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stope

American  
[stohp] / stoʊp /

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, stoping
  1. to mine or work by stopes.

stope British  
/ stəʊp /

noun

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

"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

verb

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of stope

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

We need to stope mistaking success for heroism.

From New York Times Oct. 21, 2017

In dips of over 40° to 50°, depending on the smoothness of the foot wall, the distance can again be increased, as stope-transport is greatly simplified, since the stope materials fall out by gravity.

From Principles of Mining Valuation, Organization and Administration by Hoover, Herbert

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 The La Chance Mine Mystery by Gage, George W.

If it bursts up in the air the stope roof'll be down on us.

From The La Chance Mine Mystery by Gage, George W.

In two more minutes Dick would have come to hunt Thompson's stope for me, and we had no guns to stave him off.

From The La Chance Mine Mystery by Gage, George W.

All major Russian airlines have since stoped flying west beyond neighboring Belarus.

From New York Times Mar. 22, 2022

The Swiss-based group, which has already stoped all advertising in Russia, added it will continue supplying essential food products in the country.

From Reuters Mar. 9, 2022

“We have our hostages, testing, research and all missle launches have stoped, and these pundits, who have called me wrong from the beginning, have nothing else they can say! We will be fine!”

From Washington Post Jun. 11, 2018

In his three starts, he has stoped 83 of the 86 shots he has faced, including 37 against the high-powered Washington Capitals.

From New York Times Dec. 8, 2015

She stoped immediately and turned around and went on down the River.

From The Stronghold A Story of Historic Northern Neck of Virginia and Its People by Haynie, Miriam

The inspirational quotes become increasingly absurd, disturbing, ungrammatical: “your ‘family’ is stoping you from being successful” — Anonymous; “The road to success is a rod that will take you to succes” — Colin R. Das.

From New York Times Feb. 6, 2020

"Let me be clear: I have consistently called on white males like me to step, take responsibility, and be a part of stoping the sexism and bigotry that other white males engage in," Avenatti wrote.

From Fox News Oct. 25, 2018

More often than not, such a ploy was successful in stoping City, and therein lies the challenge this season – can they find an effective plan B, particularly when Kaka is missing?

From The Guardian Apr. 4, 2016

Where some of the country rock is broken off, it may fall into the magma, a process called stoping.

From Textbooks Jan. 1, 2015

Where veins are narrow, stoping under contract by the square foot or fathom measured parallel to the walls has an advantage.

From Principles of Mining Valuation, Organization and Administration by Hoover, Herbert

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