coal

1 of 2

noun

ˈkōl 

plural coals

often attributive

1

: a piece of glowing carbon or charred wood : ember

2

: charcoal sense 1

3

a

: a black or brownish-black solid combustible substance formed by the partial decomposition of vegetable matter without free access of air and under the influence of moisture and often increased pressure and temperature that is widely used as a natural fuel

b

coals plural, British : pieces or a quantity of the fuel broken up for burning

coal

2 of 2

verb

coaled; coaling; coals

transitive verb

1

: to burn to charcoal : char

2

: to supply with coal

intransitive verb

: to take in coal

Phrases

haul/rake (someone) over the coals

informal

: to criticize (someone) very severely

The government was then raked over the coals for refusing to send out information about the candidates.

—The Economist

The Headmaster was angry. So angry, indeed, that he did what in a more lucid interval he would not have done. He hauled a senior over the coals in the hearing of a number of juniors …

—P. G. Wodehouse

Examples of coal in a Sentence

Noun

When the coals are red, they are very hot.

I toasted one last marshmallow over the coals of the campfire.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Wright will be attacked as anti-environment, yet by making natural gas more plentiful as a replacement for coal in electricity generation, fracking has helped the environment more than every road-blocking protest and project-blocking lawsuit from the green movement combined. —The Editors, National Review, 20 Nov. 2024

Fuel and purchased power expenses fell by $432 million, driven by lower coal, natural gas, and purchased power prices. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024

Verb

The arrival of steam power turned mines and coaling stations into crucial strategic assets. —Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

The Navy built a coaling station in 1901, about the same time Katherine Tingley established her Lomaland headquarters for the Theosophical Society, now the Point Loma Nazarene University campus. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English col, from Old English; akin to Old High German & Old Norse kol burning ember, Middle Irish gúal coal

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1560, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing coal

• bituminous coal
• brown coal
• cannel coal
• coal gas
• coal measures
• coal oil
• coal seam
• coal tar
• hard coal
• soft coal

Kids Definition

coal

1 of 2 noun

ˈkōl 

1

: a piece of glowing or charred wood : ember

2

: a black or brownish black solid substance formed by the partial decay of vegetable matter under the influence of moisture and often increased pressure and temperature within the earth that is widely used as a fuel

coal

2 of 2 verb

1

: to supply with coal

2

: to take in coal