ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mines

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈmaɪnz// UK //mˈaɪnz// mines Dialect Informal

n. deep holes or tunnels in the ground where people dig for things like coal, gold, or diamonds. They are also explosive devices hidden under the ground or water to destroy enemies.

n. excavations in the earth from which ores, coal, or precious stones are extracted; also refers to explosive devices placed in the ground or water designed to detonate upon contact or proximity.


SIMPLE

The workers spend all day in the coal mines.

CONTEXTUAL

The old gold mines were closed decades ago after the local supply of metal was completely exhausted.

COMPLEX

Historical records indicate that the region's prosperity was built entirely upon its copper mines, which provided the raw materials necessary for early industrial expansion.

Synonyms
Usage

Often used in the plural when referring to the physical locations of extraction.

Pitfall

This book is mines.This book is mine.Learners sometimes add an 's' to the possessive pronoun 'mine' by analogy with 'yours', 'hers', or 'theirs'.

Idioms1 entry

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