noun
tye
Tye (noun) means a trough or tank used for washing crushed ore to separate out valuable minerals. Example: “The miners rinsed the crushed rock in a tye to sort out the ore.”
noun
1
A trough or tank used for washing crushed ore to separate out valuable minerals.
"The miners rinsed the crushed rock in a tye to sort out the ore."
2
A patch of common land in a village, often a green.
"Sheep grazed freely on the village tye."
How to use tye
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA mining term for an ore-washing trough, or an old word for a patch of common village land — both fairly rare, specialised uses.
When to use it
Rare outside mining history or old English place-name contexts.
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Word forms
- Plural
- tyes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The miners rinsed the crushed rock in a _____ to sort out the ore.
Etymology
From a Middle English word for a chest or box, itself blending an Old English and an Old French term with the same meaning.
Rhymes for tye
See all rhymes for tye →Frequently asked questions
What does “tye” mean?
The word “tye” means a trough or tank used for washing crushed ore to separate out valuable minerals. In plain terms, a mining term for an ore-washing trough, or an old word for a patch of common village land — both fairly rare, specialised uses.
How do you use “tye” in a sentence?
Here is “tye” used in a sentence: “The miners rinsed the crushed rock in a tye to sort out the ore.”
What part of speech is “tye”?
“Tye” is a noun.
Where does the word “tye” come from?
The word “tye” comes from Old French. From a Middle English word for a chest or box, itself blending an Old English and an Old French term with the same meaning.
How many meanings does “tye” have?
“Tye” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a trough or tank used for washing crushed ore to separate out valuable minerals.
