mine

[ mahyn ]

/ maɪn /

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pronoun

a form of the possessive case of I used as a predicate adjective: The yellow sweater is mine.

something that belongs to me: Mine is the red car.

Archaic. my (used before a word beginning with a vowel or a silent h, or following a noun): mine eyes; lady mine.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.

Question 1 of 7

Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?

their

there

they're

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mine

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English mīn; cognate with Old Norse mīn, German mein, Gothic meina; see origin at my, me

Words nearby mine

mindshare, Mindszenty, mind the store, mind-your-own-business, mind your p's and q's, mine, minecraft, mine detector, mine dump, mine examiner, Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord

Definition for mine (2 of 3)

mine²

[ mahyn ]

/ maɪn /

noun

an excavation made in the earth for the purpose of extracting ores, coal, precious stones, etc.

a place where such minerals may be obtained, either by excavation or by washing the soil.

a natural deposit of such minerals.

an abundant source; store: a mine of information.

a device containing a charge of explosive in a watertight casing, floating on or moored beneath the surface of the water for the purpose of blowing up an enemy ship that strikes it or passes close by it.

a similar device used on land against personnel or vehicles; land mine.

a subterranean passage made to extend under an enemy's works or position, as for the purpose of securing access or of depositing explosives for blowing up a military position.

a passageway in the parenchyma of a leaf, made by certain insects.

verb (used without object), mined, min·ing.

to dig in the earth for the purpose of extracting ores, coal, etc.; make a mine.

to extract coal, ore, or the like, from a mine.

to make subterranean passages.

to place or lay mines, as in military or naval operations.

verb (used with object), mined, min·ing.

to dig in (earth, rock, etc.) in order to obtain ores, coal, etc.

to extract (ore, coal, etc.) from a mine.

to avail oneself of or draw useful or valuable material from: to mine every reference book available in writing the term paper.

to use, especially a natural resource: to mine the nation's forests.

to make subterranean passages in or under; burrow.

to make (passages, tunnels, etc.) by digging or burrowing.

to dig away or remove the foundations of.

to place or lay military or naval mines under: to mine an enemy supply road.

Agriculture. to grow crops in (soil) over an extended time without fertilizing.

to remove (a natural resource) from its source without attempting to replenish it.

SYNONYMS FOR mine

4 supply, stock, fund, hoard.

See synonyms for mine on Thesaurus.com

Origin of mine

First recorded in 1275–1325; 1875–80 for def. 5; Middle English verb minen, from Old French miner (cognate with Provençal, Spanish minar, Italian minare ), from assumed Vulgar Latin mīnāre, probably from an unattested Celtic base mein-; compare Middle Irish méin, Welsh mwyn “ore, mineral”; Middle English noun from Middle French, perhaps noun derivative of miner “to mine”; compare Medieval Latin mina “mine, mineral”

OTHER WORDS FROM mine

un·mined, adjective

Definition for mine (3 of 3)

Min.E.

abbreviation

Mineral Engineer.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for mine

There was a lot of prison fiction from movies and books to mine.
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS|Marlow Stern|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I gave a reading last week with someone who had taken a class of mine.
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I wanted to be anonymous, as some of these people were friends of mine.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It reminds me of an uncle of mine who said the London Blitz was irritating.
Why Can’t Movies Capture Genius?|Clive Irving|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I learn by the third day to tell the nurse privately to make mine mostly orange juice.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We know one thing—the men that killed Rutter are the ones that held us up, and got off with that money of mine.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
And it is small consolation to me to note that most people's minds seem to be no better done than mine.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
When a besieged city suspects a mine, do not the inhabitants dig underground, and meet their enemy at his work?
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The second cable quotes mine of last night wherein I ask leave to call for the East Lancs.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
And hence the reader can notice the fundamental difference between all other methods and mine.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)

British Dictionary definitions for mine (1 of 2)

mine¹

/ (maɪn) /

pronoun

something or someone belonging to or associated with memine is best

of mine belonging to or associated with me

determiner

(preceding a vowel) an archaic word for my 1 mine eyes; mine host

Word Origin for mine

Old English mīn; compare Old High German, Old Norse mīn, Dutch mijn

British Dictionary definitions for mine (2 of 2)

mine²

/ (maɪn) /

noun

a system of excavations made for the extraction of minerals, esp coal, ores, or precious stones

any deposit of ore or minerals

a lucrative source or abundant supplyshe was a mine of information

a device containing an explosive designed to destroy ships, vehicles, or personnel, usually laid beneath the ground or in water

a tunnel or sap dug to undermine a fortification

a groove or tunnel made by certain insects, esp in a leaf

verb

to dig into (the earth) for (minerals)

to make (a hole, tunnel, etc) by digging or boring

to place explosive mines in position below the surface of (the sea or land)

to undermine (a fortification) by digging mines or saps

another word for undermine

Derived forms of mine

minable or mineable, adjective

Word Origin for mine

C13: from Old French, probably of Celtic origin; compare Irish mein, Welsh mwyn ore, mine

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for mine

mine

[ mīn ]

An underground excavation in the Earth from which ore, rock, or minerals can be extracted.

Idioms and Phrases with mine

mine

see back to the salt mines; gold mine; your guess is as good as mine.

MEANINGS

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mine

pronoun

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QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Origin of mine

Words nearby mine

Definition for mine (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used without object), mined, min·ing.

verb (used with object), mined, min·ing.

SYNONYMS FOR mine

Origin of mine

OTHER WORDS FROM mine

Definition for mine (3 of 3)

abbreviation

Example sentences from the Web for mine

British Dictionary definitions for mine (1 of 2)

pronoun

determiner

Word Origin for mine

British Dictionary definitions for mine (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of mine

Word Origin for mine

Scientific definitions for mine

Idioms and Phrases with mine

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

mine

pronoun

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Origin of mine

Words nearby mine

Definition for mine (2 of 3)

noun

verb (used without object), mined, min·ing.

verb (used with object), mined, min·ing.

SYNONYMS FOR mine

Origin of mine

OTHER WORDS FROM mine

Definition for mine (3 of 3)

abbreviation

Words related to mine

Example sentences from the Web for mine

British Dictionary definitions for mine (1 of 2)

pronoun

determiner

Word Origin for mine

British Dictionary definitions for mine (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Derived forms of mine

Word Origin for mine

Scientific definitions for mine

Idioms and Phrases with mine