Find more facts and information on our topic page about mine

mine

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

mine¹ / mīn/ • possessive pron. used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with the speaker: you go your way and I'll go mine some friends of mine. • possessive adj. archaic (used before a vowel) my: tears did fill mine eyes. mine² • n. 1. an excavation in the earth for extracting coal or other minerals: a copper mine. ∎  [in sing.] an abundant source of something: the book contains a mine of information. 2. a type of bomb placed on or just below the surface of the ground or in the water that detonates when disturbed by a person, vehicle, or ship. ∎  hist. a subterranean passage under the wall of a besieged fortress, esp. one in which explosives are put to blow up fortifications. • v. [tr.] (often be mined) 1. obtain (coal or other minerals) from a mine. ∎  dig in (the earth) for coal or other minerals: the hills were mined for copper oxide | [intr.] many financiers managed to obtain concessions to mine for silver. ∎  dig or burrow in (the earth). ∎ fig. delve into (an abundant source) to extract something of value, esp. information or skill: how do they manage to mine such a rich vein of talent? 2. lay explosive mines on or just below the surface of (the ground or water): the area was heavily mined. ∎  destroy by means of an explosive mine. DERIVATIVES: mine·a·ble / ˈmīnəbəl/ (also min·a·ble) adj.

Find more facts and information related to the .
© The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2008, originally published by Oxford University Press 2008.