown a-hole, that’s you.
1992		M. Leyner Et Tu, Babe (1993) 83: ‘This unrequited stuff makes me feel a bit of an A-hole.’ Joe will not say the word asshole. He says, instead, ‘A-hole.’.
2004		C. Hiaasen Skinny Dip 307: If a-hole is on time, we’ll be long gone ’fore it hits.
2006		C. Hiaasen Nature Girl 6: What an a-hole.
2012		IOL News (S. Afr.) 5 Sept. 🌐 If they can spend that amount on this ahole [etc.].
2016		Observer Mag. (London) 4 Sept. 28/3: Buys my mum dates [...] all these other A-holes who’ve been in and out of her life.
2019		S.M. Jones Lives Laid Away [ebook] ‘She even offers this a-hole lemonade!’.