coal

adj

Etymology: From Middle English col, from Old English col, from Proto-West Germanic *kol, from Proto-Germanic *kulą (“coal”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵwelH- (“to burn, shine”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian kööl (“coal”), Saterland Frisian Koole (“coal”), West Frisian koal (“coal”), Cimbrian kholl (“coal”), Dutch kool (“coal; carbon”), German Kohle (“coal”), Limburgish Kǫe̩l (“coal”), Luxembourgish Kuel (“coal”), Vilamovian köła (“coal”), Yiddish קויל (koyl, “coal”), Danish kul (“coal”), Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish kol (“coal; carbon”), Jamtish kuł (“coal; carbon”), Norwegian Bokmål kol, kull (“coal”). Compare Irish and Scottish Gaelic gual (“coal”), Manx geayl (“coal”), Lithuanian žvi̇̀lti (“to glow, twinkle”), Persian زکال (zakâl), زکار (zekâr), زغال (zoġâl, “coal”), Tocharian B śoliye (“hearth”), Sanskrit ज्वल् (jval, “to burn, glow”), all from the same root.

1. Black like coal; coal-black.

   “... his coal hair / the corners of his warm smile / the blue of his gentle eyes. I wanted to explore him as Sir Francis Drake explored the New World. I wanted to tell my secrets to him as a Roman Catholic does in confession.”

   “His coal hair streaked through the gushing of freezing air and the base of the silk robe fluttered splendidly. The Lord of Blood, adorned with glossy armor and atop a stalwart steed, appeared to have the opulence of a king. White hills[…]”

name

1. An unincorporated community in Henry County, Missouri, United States, named after early settler Stephen Coale.
2. An unincorporated community and coal town in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States.
3. Four townships in the United States, in Missouri, Ohio (2), and Pennsylvania, listed under Coal Township.

noun

Etymology: From Middle English col, from Old English col, from Proto-West Germanic *kol, from Proto-Germanic *kulą (“coal”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵwelH- (“to burn, shine”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian kööl (“coal”), Saterland Frisian Koole (“coal”), West Frisian koal (“coal”), Cimbrian kholl (“coal”), Dutch kool (“coal; carbon”), German Kohle (“coal”), Limburgish Kǫe̩l (“coal”), Luxembourgish Kuel (“coal”), Vilamovian köła (“coal”), Yiddish קויל (koyl, “coal”), Danish kul (“coal”), Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish kol (“coal; carbon”), Jamtish kuł (“coal; carbon”), Norwegian Bokmål kol, kull (“coal”). Compare Irish and Scottish Gaelic gual (“coal”), Manx geayl (“coal”), Lithuanian žvi̇̀lti (“to glow, twinkle”), Persian زکال (zakâl), زکار (zekâr), زغال (zoġâl, “coal”), Tocharian B śoliye (“hearth”), Sanskrit ज्वल् (jval, “to burn, glow”), all from the same root.

1. A black or brownish black rock formed from prehistoric plant remains, composed largely of carbon and burned as a fuel.

   “The coal in this region was prized by ironmasters in centuries past, who mined it in the spots where the drainage methods of the day permitted.”

   “Coal-eaters they may have been, but a more willing or harder working Atlantic engine was never designed.”

2. A black or brownish black rock formed from prehistoric plant remains, composed largely of carbon and burned as a fuel.

   “Put some coal on the fire.”

   “Order some coal from the coalyard.”

3. A piece of coal used for burning (this use is less common in American English)

   “Put some coals on the fire.”

4. A glowing or charred piece of coal, wood, or other solid fuel.

   “hot coals”

   “glowing coals”

5. Charcoal.
6. Content of low quality.

   “I'm so sick of seeing this coal online.”

7. Bombs emitting black smoke on impact.
8. Money.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English col, from Old English col, from Proto-West Germanic *kol, from Proto-Germanic *kulą (“coal”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵwelH- (“to burn, shine”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian kööl (“coal”), Saterland Frisian Koole (“coal”), West Frisian koal (“coal”), Cimbrian kholl (“coal”), Dutch kool (“coal; carbon”), German Kohle (“coal”), Limburgish Kǫe̩l (“coal”), Luxembourgish Kuel (“coal”), Vilamovian köła (“coal”), Yiddish קויל (koyl, “coal”), Danish kul (“coal”), Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish kol (“coal; carbon”), Jamtish kuł (“coal; carbon”), Norwegian Bokmål kol, kull (“coal”). Compare Irish and Scottish Gaelic gual (“coal”), Manx geayl (“coal”), Lithuanian žvi̇̀lti (“to glow, twinkle”), Persian زکال (zakâl), زکار (zekâr), زغال (zoġâl, “coal”), Tocharian B śoliye (“hearth”), Sanskrit ज्वल् (jval, “to burn, glow”), all from the same root.

1. To take on a supply of coal (usually of steam ships or locomotives).

   “1863, Colonial Secretary to Commander Baldwin, USN shortly after that she coaled again at Simon's Bay; and that after remaining in the neighbourhood of our ports for a time, she proceeded to Mauritius, where she coaled again, and then returned to this colony.”

   “Our next stopping-place was Newcastle, and here we coaled in earnest, for the steamer was flying light, and was loaded up in every available place.”

2. To supply with coal.

   “to coal a steamer”

   “January 1917, National Geographic Magazine, Volume 31 Number 1, One Hundred British Seaports Cruisers may be coaled at sea and provided with ammunition openly. The submarine may not”

3. To be converted to charcoal.

   “After the initial burn the goal of any good fire should be coaling; that is, creating a bed of solid coals that will sustain the fire.”

   “As a result, particles of wood and twigs insufficiently coaled are frequently found at the bottom of such pits.”

4. To burn to charcoal; to char.

   “Char-coal of roots, coaled into great pieces.”

5. To mark or delineate with charcoal.

   “[…] marvailing, he coaled out these rithms upon the wall near to the picture”