intransitive or absol. To dig a trench or trenches.

Mining. transitive. To take coal or ore from (pillars in a mine); to deprive (pillars) of ore. Also: to extract (ore) from pillars.

transitive. Mining. To ram home (the charge) in a bore-hole. Also absol.

intransitive. Mining. To ascend or descend a mineshaft in a cage or on a platform.

To support (the sides of a shaft) with slabs. In quot. 1871 absol.