stone-coal

A miner holds a piece of stone-coal in his gloved hand.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of hard coal: "stone-coal" refers to anthracite, a hard, compact variety of coal that has a high carbon content and burns with little smoke or flame.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The miners extracted stone-coal from the deep seam for use in heating. (Anthracite coal was mined for its high heat output.)
  • Stone-coal is preferred in stoves because it burns cleanly and for a long time. (Anthracite is valued for its efficient combustion.)

Advanced Usage

• "stone-coal mine": a mine where anthracite is extracted.

  • The region's economy relied heavily on the stone-coal mine. (The anthracite mining industry was vital.)

• "stone-coal dust": fine particles of anthracite coal.

  • Inhaling stone-coal dust can be harmful to the lungs. (Exposure to anthracite dust poses health risks.)

Variants and Related Words

• Coal (n): a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock used as fuel.

  • Coal is a major source of energy worldwide. (The broader category of carbon-rich rock.)

• Anthracite (n): the scientific term for stone-coal.

  • Anthracite is the highest rank of coal due to its carbon content. (Synonym for stone-coal.)

Synonyms

• Anthracite: hard coal with high carbon content.
• Hard coal: a common descriptive term for anthracite.

Phrasal Verbs

• Not applicable: "stone-coal" is a noun and does not form phrasal verbs.

Related Idioms

• "Carry coals to Newcastle": to do something unnecessary or redundant (not directly related to stone-coal, but to coal in general).
  • Bringing more stone-coal to a coal-mining town is like carrying coals to Newcastle. (An example of pointless effort.)