I. ˈmīn adjective
Etymology: Middle English min, from Old English mīn — more at my
Date: before 12th century
: my — used before a word beginning with a vowel or h
this treasure in mine arms — Shakespeare
or sometimes as a modifier of a preceding noun — archaic except in an elevated style
II. pronoun
Usage: singular or plural in construction
Date: before 12th century
: that which belongs to me — used without a following noun as a pronoun equivalent in meaning to the adjective my
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin * mina, probably of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh mwyn ore
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a pit or excavation in the earth from which mineral substances are taken
b. : an ore deposit
2. : a subterranean passage under an enemy position
3. : an encased explosive that is placed in the ground or in water and set to explode when disturbed
4. : a rich source of supply
IV. verb
( mined ; min·ing )
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to dig under to gain access or cause the collapse of (an enemy position)
b. : undermine
2.
a. : to get (as ore) from the earth
b. : to extract from a source
information mined from the files
3. : to burrow beneath the surface of
larva that mine s leaves
4. : to place military mines in, on, or under
mine a harbor
5.
a. : to dig into for ore or metal
b. : to process for obtaining a natural constituent
mine the air for nitrogen
c. : to seek valuable material in
intransitive verb
: to dig a mine
• min·er noun