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Definition of 'mine'

Word Frequency

mine in pronoun use

(maɪn )
pronoun
Mine is the first person singular possessive pronoun. A speaker or writer uses mine to refer to something that belongs or relates to himself or herself.
Her right hand is inches from mine.
That wasn't his fault, it was mine.
I'm looking for a friend of mine who lives here.
More Synonyms of mine
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency

mine in noun and verb uses

(maɪn )
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense mines , present participle mining , past tense, past participle mined
1. countable noun [oft noun NOUN]
A mine is a place where deep holes and tunnels are dug under the ground in order to obtain a mineral such as coal, diamonds, or gold.
...coal mines.
2. verb [usually passive]
When a mineral such as coal, diamonds, or gold is mined, it is obtained from the ground by digging deep holes and tunnels.
The pit is being shut down because it no longer has enough coal that can be mined economically. [be VERB-ed]
...the finest gems, mined from all corners of the world. [VERB-ed]
3. countable noun
A mine is a bomb which is hidden in the ground or in water and which explodes when people or things touch it.
4. verb
If an area of land or water is mined, mines are placed there which will explode when people or things touch them.
The approaches to the garrison have been heavily mined. [be VERB-ed]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: lay mines in or under, sow with mines   More Synonyms of mine
5. 
mine of information
6.  See also mining
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Video: pronunciation of 'mine'

Word Frequency

mine in British 1

(maɪn )
pronoun
1. 
something or someone belonging to or associated with me
mine is best
2.  of mine
determiner
3. (preceding a vowel) an archaic word for my1
mine eyes
mine host
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'mine'
Old English mīn; compare Old High German, Old Norse mīn, Dutch mijn
Word Frequency

mine in British 2

(maɪn )
noun
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
verb
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
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
minable (ˈminable) or mineable (ˈmineable)
  adjective
Word origin of 'mine'
C13: from Old French, probably of Celtic origin; compare Irish mein, Welsh mwyn ore, mine
Word Frequency

mine in American 1

(maɪn ; mīn)
noun
1. 
a. 
a large excavation made in the earth, from which to extract metallic ores, coal, precious stones, salt, or certain other minerals
see also quarry3
b. 
the surface buildings, shafts, elevators, etc. of such an excavation
c. 
a deposit of ore, coal, etc.
2. 
any great source of supply
a mine of information
3. 
a kind of fireworks device that explodes in the air and scatters a number of smaller fireworks
4.  Military
a. 
a tunnel dug under an enemy's trench, fort, etc., esp. one in which an explosive is placed to destroy the enemy or its fortifications
b. 
an explosive charge in a container, buried in the ground for destroying enemy troops or vehicles on land, or placed in the sea for destroying enemy ships
5.  Zoology
the burrow of an insect, esp. of a leaf miner
verb intransitiveWord forms: mined or ˈmining
6. 
to dig a mine
; specif.,
a. 
to dig ores, coal, etc. from the earth
b. 
to dig or lay military mines
verb transitive
7. 
a. 
to dig in (the earth) for ores, coal, etc.
b. 
to dig or remove (ores, coal, etc.) from the earth
8. 
to take from (a source)
9. 
a. 
to dig a tunnel under (an enemy installation)
b. 
to place explosive mines in or under
10. 
to make hollows under the surface of
leaves mined by larvae
11. 
to undermine or ruin slowly by secret methods, plotting, etc.
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin of 'mine'
ME < MFr < VL *mina < Celt, as in Ir mein, Welsh mwyn, vein of metal
Word Frequency

mine in American 2

(maɪn ; mīn)
pronoun
1. 
that or those belonging to me: the possessive form of I2, used without a following noun, often after of
that book is mine; mine are better; he is a friend of mine
possessive pronominal adjective
2.  Archaic
my: used before a word beginning with a vowel or the letter h [mine eyes, mine honor]; also used after a noun in direct address
daughter mine
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin of 'mine'
ME min < OE, gen. sing of ic, I, akin to Ger mein: for base see me

