stope

[ stohp ]

noun

1. any excavation made in a mine, especially from a steeply inclined vein, to remove the ore that has been rendered accessible by the shafts and drifts.

verb (used with or without object)

, stoped, stop·ing.

1. to mine or work by stopes.

stope

/ stəʊp /

noun

1. a steplike excavation made in a mine to extract ore

verb

1. to mine (ore, etc) by cutting stopes

Word History and Origins

Origin of stope¹

1740–50; apparently < Low German stope; stoop ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of stope¹

C18: probably from Low German stope; see stoop ²

Example Sentences

Then there was silence—for Harry had left the fissure to go into the stope and make an investigation.

From Project Gutenberg

He gave me a boost against the smooth wall of the stope, and my clawing fingers caught on the edge of a sharp shelf of stone.

From Project Gutenberg

And I trusted Macartney, or any man he had left in the ink-dark stope, would be fool enough to jump at me for what I said.

From Project Gutenberg

But stealing gold was exactly what we were doing, only it wasn't in Thompson's old stope.

From Project Gutenberg

Collins pushed it aside, and the two of us were out—out of Thompson's stope, where Macartney had meant me to lie till I died!

From Project Gutenberg