shoal

¹

[ shohl ]

noun

1. a place where a sea, river, or other body of water is shallow:

   The clams and mussels gathered from these shoals are the best you’ll ever find.

   Synonyms: ford, shallow(s)

2. a sandbank or sandbar in the bed of a body of water, especially one that is exposed above the surface of the water at low tide.

   Synonyms: reef

adjective

1. of little depth, as water; shallow:

   The first thing these newcomers do is buy a boat and promptly get stuck in the shoal waters, which they know nothing about.

verb (used without object)

1. to become shallow or more shallow:

   The river significantly shoals between the old stone bridge and the bend at Tuttle’s Crossing.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to become shallow:

   Shoaling the approach has effectively kept the larger vessels out of our small harbor.

2. Nautical. to sail so as to lessen the depth of (the water under a vessel).

shoal

²

[ shohl ]

noun

1. any large number of persons or things.
2. a school of fish:

   a shoal of herring;

   a shoal of mackerel.

verb (used without object)

1. to collect in a shoal; throng.

shoal

¹

/ ʃəʊl /

noun

1. a large group of certain aquatic animals, esp fish
2. a large group of people or things

verb

1. intr to collect together in such a group

shoal

²

/ ʃəʊl /

noun

1. a stretch of shallow water
2. a sandbank or rocky area in a stretch of water, esp one that is visible at low water

verb

1. to make or become shallow
2. intr nautical to sail into shallower water

adjective

1. a less common word for shallow
2. nautical (of the draught of a vessel) drawing little water

shoal

/ shōl /

1. A submerged mound or ridge of sediment in a body of shallow water.

Derived Forms

• ˈshoaliness, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of shoal¹

First recorded before 900; (for the adjective) Middle English shold(e), Old English sceald shallow; noun and verb derivative of the adjective

Origin of shoal²

First recorded in 1570–80; earlier shole, probably from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German schōle, with sound-substitution of sh- for Low German skh-; school ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of shoal¹

Old English scolu; related to Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schōle school ²

Origin of shoal²

Old English sceald shallow

Example Sentences

Calm captains of the ship of state struggle to navigate the world system’s waves and shoals.

From Los Angeles Times

The shoal, claimed by China as Xianbin Jiao and as Escoda Shoal by the Philippines, is located some 75 nautical miles from the Philippines' west coast and 630 nautical miles from China.

From BBC

The shoal, which is less than 200 nautical miles from the Philippine coastline, is home to a crumbling warship, the Sierra Madre.

From New York Times

Confrontations between Chinese and Philippine government ships over two disputed shoals have flared alarmingly since last year, causing collisions.

From Seattle Times

China effectively seized the shoal in 2012 after a standoff that ended when Philippine government ships withdrew based on what Manila said was a deal brokered by American officials to ease the dangerous confrontation.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• reef