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To make hollow, as a scoop or dish; to excavate; to dig out; to form by digging or excavation. Those carbuncles the Indians will scoop, so as to hold above a pint. Arbuthnot.

A well-like excavation in the earth, perpendicular or nearly so, made for reaching and raising ore, for raising water, etc.

d to protect workmen in making an adit under ground, and capable of being pushed along as excavation progresses.

rpent or other animal. [Obs.] Bacon. Spoil bank, a bank formed by the earth taken from an excavation, as of a canal. -- The spoils system, the theory or practice of regarding public and their emoluments as so much plunder to be distributed among their active partisans by those who are chosen to responsible offices of…

The space left by excavation between pillars. See Post and stall, under Post. Stall reader, one who reads books at a stall where they are exposed for sale. Cries the stall reader, "Bless us! what a word on A titlepage is this!" Milton.

The act or art of taking off the top soil of land before an excavation or embankment is begun.

An excavation made during a siege, for the purpose of covering the troops as they advance toward the besieged place. The term includes the parallels and the approaches. To open the trenches (Mil.), to begin to dig or to form the lines of approach. Trench cavalier (Fort.), an elevation constructed (by a besieger) of gab…

Designating a method of shaft excavation by drifting to a point below, and then raising instead of sinking.

A hole or excavation in the earth, in mining, from which run branches or galleries.

The portion of a coal field out for working. Winning headway (Mining), an excavation for exploration, in post-and-stall working. -- Winning post, the post, or goal, at the end of a race.