OpenSynonym

quarry

/ˈkwɔːri/

NOUN

1. A place where stone or rock is extracted

An open excavation where stone, limestone, granite, slate, or other geological materials are removed from the ground for construction and industrial purposes.

1.1. Stone and mineral extraction sites

An excavation or site where natural stone, such as granite, limestone, marble, or slate, is extracted for building, construction, and manufacturing.

Synonyms

  • stone pit
  • chalk pit
  • gravel pit
  • excavation
  • open pit

Examples

  • The workers transported limestone from the quarry to a nearby cement factory.
  • The abandoned quarry was eventually transformed into a recreational lake.
  • The company operates a granite quarry in the mountainous region.

Related Words

  • mine
  • mining site
  • extraction site
  • rock deposit
  • mineral deposit

NOUN

2. An animal or person being hunted or pursued

An animal, person, or other target that is being hunted, pursued, tracked, or sought by someone or something.

2.1. Animals hunted by predators

An animal that is pursued or hunted by another animal for food, particularly in the natural predator-prey relationship.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The lion stalked its quarry through the tall grass before launching an attack.
  • The eagle circled above the field, searching for its quarry.
  • The hunting dogs followed the scent of their quarry through the forest.

Related Words

2.2. A person or target being pursued

A person or object that is deliberately pursued, tracked, or targeted, especially by hunters, investigators, or people attempting to capture or locate someone.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • pursuer
  • hunter
  • chaser

Examples

  • The detective followed his quarry through several crowded streets.
  • The escaped criminal became the quarry of an extensive manhunt.
  • The journalist pursued her quarry through the crowded press conference.

Related Words

VERB

3. To extract stone or other materials from the ground

To obtain stone, rock, or other geological materials by cutting, digging, or blasting them out of a quarry.

3.1. Extracting stone and geological materials

To remove natural stone, such as marble, granite, limestone, or slate, from an excavation for construction, manufacturing, or decorative use.

Synonyms

  • extract
  • mine
  • excavate
  • dig out
  • hew
  • cut

Antonyms

Examples

  • The company plans to quarry limestone from the hillside for its construction projects.
  • Workers quarry marble from the mountain and transport it to processing facilities.
  • The builders used locally quarried stone to restore the historic structure.

Related Words

3.2. Obtaining information through persistent searching

To extract or gradually obtain useful information, evidence, or material through prolonged and painstaking searching or investigation.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The historian quarried valuable details from centuries-old manuscripts.
  • The journalist quarried information from archived documents to reconstruct the story.
  • The researcher quarried evidence from numerous scientific publications.

Related Words

3.3. Hunting or pursuing prey

To hunt, pursue, or seek out animals as prey, particularly in descriptions of predatory behavior.

Synonyms

Examples

  • The vulture quarries its food across the open countryside.
  • The predator quarries smaller animals in the surrounding woodland.

Related Words