Shoal
shoal (?), n. (AS. scolu,sceolu, a company, multitude, crowd, akin to OS. skola;
probably originally, a division, and akin to Icel. skilja to
part, divide. See Skill, and cf. School. of fishes.)
A great multitude assembled; a crowd; a throng; -- said
especially of fish; as, a shoal of bass. Great
shoals of people. Bacon.
Beneath, a shoal of silver fishes
glides. Waller.
shoal , v. i. (imp. p. pr. to throng; as, the
fishes shoaled about the place. Chapman.
shoal , a. (Cf. Shallow; or cf. G.scholle a clod, glebe, OHG. scollo, scolla, prob.
akin to E. shoal a multitude.) Having little depth;
shallow; as, shoal water.
shoal , n. 1. Aplace where the water of a sea, lake, river, pond, etc., is shallow; a
shallow.
The depth of your pond should be six feet; and on the
sides some shoals for the fish to lay their span.
Mortimer.
Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory,
And sounded all the depths and shoals of honor.
Shak.
2. A sandbank or bar which makes the water
shoal.
The god himself with ready trident stands,
And opes the deep, and spreads the moving sands,
Then heaves them off the shoals.
Dryden.
shoal , v. i. To become shallow; as,the color of the water shows where it shoals.
shoal , v. t. To cause to becomemore shallow; to come to a more shallow part of; as, a ship
shoals her water by advancing into that which is less
deep. Marryat.
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