coal mine

American  

noun

1. a mine or pit from which coal is obtained.

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Other Word Forms

• coal miner noun
• coal mining noun

Etymology

Origin of coal mine

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

There is also growing concern within the House Republican caucus that Greene’s announcement is a canary in the coal mine and that multiple resignations will follow.

From Salon

Data centers are the same kind of extraction, only this time the corporations are hiding them behind fences, nondisclosure agreements and a lot of glossy PR about “upcycling” coal mines and powering the future.

From Salon

Her father could no longer work in the coal mines that pock the mountains here after an injury.

From The Wall Street Journal

The former coal-mining region was a cradle of Europe’s chemical industry in the 19th century thanks to big local coal mines, later becoming central to East German industry.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bannister also notes that speculative or overpriced assets are often the canary in the coal mine, falling before the broader market, and that some of those are struggling now.

From Barron's