mining

Use Mining in a sentence

noun

the act, process, or industry of extracting ores, coal, etc., from mines.

the laying of explosive mines.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English: undermining (walls in an attack); see mine², -ing¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged

noun

an excavation made in the earth for the purpose of extracting ores, coal, precious stones, etc.

a place where such minerals may be obtained, either by excavation or by washing the soil.

a natural deposit of such minerals.

an abundant source; store: a mine of information.

a device containing a charge of explosive in a watertight casing, floating on or moored beneath the surface of the water for the purpose of blowing up an enemy ship that strikes it or passes close by it.

a similar device used on land against personnel or vehicles; land mine.

a subterranean passage made to extend under an enemy's works or position, as for the purpose of securing access or of depositing explosives for blowing up a military position.

a passageway in the parenchyma of a leaf, made by certain insects.

verb (used without object)

to dig in the earth for the purpose of extracting ores, coal, etc.; make a mine.

10.

to extract coal, ore, or the like, from a mine.

11.

to make subterranean passages.

12.

to place or lay mines, as in military or naval operations.

verb (used with object)

13.

to dig in (earth, rock, etc.) in order to obtain ores, coal, etc.

14.

to extract (ore, coal, etc.) from a mine.

15.

to avail oneself of or draw useful or valuable material from: to mine every reference book available in writing the term paper.

16.

to use, especially a natural resource: to mine the nation's forests.

17.

to make subterranean passages in or under; burrow.

18.

to make (passages, tunnels, etc.) by digging or burrowing.

19.

to dig away or remove the foundations of.

20.

to place or lay military or naval mines under: to mine an enemy supply road.

21.

Agriculture. to grow crops in (soil) over an extended time without fertilizing.

22.

to remove (a natural resource) from its source without attempting to replenish it.

Origin:
1275–1325; 1875–80 for def 5; (v.) Middle English minen < Old French miner (cognate with Provençal, Spanish minar, Italian minare) < Vulgar Latin *mīnāre, probably < a Celtic base *mein-; compare MIr méin, Welsh mwyn ore, mineral; (noun) Middle English < Middle French, perhaps noun derivative of miner; compare Medieval Latin mina mine, mineral

Related forms

un·mined, adjective

Synonyms
4. supply, stock, fund, hoard.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To mining

00:10

Mining is always a great word to know.

So is bezoar. Does it mean:

a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

Collins

World English Dictionary

mine¹ (maɪn)

—*pron*
1.	something or someone belonging to or associated with me: mine is best
2.	of mine belonging to or associated with me

—*determiner*
3.	(preceding a vowel) an archaic word for my : mine eyes; mine host

[Old English mīn; compare Old High German, Old Norse mīn, Dutch mijn]

mine² (maɪn)

—n
1.	a system of excavations made for the extraction of minerals, esp coal, ores, or precious stones
2.	any deposit of ore or minerals
3.	a lucrative source or abundant supply: she was a mine of information
4.	a device containing an explosive designed to destroy ships, vehicles, or personnel, usually laid beneath the ground or in water
5.	a tunnel or sap dug to undermine a fortification
6.	a groove or tunnel made by certain insects, esp in a leaf

—vb
7.	to dig into (the earth) for (minerals)
8.	to make (a hole, tunnel, etc) by digging or boring
9.	to place explosive mines in position below the surface of (the sea or land)
10.	to undermine (a fortification) by digging mines or saps
11.	another word for undermine

[C13: from Old French, probably of Celtic origin; compare Irish mein, Welsh mwyn ore, mine]

'minable²

—*adj*

'mineable²

—*adj*

mining (ˈmaɪnɪŋ)

—n
1.	the act, process, or industry of extracting coal, ores, etc, from the earth
2.	military the process of laying mines

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

mine

O.E. min "mine, my," (pronoun and adj.), from P.Gmc. *minaz (cf. Goth. meins, O.N. minn, Du. mijn, Ger. mein "my, mine"), from the base of me. Superseded as adj. beginning 13c. by my.

mine

c.1300, from O.Fr. mine, probably from a Celtic source (cf. Welsh mwyn, Ir. mein "ore, mine"), from O.Celt. *meini-. Italy and Greece were relatively poor in minerals, thus they did not contribute a word for this to Eng., but there was extensive mining from an early date in Celtic lands (Cornwall, etc.).

The verb meaning "to dig in a mine" is from c.1300.

mine

"lay explosives," 1620s, in reference to old tactic of tunneling under enemy fortifications to blow them up; from mine (n.). The sense of "to dig under foundations to undermine them" is from late 14c., and miner in this sense is attested from late 13c. Related: Mined; mining.

American Heritage

Science Dictionary

mine

(mīn) Pronunciation Key
An underground excavation in the Earth from which ore, rock, or minerals can be extracted.

Easton

Bible Dictionary

Mine definition

The process of mining is described in Job 28:1-11. Moses speaks of the mineral wealth of Palestine (Deut. 8:9). Job 28:4 is rightly thus rendered in the Revised Version, "He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot [that passeth by]; they hang afar from men, they swing to and fro." These words illustrate ancient mining operations.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Example sentences

Mining companies use microbes to recover metals such as gold, copper and

uranium.

The route connected the state's coastal towns to its interior mining camps.

But to get off the highway and into historic mining towns.

It is also a symbol of the town's history as a railroad town and mining center.