Definition

1. Noun:
   • A coal mine and its associated buildings and equipment: A "colliery" refers to the entire complex where coal is extracted, including the underground mine itself as well as all the surface structures, machinery, and facilities required for its operation.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The old colliery was closed down in the 1980s, leaving many workers unemployed.
  • Safety inspections are regularly conducted at the colliery to prevent accidents.
  • The landscape was dominated by the towering headgear of the colliery.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Industrial Context: The term is often used in historical or industrial contexts, particularly in regions with a history of coal mining (e.g., the UK, parts of the US, Australia).
  • The museum offers tours that explain the history of the local colliery.
• As part of a place name: "Colliery" can appear in the names of towns or villages that grew around a mine.
  • He grew up in a small town called Oakwood Colliery.

Variants and Related Words

• Collier (n): A coal miner or a ship designed for carrying coal.
  • The colliers descended into the pit at dawn.
• Coal mine (n): This is a more general term for the underground excavation for coal. A "colliery" specifically includes the surface plant of a coal mine.
• Pit (n): A common synonym for a coal mine, especially in British English.
  • He worked down the pit for forty years.

Synonyms

• Coal mine (specifically the excavation)
• Coalworks
• Pit (chiefly British)

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Colliery manager: The person in charge of running the colliery.
  • The colliery manager implemented new safety protocols.
• Colliery spoil or colliery waste: The unwanted material brought to the surface during mining.
  • The hills were formed from decades of colliery waste.

Noun

1. a workplace consisting of a coal mine plus all the buildings and equipment connected with it