quarrying

Verb (1)

quarry (third-person singular simple present quarries, present participle quarrying, simple past and past participle quarried)

1. (transitive) To obtain (or mine) stone by extraction from a quarry.
   • The incloſing of this country might alſo be effected, were the landlord to quarry the ſtones, and build the walls at his expence, and the tenant to carry the materials, and pay intereſt for the money advanced by the landlord.1794, James Donaldson, “Miscellaneous Observations and Hints for Improvement”, in General View of the Agriculture of the County of Elgin or Moray, Lying between the Spey and the Findhorn; including...

   Synonyms:

   mine

2. (figuratively, transitive) To extract or slowly obtain by long, tedious searching.
   • They quarried out new, interesting facts about ancient Egypt from old papyri.

   Synonyms:

   dig, dig up, unearth

Verb (2)

quarry (third-person singular simple present quarries, present participle quarrying, simple past and past participle quarried)

1. To secure prey; to prey, as a vulture or harpy.
   • What's an Eternal Circulation of the ſame Things, as well as the ſame Steps, without Advancing one Inch of Ground towards his Journey's End, but Ixion in the Wheel? And all this while, with Cares, and Horrors at his Heart, like the Vultur that's Day and Night Quarrying upon Prometheus's Liver.1692, Roger L’Estrange, “[The Fables of Æsop, &c.] Fab[le] VI. A Dog and a Shadow.”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC, page 6

See all 8 meanings of quarry