quarry
B2Formal/Technical (for mining sense); Literary/Formal (for hunting sense)
Definition
Meaning
A place where stone, sand, or minerals are extracted from the ground by digging or blasting.
1. A person or animal that is being hunted or pursued. 2. Something that is sought or pursued, often as a source of information or profit.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has two distinct meanings with different origins. The 'mining' sense comes from medieval Latin 'quareria', while the 'hunted animal' sense comes from Old French 'cuiree' (entrails given to hounds). The two meanings are homographs and homophones but are semantically unrelated.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both senses are used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British English for the mining sense due to historical mining terminology, but the difference is minimal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + quarry (as object): work a quarry, operate a quarry[verb] + quarry (as object): pursue one's quarry, track one's quarry[adjective] + quarry: abandoned quarry, working quarryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “quarry of information”
- “run one's quarry to ground”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in construction, mining, and aggregate industries to refer to extraction sites.
Academic
Used in geology, archaeology, and history papers discussing resource extraction.
Everyday
Most commonly refers to an abandoned quarry as a swimming spot or the hunted animal in literature.
Technical
Specific engineering and mining terminology for extraction operations.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company plans to quarry limestone in the Peak District.
- They've been quarrying slate here for centuries.
American English
- The firm will quarry granite from the Vermont mountains.
- They quarry marble for building materials.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb
- No standard adverbial form
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb
- No standard adverbial form
adjective
British English
- The quarry dust covered everything nearby.
- Quarry operations require special permits.
American English
- Quarry trucks haul tons of material daily.
- Quarry safety regulations are strictly enforced.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We swam in the old quarry.
- The hunter followed his quarry.
- The abandoned quarry has filled with water over the years.
- The journalist's quarry was the truth about the scandal.
- Environmental concerns have halted quarrying operations in the protected area.
- The detective finally cornered his quarry after months of pursuit.
- The quarry yielded high-quality marble that was exported throughout Europe.
- As her political quarry evaded capture, the investigator grew increasingly frustrated.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SQUIRREL carrying stones from a QUARRY. Both have 'QUAR' and involve gathering/hunting.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/INFORMATION IS A QUARRY (we quarry data from archives), TRUTH IS A QUARRY (journalists quarry the truth)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'карьер' (career) - false friend
- The hunting sense has no direct single-word Russian equivalent; use 'добыча' or 'преследуемая цель'
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'quarry' with 'query'
- Using 'quarry' as a verb for the hunting sense (it's primarily a noun)
- Misspelling as 'quary' or 'quarryy'
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'quarry' in its hunting sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they come from completely different origins. The mining sense comes from Latin 'quareria', while the hunting sense comes from Old French 'cuiree'.
Yes, but only for the mining sense. You can 'quarry stone' but you cannot 'quarry an animal' in standard English.
It's moderately common. Most native speakers know both meanings but use them in specific contexts rather than daily conversation.
A quarry is typically an open excavation for building materials (stone, sand, gravel), while a mine is usually underground and for metals, coal, or precious minerals.