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Webster 1913 Edition

Shoal

Shoal

,
Noun.
[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

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Shoaled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Shoaling
.]
To assemble in a multitude; to throng;
as, the fishes
shoaled
about the place
.
Chapman.

Shoal

,
Adj.
[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

,
Noun.
1.
A place 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.
Shakespeare
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

,
Verb.
I.
To become shallow;
as, the color of the water shows where it
shoals
.

Shoal

,
Verb.
T.
To cause to become more shallow; to come to a more shallow part of;
as, a ship
shoals
her water by advancing into that which is less deep
.
Marryat.

Webster 1828 Edition

Shoal

SHOAL

,
Noun.
1. A great multitude assembled; a crowd; a throng; as shoals of people. Immense shoals of herring appear on the coast in the spring.
The vices of a prince draw shoals of followers. Decay of Piety.
2. A place where the water of a river, lake or sea is shallow or af little depth; a sand bank or bar; a shallow. The entrance of rivers is often rendered difficult or dangerous by shoals.

SHOAL

,
Verb.
I.
1. To crowd; to throng; to assemble in a multitude. The fishes shoaled about the place.
2. To become more shallow. The water shoals as we approach the town.

SHOAL

,
Adj.
Shallow; of little depth; as shoal water.

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