coal mine
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
- coal miner noun
- coal mining noun
Etymology
Origin of coal mine
First recorded in 1605–15
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is estimated that a quarter of homes sit above abandoned coal mines which could be used in the same way.
From BBC
At that time he warned that he could see a plausible scenario where the S&P 500 lost ground for the year, and that speculative stocks could be the canary in the coal mine.
From Barron's
This is a fraction of Britain’s 2.6 million total millionaires, but when the “smart money” is going that’s a canary in a coal mine.
From MarketWatch
It is primarily known for its coal mines, and also the discovery of dinosaur fossils - with Tumbler Ridge marketing itself as the land of dinosaurs and waterfalls to attract tourists.
From BBC
"There is a canary in the coal mine here," he said.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
