mother lode
Prospector's ultimate discovery
The mother lode is the principal vein or deposit of ore in a mining region—the source from which smaller veins branch.
Figuratively, it means the richest source or main supply of something: We hit the mother lode of vintage records at that estate sale.
The term comes from California Gold Rush mining.
Sudden large windfall
- jackpotAccumulated gambling prize
- windfallUnanticipated lucky gain
- paydirtValuable find after effort
- cornucopiaAbundance symbol, horn-shaped
bounty · treasure trove · goldmine · rich vein · payload · strike · haul · cache
Vessel toward heart
- oreMetal-bearing rock
- goldElement seventy-nine
- quartzCrystalline silicon dioxide
- prospectingSearching for mineral wealth
excavation · shaft · drift · adit · hardrock · blasting · tunneling · pickaxe
Forceful impact or stoppage
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- eurekaDiscovery triumph cry
- findLocate through effort
- unearthingDiscovering something hidden
uncovering · detection · prospecting · revelation · serendipity · encounter · exploration · locating
Starting point or source
- fountainheadOriginal source of something
- wellspringPrimary source of something
- seedbedPrepared ground for sprouting
- cradleRocking bed for infants
birthplace · root · genesis · inception · progenitor · foundation · basis · groundwork
bonanza
Sudden large windfall
cornucopia · bounty · treasure trove · goldmine · rich vein · payload · strike · haul · cache · stockpile
vein
Vessel toward heart
prospecting · excavation · shaft · drift · adit · hardrock · blasting · tunneling · pickaxe · dynamite
strike
Forceful impact or stoppage
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- eurekaDiscovery triumph cry
- findLocate through effort
unearthing · uncovering · detection · prospecting · revelation · serendipity · encounter · exploration · locating
origin
Starting point or source
- fountainheadOriginal source of something
- wellspringPrimary source of something
- seedbedPrepared ground for sprouting
cradle · birthplace · root · genesis · inception · progenitor · foundation · basis · groundwork · beginning
- mininggold, mines, gold mines, mine, coal
- Gold RushCalifornia Gold Rush, gold miners, gold mining, gold flakes, gold nuggets
- striking goldjackpot, eureka, bonanza, windfall, paydirt
- treasuretreasures, treasure trove, gold coins, jewels, doubloons
- windfallsjackpot, windfall, grand prize, found money, big win
- minemine shaft, adit, drift, crosscut, raise
mother lodedry hole
Well without petroleum
trace · pittance · slim pickings · bust · dud
mother lodeoffshoot
Derivative outgrowth
tributary · side branch · small potatoes · footnote · afterthought
mother, motherly, motherhood, mothers, mothering, motherland, motherboard, mother tongue, mother ship