I. ˈshōl adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: alteration of earlier shold, shoald, from Middle English sheld, shald, shold, from Old English sceald — more at shallow
: having little depth : shallow
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: alteration of earlier shold, shoald, from Middle English sheld, shald, shold, from sheld, shald, shold, adjective
1. : a place where a sea, river, or other body of water is shallow : shallow
2. : a sandbank or sandbar which makes the water shoal ; specifically : an elevation or knoll which is not rocky and on which there is a depth of water of six fathoms or less — compare bank , reef
3. : a rocky area on the sea bottom within surroundings especially where fish abound
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: alteration of earlier shold, shoald, from shold, shoald, adjective
intransitive verb
: to become shallow
the loch shoals badly within three cables of its outer points — C.K.Finlay
transitive verb
1.
a. : to come to a shallow or less deep part of
the ship shoals her water
b. : to cause to become shallow or less deep
c. : to fill up or block off with a shoal
the inlet is continually shoaled
2. : to drive (an otter) to shallow water
IV. adverb
Etymology: shoal (I)
: to or at a shallow depth
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: from (assumed) Middle English shole, from Old English scolu multitude, troop — more at school
: a great number thronged together or considered as a group
herring shoals
the shoal of congratulatory letters he received — Times Literary Supplement
students left in shoals to answer the call to arms — A.W.Long
VI. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to assemble in a large group : throng , school
why the shrimp shoal furiously off the ocean inlets is a mystery — V.O.Williams