quarry Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
    fair game; prey; target.
    • he fell prey to muggers
    • everyone was fair game
    • the target of a manhunt
  2. noun a surface excavation for extracting stone or slate
    stone pit; pit.
    • a British term for `quarry' is `stone pit'
  3. noun animal hunted or caught for food
    prey.
  4. verb extract (something such as stones) from or as if from a quarry
    • quarry marble

WordNet

Quar"ry noun
Etymology
OE. quarre, OF. quarré square, F. carré, from L. quadratus square, quadrate, quadratum a square. See Quadrate, and cf. Quarrel an arrow.
Definitions
  1. Same as 1st Quarrel. Obs. Fairfax.
Quar"ry adjective
Etymology
OF. quarré.
Definitions
  1. Quadrate; square. Obs.
Quar"ry noun
Etymology
OE. querre, OF. cuiriée, F. curée, fr. cuir hide, leather, fr. L. corium; the quarry given to the dogs being wrapped in the akin of the beast. See Cuirass.
Wordforms
plural Quarries
Definitions
  1. (a) A part of the entrails of the beast taken, given to the hounds. (b) A heap of game killed.
  2. The object of the chase; the animal hunted for; game; especially, the game hunted with hawks. "The stone-dead quarry." Spenser.
    The wily quarry shunned the shock. Sir W. Scott.
Quar"ry intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To secure prey; to prey, as a vulture or harpy. L'Estrange.
Quar"ry noun
Etymology
OE. quarrere, OF. quariere, F. carrière, LL. quadraria a quarry, whence squared (quadrati) stones are dug, fr. quadratus square. See Quadrate.
Definitions
  1. A place, cavern, or pit where stone is taken from the rock or ledge, or dug from the earth, for building or other purposes; a stone pit. See 5th Mine (a).
Quar"ry transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Quarried ; present participle & verbal noun Quarrying
Definitions
  1. To dig or take from a quarry; as, to quarry marble.

Webster 1913