I. pool 1 S2 W2 /puːl/ BrE AmE noun
[ Sense 1-3: Language: Old English ; Origin: pol ]
[ Sense 4, 5-8: Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: French ; Origin: poule 'hen' ; perhaps because a chicken was the target or prize in a game ]
1 . FOR SWIMMING [countable] a hole or container that has been specially made and filled with water so that people can swim or play in it SYN swimming pool :
They have a nice pool in their backyard.
a shallow pool suitable for children
2 . AREA OF WATER [countable] a small area of still water in a hollow place:
pools of water with tiny fish in them
Mosquitoes breed in stagnant pools of water.
3 . pool of water/blood/light etc a small area of liquid or light on a surface:
A guard found him lying in a pool of blood.
a pool of light formed by the street lamp above
4 . GAME [uncountable] a game in which you use a stick to hit numbered balls into holes around a table, which is often played in bars
shoot/play pool
We went to the pub and played pool.
5 . GROUP OF PEOPLE [countable] a group of people who are available to work or to do an activity when they are needed
pool of
a pool of talented applicants to choose from
The region has a large and talented labour pool.
6 . SHARED MONEY/THINGS [countable usually singular] a number of things that are shared or an amount of money that is shared by a group of people:
Both partners put money into a common pool.
7 . the pools a system in Britain in which people try to win money each week by guessing the results of football games:
I do the pools sometimes.
Dad won £40 on the pools.
8 . SPORTS [countable] American English a game in which people try to win money by guessing the result of a sports game, or the money that is collected from these people for this:
the office basketball pool
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ lake a large area of water surrounded by land:
Lake Michigan
|
We went for a swim in the lake.
▪ lagoon an area of water that is separated from the sea by rocks, sand, or ↑ coral :
a tropical lagoon
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coastal lagoons
▪ loch in Scotland, a lake or an area of sea water that is almost completely surrounded by land:
Loch Ness
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a sea loch
▪ reservoir a lake, especially an artificial one, where water is stored before it is supplied to people's houses:
The reservoirs supply water to Greater Manchester.
▪ pond a small area of fresh water that is smaller than a lake, which is either natural or artificially made:
There were several ducks on the village pond.
▪ pool a small area of still water in a hollow place:
a pool of water near the summit of the mountain
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a rockpool (=a pool in some rocks near the sea)
▪ puddle a very small area of water on the ground, especially after it has been raining:
She turned quickly to avoid stepping in a puddle.
▪ waterhole a small area of water in a dry country, where wild animals go to drink:
The waterhole is used by elephants.
II. pool 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
to combine your money, ideas, skills etc with those of other people so that you can all use them:
Investors agreed to pool their resources to develop the property.
The students worked together, pooling their knowledge.