quarry

1
[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]
/ ˈkwɔr i, ˈkwɒr i /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR quarry ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural quar·ries.

an excavation or pit, usually open to the air, from which building stone, slate, or the like, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc.
an abundant source or supply.

verb (used with object), quar·ried, quar·ry·ing.

to obtain (stone) from or as if from a quarry.
to make a quarry in.

Origin of quarry

1
1375–1425; Middle English quarey (noun) < Medieval Latin quareia, variant of quareria < Old French quarriere < Vulgar Latin *quadrāria place where stone is squared, derivative of Latin quadrāre to square

OTHER WORDS FROM quarry

quar·ri·a·ble, quar·ry·a·ble, adjective un·quar·ried, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH quarry

quarry query

Words nearby quarry

quarnero, quarrel, quarrelsome, quarrian, quarrier, quarry, quarry tile, quarry-faced, quarryman, quart, quart major

Words related to quarrying

drilling, unearth, shovel, extract, excavate, drill, search, dredge, discover, penetrate, exhume, bulldoze, scoop, sift, burrow, clean, enter, uncover, bore, gouge

Example sentences from the Web for quarrying

British Dictionary definitions for quarrying (1 of 3)

quarry 1
/ (ˈkwɒrɪ) /

noun plural -ries

an open surface excavation for the extraction of building stone, slate, marble, etc, by drilling, blasting, or cutting
a copious source of something, esp information

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

to extract (stone, slate, etc) from or as if from a quarry
(tr) to excavate a quarry in
to obtain (something, esp information) diligently and laboriously he was quarrying away in the reference library

Word Origin for quarry

C15: from Old French quarriere, from quarre (unattested) square-shaped stone, from Latin quadrāre to make square

British Dictionary definitions for quarrying (2 of 3)

quarry 2
/ (ˈkwɒrɪ) /

noun plural -ries

an animal, bird, or fish that is hunted, esp by other animals; prey
anything pursued or hunted

Word Origin for quarry

C14 quirre entrails offered to the hounds, from Old French cuirée what is placed on the hide, from cuir hide, from Latin corium leather; probably also influenced by Old French coree entrails, from Latin cor heart

British Dictionary definitions for quarrying (3 of 3)

quarry 3
/ (ˈkwɒrɪ) /

noun plural -ries

a square or diamond shape
something having this shape
another word for quarrel 2

Word Origin for quarry

C16: from Old French quarré; see quarrel ²