bed-rock Geol. (orig. U.S.)
The solid rock underlying alluvial and other superficial formations; also fig. bottom, lowest level.
| 1850 N. Kingsley Diary (1914) 154 We are in for seeing the bed rock all along the bottom. 1872 Schele de Vere Americanisms 171 The miner..hopes to reach bed-rock, where gold is found in quantities. 1873 G. A. Lawrence Silverland 181 The material invariably waxes greatly richer as the ‘bed-rock’ is neared. 1879 Encycl. Brit. X. 745/1 In alluvial deposits the richest ground is usually found in contact with the bed rock. |
| fig. 1869 S. Bowles Our New West v. 99 We came down to ‘bed-rock’ as the miners say, i.e. an extra flannel shirt and a pocket-comb. 1881 Chicago Times 11 June, The transactions..having been based on bed-rock prices. 1883 Century 581 The family is about down to bedrock. 1884 Nye Baled Hay 65 Whenever the dead-beat poet strikes bedrock. 1900 ‘O. Henry’ Roads of Destiny iii. 52 From general topics the conversation concentrated to the bed-rock of grim personalities. 1912 J. S. Huxley Individ. in Animal Kingdom vi. 151 We have come down to the bed-rock questions of biology. |