释义 |
shoal 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 > |