Definition

1. Noun:

   • A large group of fish swimming together: A "shoal" is a large number of fish of the same species that swim together as a group.
   • A shallow area in a body of water: A "shoal" is a place where the water is not deep, such as a sandbank or a stretch of shallow water, often visible at low tide.

2. Verb:

   • To become shallow: For a body of water to become less deep over time.
   • To make shallow: To cause a body of water to become less deep.

Examples

• Noun (Group of fish):
  • We saw a shoal of herring near the shore.
  • The diver was surrounded by a shimmering shoal of sardines.
• Noun (Shallow area):
  • The captain carefully navigated around the dangerous shoal.
  • At low tide, the shoal becomes a sandy island.
• Verb:
  • Over centuries, the river mouth has shoaled significantly.
  • The construction project shoaled the bay, affecting boat traffic.

Advanced Usage

• "To shoal up": (less common) To accumulate in a shallow area or to cause such an accumulation.
  • Sediment began to shoal up at the harbor entrance.

Variants and Related Words

• Shoaly (adj): Full of shallow areas or sandbanks.
  • The shoaly coastline is treacherous for large ships.

Synonyms

• Noun (Group): School, swarm.
• Noun (Area): Sandbank, shallow, reef, bar.
• Verb: Shallower.

Related Phrases

• "Shoals of": Used to indicate very large numbers of things, often in a continuous or overwhelming manner. (This is an idiomatic extension from the "group of fish" meaning).
  • The company received shoals of complaints after the product recall.

Noun

1. a large group of fish
   • a school of small glittering fish swam by
2. a stretch of shallow water
3. a sandbank in a stretch of water that is visible at low tide

Verb

1. become shallow
   • the lake shallowed over time
2. make shallow
   • The silt shallowed the canal