Coal
Pronunciation
Origin
From Middle English cole, from Old English col, from Proto-Germanic *kulÄ…, from Proto-Indo-European *gÊ·ol- (compare Irish gúal ("coal"), Tocharian B Å›oliye ("hearth"), Persian زغال (zuγÄl, "live coal")), from *gÊ·elH- ‘to glow, burn’ (compare Lithuanian žvìlti ("to twinkle, glow"), Sanskrit जà¥à¤µà¤²à¤¤à¤¿ (jvalati, "to burn, glow")).
Full definition of coal
Noun
- (uncountable) A black rock formed from prehistoric plant remains, composed largely of carbon and burned as a fuel.
- (countable) A piece of coal used for burning. Note that in British English the first of the following examples could be used, whereas in both British and American English the latter would.Put some coals on the fire.Put some coal on the fire.
- (countable) A type of coal, such as bituminous, anthracite, or lignite, and grades and varieties thereof.
- (countable) A smouldering piece of material.Just as the camp-fire died down to just coals, with no flames to burn the marshmallows, someone dumped a whole load of wood on, so I gave up and went to bed.
Hyponyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Verb
- (intransitive) To take on a supply of coal (usually of steam ships).
- 1890, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, ch. XVI:The light shook and splintered in the puddles. A red glare came from an outward-bound steamer that was coaling.
- (intransitive) To be converted to charcoal.
- 1957, H.R. Schubert, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry, p. 18:As a result, particles of wood and twigs insufficiently coaled are frequently found at the bottom of such pits.
- (transitive) To burn to charcoal; to char.
- Francis BaconCharcoal of roots, coaled into great pieces.
- (transitive) To mark or delineate with charcoal.
- (transitive) To supply with coal.to coal a steamer