Example sentences containing 'mine'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Few expected him to succeed in winning approval to build a big mine beneath a national park. Times, Sunday Times (2016)None of their mine and bomb models are designed to disable. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The price tag is likely to include upfront cash plus further payments depending on the coal price and mine performance. Times, Sunday Times (2016)An old girlfriend of mine tells me she's getting married. Times, Sunday Times (2016)In a matter of hours they look as if they've been down a coal mine. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The nationalisation of the coal mines in 1946 meant the family lost control of their lucrative income stream. The Sun (2016)It's hard to put a figure on how bad that will be but make mine a large one. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Gentle winter pruning keeps mine to about 1.5m x 1.5m. Times, Sunday Times (2016)Nine teams of rescuers were trying to contact three miners missing underground after an earthquake killed five others in Europe's largest copper mine. Times, Sunday Times (2016)The data gold mine kept yielding nuggets. Times, Sunday Times (2015)Those who work in deep mines experience this heat flux at uncomfortably close quarters. Richard Fortey THE EARTH: An Intimate History (2004)Preparing a rare earth mine to western environmental standards is costly. Times, Sunday Times (2009)His lips were touching mine and his eyes were looking into mine. John Cornwell Seminary Boy (2006)Their work will be mined for information for years to come. Times, Sunday Times (2015)But these problems were mine to deal with. Times, Sunday Times (2016)What is the area of his circle divided by the area of mine? Times, Sunday Times (2011)The quotations in this book are a gold mine for other writers. The Times Literary Supplement (2011)The past was for books like mine. Charles Glass The Tribes Triumphant (2006)Sounds ace for big families like mine. The Sun (2016)We should use robots to detect and destroy mines. The Sun (2011)It is a very inconvenient fault of mine. George Eliot Middlemarch (1872)Oceans where technology has made it possible to catch fish and mine for minerals at any depth need refuges. Times, Sunday Times (2015)The fronds can reach five metres long in their native conditions - mine are about two metres. Times, Sunday Times (2010)A mine exploded beneath the vehicle, and the crew were all killed. Times, Sunday Times (2006)Sixteen pints of mine host 's finest foaming ale and a steak and Guinness pie with all the trimmings. Times, Sunday Times (2008)

Trends of 'mine'

Very Common. mine is one of the 4000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

View usage for:

Translations for 'mine'

British English: mine /maɪn/ NOUN
A mine is a deep hole or tunnel where people go to dig things like gold or diamonds out of rock.
  • American English: mine
  • Arabic: مَنْجِمٌ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: mina
  • Chinese: 矿
  • Croatian: rudnik
  • Czech: důl
  • Danish: mine
  • Dutch: mijn
  • European Spanish: mina
  • Finnish: kaivos
  • French: mine
  • German: Bergwerk
  • Greek: ορυχείο
  • Italian: miniera
  • Japanese: 鉱山
  • Korean: 광산
  • Norwegian: gruve
  • Polish: kopalnia
  • European Portuguese: mina
  • Romanian: mină
  • Russian: рудник
  • Spanish: mina
  • Swedish: mina
  • Thai: เหมืองแร่
  • Turkish: maden ocağı
  • Ukrainian: шахта
  • Vietnamese: mỏ khoáng sản
British English: mine /maɪn/ PRONOUN
Mine means belonging to me.
That isn't your bag, it's mine.
  • American English: mine
  • Arabic: مَلِكِيٌّ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: meu
  • Chinese: 我的
  • Croatian: moj
  • Czech: můj
  • Danish: min
  • Dutch: mijn
  • European Spanish: mío
  • Finnish: minun
  • French: mien (le)
  • German: mein
  • Greek: δικός μου
  • Italian: mio
  • Japanese: 私のもの
  • Korean: 내 것
  • Norwegian: min
  • Polish: mój
  • European Portuguese: meu
  • Romanian: al meu
  • Russian: мой
  • Spanish: mío
  • Swedish: min
  • Thai: ของฉัน
  • Turkish: benim
  • Ukrainian: мій
  • Vietnamese: của tôi
British English: mine VERB
When a mineral such as coal, diamonds, or gold is mined, it is obtained from the ground by digging deep holes and tunnels.
The pit is being shut down because it no longer has enough coal that can be mined economically.
  • American English: mine
  • Brazilian Portuguese: minar
  • Chinese: 采掘
  • European Spanish: extraer
  • French: extraire
  • German: fördern
  • Italian: estrarre
  • Japanese: 採掘する
  • Korean: 채광되다
  • European Portuguese: minar
  • Spanish: extraer

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Nearby words of 'mine'

  • mindset
  • mindshare
  • Mindszenty
  • mine
  • mine detector
  • mine disposal
  • mine dump

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'M'

Related Terms of 'mine'

  • of mine
  • coal mine
  • gold mine
  • land mine
  • mine dump

  • View more related words

Source

Definition of mine from the Collins English Dictionary

Parts of speech

Sentences are made up of words. A sentence can be made up of any number of words. He left us. The man in the corner lowered his newspaper. Whenever I see Tammy I worry about how I look. Until to...
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Scrabble score for 'mine': 6
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