GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  1.       
    
    Lode , n. [AS. lād way, journey, fr. līðan to go. See Lead to guide, and cf. Load a burden.]
    1. A water course or way; a reach of water.
      1913 Webster

      Down that long, dark lode . . . he and his brother skated home in triumph.
      C. Kingsley.

      1913 Webster

    2. (Mining) A body of ore visibly separated from adjacent rock.
      PJC
    3. Especially: (Mining) Any regular vein or course of valuable mineral, whether metallic or not.
      1913 Webster
    4. Hence: A concentrated supply or source of something valuable.
      PJC

      mother lode a large concentrated source of mineral or other valuable thing, from which lesser sources have been derived; -- often used figuratively. The term may have been originally applied to real or imagined large deposits of gold from which smaller granules were washed downstream, there constituting a diluted source of gold, and hinting at the richer source from which they were derived; as, to hit the mother lode.

      PJC

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