Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small area of still liquid: A small, contained body of a liquid, typically standing or collected.
   • A small, natural or artificial body of water: A small, often shallow, body of still water, such as a pond or a swimming pool.
   • A shared supply or fund: A common collection of money, resources, or people that is contributed to or used by a group.
   • An association or syndicate: A group of people or companies that combine resources, often to control prices or eliminate competition.
   • A type of billiards game: Any of various games played on a rectangular table with six pockets, using a cue ball and object balls.

2. Verb:

   • To combine or share resources: To put things such as money, ideas, or efforts together into a common fund or supply for shared use.

Examples

• Noun:

  • After the storm, a large pool of water formed in the street.
  • The hotel has a beautiful outdoor swimming pool.
  • We all put money into a pool to buy a gift for our teacher.
  • The companies formed a pool to stabilize prices.
  • He enjoys playing pool at the local bar.

• Verb:

  • The students pooled their notes to study for the final exam.
  • Let's pool our money so we can rent a larger apartment.

Advanced Usage

• "Car pool": An arrangement where a group of people take turns driving each other to work or school in one vehicle.

  • Joining a car pool saves money on gas and reduces traffic.

• "Talent pool": The total number of people available and qualified for a particular type of work.

  • The company has a deep talent pool of experienced engineers.

• "Pool of light": A concentrated area of illumination.

  • The lone streetlamp cast a small pool of light on the empty sidewalk.

Variants and Related Words

• Pooling (gerund/noun): The act of combining resources.

  • The pooling of our knowledge led to a great solution.

• Swimming pool (compound noun): An artificial structure filled with water for swimming.

  • The community built a new Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Synonyms

• Puddle (noun): A small pool of liquid, especially rainwater.
• Pond (noun): A small body of still water.
• Fund (noun): A sum of money saved or made available for a purpose.
• Combine (verb): To join or merge to form a single entity.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: "Pool" is not commonly used to form phrasal verbs. Its verbal use is typically transitive, as in "pool resources.")

Related Idioms

• "Pool one's efforts": To combine one's work or energy with others towards a common goal.

  • If we pool our efforts, we can finish this project on time.

• "In the pool": Participating in a shared resource or activity (e.g., a car pool, job pool).

  • New employees start their training in the general office pool.

Noun

1. any of various games played on a pool table having 6 pockets
2. something resembling a pool of liquid
   • he stood in a pool of light
   • his chair sat in a puddle of books and magazines
3. the combined stakes of the betters
4. a small body of standing water (rainwater) or other liquid
   • there were puddles of muddy water in the road after the rain
   • the body lay in a pool of blood
5. any communal combination of funds
   • everyone contributed to the pool
6. an association of companies for some definite purpose
7. an organization of people or resources that can be shared
   • a car pool
   • a secretarial pool
   • when he was first hired he was assigned to the pool
8. a small lake
   • the pond was too small for sailing
9. an excavation that is (usually) filled with water

Verb

1. join or form a pool of people
2. combine into a common fund
   • We pooled resources