mining

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The process or business of extracting ore or minerals from the ground.
2. n. The process of digging under an enemy emplacement or fortification to destroy it by explosives, cause it to collapse, or gain access to it for an attack.
3. n. The process of laying explosive mines.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The business or work of a miner: also used attributively: as, a mining engineer; mining tools.
2. n. The area of mining-ground held under federal or State law by one claimant or association by virtue of one location and entry. In consequence of the peculiar right to follow a vein of ore beyond the line of the boundary upon the surface, it may be more correctly, though still somewhat vaguely, defined as a tract of mineral land, the owner of which is entitled to the surface rights and all subjacent minerals, together with certain lateral rights of mining beyond the boundary, and subject to the similar lateral rights of adjoining owners. When two veins connect or cross, priority of title generally gives a preference. Coal-land claims may be entered for not exceeding 160 acres to each individual, or 320 acres to each association. As to placer-mining claims, see placer-claim, under placer.
3. Of burrowing habits: as, the rabbit is a mining animal.
4. Insidious; working by underhand means.

Wiktionary

1. n. The activity of removing solid valuables from the earth.
2. n. figuratively Any extractive activity.
3. n. military The activity of placing explosives underground, rigged to explode
4. v. present participle of mine.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act or business of making mines or of working them.
2. adj. Of or pertaining to mines

WordNet 3.0

1. n. laying explosive mines in concealed places to destroy enemy personnel and equipment
2. n. the act of extracting ores or coal etc from the earth