Shoal — Defs

01 n. A great multitude assembled; a crowd; a throng; -- said especially of fish; as, a shoal of bass.

1.
A great multitude assembled; a crowd; a throng; -- said especially of fish; as, a shoal of bass.
“Beneath, a shoal of silver fishes glides.” — Waller.

02 v. i. To assemble in a multitude; to throng; as, the fishes shoaled about the place.

imp. & p. p. Shoaled; p. pr. & vb. n. Shoaling

1.
To assemble in a multitude; to throng; as, the fishes shoaled about the place.

03 a. Having little depth; shallow; as, shoal water.

04 n. A place where the water of a sea, lake, river, pond, etc., is shallow; a shallow.

1.
A place where the water of a sea, lake, river, pond, etc., is shallow; a shallow.
“The depth of your pond should be six feet; and on the sides some shoals for the fish to lay their span.” — Mortimer.

“Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory, And sounded all the depths and shoals of honor.” — Shak.
2.
A sandbank or bar which makes the water shoal.
“The god himself with ready trident stands, And opes the deep, and spreads the moving sands, Then heaves them off the shoals.” — Dryden.

05 v. i. To become shallow; as, the color of the water shows where it shoals.

06 v. t. To cause to become more shallow; to come to a more shallow part of; as, a ship shoals her water by advancing into that which is less deep.

1.
To cause to become more shallow; to come to a more shallow part of; as, a ship shoals her water by advancing into that which is less deep.