To move or displace large amounts of earth or soil, typically during construction or excavation work.
Compound of 'earth' (Old English eorthe, from Proto-Germanic *erthō) and 'move' (Old French movoir, from Latin movēre). The combination emerged in modern English in the 19th century as industrial excavation became common.
This word perfectly captures how the Industrial Revolution changed our relationship with land—before machines could move earth economically, terraforming projects were nearly impossible, which is why ancient civilizations seemed so amazed by their own ability to build.
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