mine (subs.) Copy link Outline I. For obtaining ore1. mĕtallum2. fŏdīna3. pŭteus (the actual pit or hole bored)4. cŭnīcŭlus (a burrow or excavation made in mining)II. MilitaryIII. Fig. • mine (subs.): I. For obtaining ore: 1. mĕtallum: an old abandoned m., m. antiquum, olim destitutum, Sen. Q. N. 5, 15, 1: cf. Liv. 39, 24, init., m. vetus intermissum, i. e. that had not been worked for some time. Phr.: to sentence to the m.s, ad metalla condemnare., Suet. Cal. 27, med.; in metallum damnare, Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 8: also, dare in metallum, Dig. 2. fŏdīna: chiefly in comps. aurifodina, Plin. 33, 4, 21 § 78; argentifodina, id. 33, 6, 31 § 98 (which may, however, be written as separate words). 3. pŭteus (the actual pit or hole bored): (gold) procured from m.s is called canalicium, quod puteis foditur canalicium vocant, id. 33, 4, 21 § 68. 4. cŭnīcŭlus (a burrow or excavation made in mining): Plin. l. c. § 71 to sink m.s, cuniculos agere, Sen. Q. N. 5, 15, 4. II. Military: cŭnīcŭlus: to carry a m. (under the walls of a city), c. occultum agere. Liv. 28, 7, med., more fully, c. agere in arcem hostium, id. 5, 19, fin.: to take a city by a m., cuniculo urbem capere, Curt. In modern milit. sense, *cuniculus pulvere nitrato instructus ad moenia discutienda s. disjicienda. III. Fig.: an inexhaustible store: nearest word, thēsaurus: cf. Plin. Ep. 1, 22, 2, mihi certe, quoties aliquid abdi um quaero, thesaurus est, "he is a perfect mine of learning:" or perh. fons uberrimus (R. and A.).