noun / verb
quarry
KWAH-ree/ˈkwɑːri/
A place excavated to extract stone or minerals.
The quarry has stepped rock walls, cut stone blocks, and a small excavator.
Etymology
The ancestor meant a place where stones are squared, connecting the site with preparing stone for building. The English sense names the place where stone is extracted.
In context
This limestone quarry, located about a mile from the main temple complex, is the place from which the majority of the giant stone blocks at Baalbek were extracted
More examples
- The old quarries fill with rainwater.
- They quarry granite for kitchen countertops.
- She quarries old letters for details about her family.
Forms
quarry · quarries · quarried · quarrying