whinstone

American  

[hwin-stohn, win-] / ˈʰwɪnˌstoʊn, ˈwɪn- /

noun

1. Chiefly British. any of the dark-colored, fine-grained rocks, especially igneous rocks, as dolerite and basalt.

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whinstone British  

/ ˈwɪnˌstəʊn /

noun

1. any dark hard fine-grained rock, such as basalt

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Etymology

Origin of whinstone

1505–15; dial. ( Scots and N England) whin whinstone ( Middle English quin < ?) + stone

Example Sentences

Made of Scottish whinstone, the lecterns were commissioned by the Guardians of Scotland Trust, set up in 2011 to mark the equal contribution made by Wallace and de Moray in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

From BBC • May 29, 2015

In course of years the rough block was superseded by a symmetrical object usually made of whinstone or granite, beautifully rounded, brilliantly polished, and supplied with a convenient handle.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8 "Cube" to "Daguerre, Louis" by Various

The house has a dark look, being built of the native whinstone, or grau-wacke, as the Germans call it, relieved by the quoins and projections of the windows and turrets in freestone.

From Seeing Europe with Famous Authors, Volume 2 Great Britain and Ireland, Part 2 by Halsey, Francis W. (Francis Whiting)

The base of these hills was of close-grained white-coloured granite, or whinstone: the summits of good freestone: on the sides several good pieces of iron ore were picked up.

From Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales by Oxley, John

There is no lack of sandstone, slate and whinstone.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 4 "Bulgaria" to "Calgary" by Various