coal

coal
n. & v.
—n.
1 a a hard black or blackish rock, mainly carbonized plant matter, found in underground seams and used as a fuel and in the manufacture of gas, tar, etc. b Brit. a piece of this for burning.
2 a red-hot piece of coal, wood, etc. in a fire.
—v.
1 intr. take in a supply of coal.
2 tr. put coal into (an engine, fire, etc.).
Phrases and idioms:
coal-bed a stratum of coal. coal-black completely black. coal-fired heated or driven by coal. coal gas mixed gases extracted from coal and used for lighting and heating. coal-hole Brit. a compartment or small cellar for storing coal. coal measures a series of rocks formed by seams of coal with intervening strata. coal oil US petroleum or paraffin. coal-sack
1 a sack for carrying coal.
2 a black patch in the Milky Way, esp. the one near the Southern Cross. coal-scuttle a container for coal to supply a domestic fire. coal-seam a stratum of coal suitable for mining. coals to Newcastle something brought or sent to a place where it is already plentiful. coal tar a thick black oily liquid distilled from coal and used as a source of benzene. coal-tit (or cole-tit) a small greyish bird, Parus ater, with a black head: also called COALMOUSE. haul (or call) over the coals reprimand.
Derivatives:
coaly adj.
Etymology: OE col f. Gmc

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • Coal — Sedimentary Rock Anthracite coal Composition Primary carbon Secondary hydrogen, sulfur …   Wikipedia

  • Coal — (k[=o]l), n. [AS. col; akin to D. kool, OHG. chol, cholo, G. kohle, Icel. kol, pl., Sw. kol, Dan. kul; cf. Skr. jval to burn. Cf. {Kiln}, {Collier}.] 1. A thoroughly charred, and extinguished or still ignited, fragment from wood or other… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • coal — [ koul ] noun *** uncount a hard black substance that is dug from the ground and burned as fuel to provide heat: Put some more coal on the fire. coal dust a piece/lump of coal a. uncount used for talking about the industry of digging coal out of… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • coal — [kōl] n. [ME & OE col, charcoal, live coal, akin to Ger kohle, ON kol < IE base * g(e)u lo , live coal > Ir gual] 1. a kind of dark brown to black, combustible, sedimentary rock resulting from the partial decomposition of vegetable matter… …   English World dictionary

  • coal — W2S3 [kəul US koul] n [: Old English; Origin: col] 1.) [U] a hard black mineral which is dug out of the ground and burnt to produce heat ▪ Put some coal on the fire. ▪ the coal mining industry ▪ a lump of coal 2.) [C usually plural] a piece of… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • coal — O.E. col charcoal, live coal, from P.Gmc. *kula(n) (Cf. O.Fris. kole, M.Du. cole, Du. kool, O.H.G. chol, Ger. Kohle, O.N. kol), from PIE root *g(e)u lo live coal (Cf. Ir. gual coal ). Meaning mineral consisting of fo …   Etymology dictionary

  • Coal — Coal, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Coaled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Coaling}.] 1. To burn to charcoal; to char. [R.] [1913 Webster] Charcoal of roots, coaled into great pieces. Bacon. [1913 Webster] 2. To mark or delineate with charcoal. Camden. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Coal — Coal, v. i. To take in coal; as, the steamer coaled at Southampton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • coal|er — «KOH luhr», noun. 1. a ship, freight car, or railroad, used for carrying or supplying coal. 2. a worker or merchant who supplies coal …   Useful english dictionary

  • coal|y — «KOH lee», adjective. 1. of or like coal. 2. containing coal …   Useful english dictionary

  • Coal — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Véase también: Carbón Es un fósil compuesto de combustibles y de otras substancias, por lo general se encuentran en ecosistemas pantanosos, donde los restos de las plantas son cubiertos por agua y lodo, y así, se… …   Wikipedia Español

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