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forepole

American  
[fawr-pohl, fohr-, fawr-pohl, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌpoʊl, ˈfoʊr-, fɔrˈpoʊl, foʊr- /

noun

  1. Also called spile, spill.  any of a number of boards or timbers driven forward on top of a set to protect miners lengthening a tunnel from falling debris.

verb (used with object)

forepoled, forepoling

  1. to reinforce (the end of an excavated tunnel) with forepoles.

Etymology

Origin of forepole

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; fore- + pole 1

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.