Air-head

//ˈɛːhɛd// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A horizontal channel providing ventilation in a mine. archaic

    "A narrow gallery, termed the air-head, is carried in the upper part of the coal, in the rib walls, along one or more of the sides. In the example here figured, it is carried all round, and the air enters at the bolt-hole e. Lateral openings, named spouts, are led from the air-head gallery into the side of work; and the circulating stream mixed with the gas in the workings, enters by these spouts, as represented by the arrows, and returns by the air-head at g, to the upeast pit."

Example

More examples

"A narrow gallery, termed the air-head, is carried in the upper part of the coal, in the rib walls, along one or more of the sides. In the example here figured, it is carried all round, and the air enters at the bolt-hole e. Lateral openings, named spouts, are led from the air-head gallery into the side of work; and the circulating stream mixed with the gas in the workings, enters by these spouts, as represented by the arrows, and returns by the air-head at g, to the upeast pit."

Etymology

From air + head.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.