minefield

[mahyn-feeld]

See more synonyms for minefield on Thesaurus.com

noun Military, Naval.

an area of land or water throughout which explosive mines have been laid.

Origin of minefield

First recorded in 1885–90; mine² + field

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for minefield

Contemporary Examples

I looked around and I saw everyone looking at me; I was in the minefield next to a mine.
My Non-First World Problems: Letters from Iraq
Andrew Slater
August 10, 2014
It also takes place near a minefield of rocks, is a hangout spot for sharks, and breaks on a reef.
Now That Everest Is Closed, Check Out These Other Extreme Adventures
Nina Strochlic
May 8, 2014
He was warned against caricature because “in the Middle East, it is like walking into a minefield.”
Hani Abbas Extends the Vital Tradition of Political Cartooning in the Mideast
Patrick Hilsman
October 20, 2013
With that sentence, he put me right back inside the bubble, tip-toeing through the minefield of the NFL-battered psyche.
Murder Doesn’t Shake NFL’s Dream World of Consequence-Free Violence
Nate Jackson
December 4, 2012
But having decided to walk through this minefield, Costas tiptoed by offering not his own assessment but that of someone else.
Bob Costas Steps Onto Gun-Control Minefield
Howard Kurtz
December 3, 2012

Historical Examples

But first they must tackle the light guns which protect the minefield from the sweepers.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I
Ian Hamilton
We had not only had a narrow escape from the Germans, but also from the dangers of a minefield.
Five Months on a German Raider
Frederic George Trayes
As there was no traffic of any sort in the western half of the channel we surmised—correctly—that a minefield was laid there.
Gun running for Casement in the Easter rebellion, 1916
Karl Spindler
Mudros is a land-locked harbour, the entrance easily controlled by a boom and a minefield.
New Zealanders at Gallipoli
Major Fred Waite
He enlarged the minefield north of Heligoland, and gathered there a large force of submarines.
The Childrens' Story of the War, Volume 4 (of 10)
James Edward Parrott

British Dictionary definitions for minefield

minefield

noun

an area of ground or water containing explosive mines
a subject, situation, etc, beset with hidden problems

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

Word Origin and History for minefield

n.

1877, from mine (n.2) + field (n.). Figurative use by 1947.

minefield

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}minefield

Examples from the Web for minefield

Contemporary Examples

I looked around and I saw everyone looking at me; I was in the minefield next to a mine.

It also takes place near a minefield of rocks, is a hangout spot for sharks, and breaks on a reef.

He was warned against caricature because “in the Middle East, it is like walking into a minefield.”

With that sentence, he put me right back inside the bubble, tip-toeing through the minefield of the NFL-battered psyche.

But having decided to walk through this minefield, Costas tiptoed by offering not his own assessment but that of someone else.

Historical Examples

But first they must tackle the light guns which protect the minefield from the sweepers.

We had not only had a narrow escape from the Germans, but also from the dangers of a minefield.

As there was no traffic of any sort in the western half of the channel we surmised—correctly—that a minefield was laid there.

Mudros is a land-locked harbour, the entrance easily controlled by a boom and a minefield.

He enlarged the minefield north of Heligoland, and gathered there a large force of submarines.

minefield

Word Origin and History for minefield

n.

Origin of minefield