coal Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun fossil fuel consisting of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in the Carboniferous period
noun a hot fragment of wood or coal that is left from a fire and is glowing or smoldering
ember.
verb burn to charcoal
char.
- Without a drenching rain, the forest fire will char everything
verb supply with coal
verb take in coal
- The big ship coaled

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.

A thoroughly charred, and extinguished or still ignited, fragment from wood or other combustible substance; charcoal.
(Min.) A black, or brownish black, solid, combustible substance, dug from beds or veins in the earth to be used for fuel, and consisting, like charcoal, mainly of carbon, but more compact, and often affording, when heated, a large amount of volatile matter. ✍ This word is often used adjectively, or as the first part of self-explaining compounds; as, coal-black; coal formation; coal scuttle; coal ship. etc. ✍ In England the plural coals is used, for the broken mineral coal burned in grates, etc.; as, to put coals on the fire. In the United States the singular in a collective sense is the customary usage; as, a hod of coal.

imperfect & past participle Coaled ; present participle & verbal noun Coaling

To burn to charcoal; to char. R.
Charcoal of roots, coaled into great pieces. Bacon.
To mark or delineate with charcoal. Camden.
To supply with coal; as, to coal a steamer.