quarry

¹

[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]

noun

, plural quar·ries.

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

verb (used with object)

, quar·ried, quar·ry·ing.

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

quarry

²

[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]

noun

, plural quar·ries.

1. an animal or bird hunted or pursued.
2. game, especially game hunted with hounds or hawks.
3. any object of search, pursuit, or attack.

quarry

³

[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]

noun

, plural quar·ries.

1. a square stone or tile.
2. quarrel ²( def 2 ).

quarry

¹

/ ˈkwɒrɪ /

noun

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

quarry

²

/ ˈkwɒrɪ /

noun

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

quarry

³

/ ˈkwɒrɪ /

noun

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

verb

1. to extract (stone, slate, etc) from or as if from a quarry
2. tr to excavate a quarry in
3. to obtain (something, esp information) diligently and laboriously

   he was quarrying away in the reference library

Other Words From

• quarri·a·ble quarry·a·ble adjective
• un·quarried adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quarry¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun quarrei, quarey, quar(r)i, from Medieval Latin quareia, quarrea, quareria, from Old French quarriere, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin quadrāria “place where stone is squared,” derivative of Latin quadrāre “to square”

Origin of quarry²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English quirre, querre, quirrei “parts of a deer given to the hounds,” from Old French cuiree, cuiriee, curee “viscera, entrails” (probably influenced by cuir “leather, hide, skin”), from Latin corium “skin, hide, leather”), from Late Latin corāta (plural) “entrails,” from cor “heart”

Origin of quarry³

First recorded in 1535–45; noun use of obsolete adjective quarry “square,” from Old French quarre, from Latin quadrātus quadrate

Word History and Origins

Origin of quarry¹

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

Origin of quarry²

C16: from Old French quarré; see quarrel ²

Origin of quarry³

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

Example Sentences

Irwin Mitchell said the large number of stonemasons, quarries and stoneyards in Leeds and Bradford had led to more victims of the disease coming forward to seek legal advice.

From BBC

She is continuing to promote other projects, including a proposal to convert two old gravel quarry pits into giant reservoirs where storm runoff could be routed to recharge the aquifer and reduce flood dangers downstream.

From Los Angeles Times

Liz Brown, who lives three miles from the quarry, said the smell last week was so bad she woke with a "bad head".

From BBC

Cantera translates as quarry but in a football sense is used to describe academies.

From BBC

Despite gaining international recognition for its reforestation efforts in the fight against climate change, the reserve is under pressure from illegal loggers, land grabbers, and quarrying companies.

From BBC