gold mine
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A mine where gold ore is found: A physical excavation or site from which gold is extracted.
- A good source of something that is desired: A person, place, or thing that provides a rich or abundant supply of something valuable, such as information, profit, or talent.
Usage Examples
- Literal Meaning (a mine for gold):
- The discovery of a new gold mine sparked a rush of prospectors to the region.
- Safety regulations are strict in a deep gold mine.
- Figurative Meaning (a rich source):
- The old archive was a gold mine for historians researching the period.
- Her innovative idea proved to be a gold mine for the company.
Advanced Usage
- "to be a gold mine of [something]": To be an exceptionally rich source of a specific desirable thing.
- The retired professor is a gold mine of stories about the university's early days.
- "to strike/hit a gold mine": To discover or find a source of great wealth or success.
- With that new business strategy, they've really struck a gold mine.
Variants and Related Words
- Goldmine: A common alternative spelling, written as one word.
- The database is an absolute goldmine of customer data.
- Gold miner (n): A person who works in a gold mine.
- Gold mining (n): The process or industry of extracting gold from the earth.
Synonyms
- Bonanza: A situation which creates a sudden increase in wealth or success.
- Treasure trove: A collection or source of valuable or delightful things.
- Cash cow: A business, product, or asset that consistently generates significant profit.
Related Idioms
- "A license to print money": Something that guarantees large, easy profits (similar figurative sense).
- That franchise has become a license to print money.
- "The mother lode": The main vein of ore in a mine; figuratively, the primary or richest source.
- Researchers believe they have found the mother lode of documents relating to the treaty.
Noun
- a mine where gold ore is found
- a good source of something that is desired