pool

¹ American  

[pool] / pul /

noun

1. a small body of standing water; pond.

2. a still, deep place in a stream.

3. any small collection of liquid on a surface.

   a pool of blood.

4. a puddle.

5. swimming pool.

6. a subterranean accumulation of oil or gas held in porous and permeable sedimentary rock reservoir.

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verb (used without object)

1. to form a pool.

2. (of blood) to accumulate in a body part or organ.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause pools to form in.

2. to cause (blood) to form pools.

adjective

1. of or for a pool.

   pool filters.

2. taking place or occurring around or near a pool.

   a pool party.

pool ² American  

[pool] / pul /

noun

1. Also called pocket billiards.  any of various games played on a pool table with a cue ball and 15 other balls that are usually numbered, in which the object is to drive all the balls into the pockets with the cue ball.

2. the total amount staked by a combination of bettors, as on a race, to be awarded to the successful bettor or bettors.

3. the combination of such bettors.

4. an association of competitors who agree to control the production, market, and price of a commodity for mutual benefit, although they appear to be rivals.

   Synonyms:

   monopoly, corner

5. Finance. a combination of persons or organizations for the purpose of manipulating the prices of securities.

6. a combination of resources, funds, etc., for common advantage.

7. the combined interests or funds.

8. a facility, resource, or service that is shared by a group of people.

   a car pool;

   The Psychology department has built up a large participant pool for experiments.

9. the persons or parties involved.

10. the stakes in certain games.

11. British. a billiard game.

12. Fencing. a match in which each teammate successively plays against each member of the opposing team.

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verb (used with object)

1. to put (resources, money, etc.) into a pool, or common stock or fund, as for a financial venture, according to agreement.

   Synonyms:

   consolidate, merge, combine

2. to form a pool of.

3. to make a common interest of.

verb (used without object)

1. to enter into or form a pool.

adjective

1. of or belonging to a pool.

   a pool reporter;

   Pool research assistants will be assigned to code and enter the data.

pool ¹ British  

/ puːl /

noun

1. any communal combination of resources, funds, etc

   a typing pool

2. the combined stakes of the betters in many gambling sports or games; kitty

3. commerce a group of producers who conspire to establish and maintain output levels and high prices, each member of the group being allocated a maximum quota; price ring

4. finance

   1. a joint fund organized by security-holders for speculative or manipulative purposes on financial markets

   2. the persons or parties involved in such a combination

5. any of various billiard games in which the object is to pot all the balls with the cue ball, esp that played with 15 coloured and numbered balls; pocket billiards

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verb

1. to combine (investments, money, interests, etc) into a common fund, as for a joint enterprise

2. commerce to organize a pool of (enterprises)

3. informal to inform on or incriminate (someone)

pool ² British  

/ puːl /

noun

1. a small body of still water, usually fresh; small pond

2. a small isolated collection of liquid spilt or poured on a surface; puddle

   a pool of blood

3. a deep part of a stream or river where the water runs very slowly

4. an underground accumulation of oil or gas, usually forming a reservoir in porous sedimentary rock

5. See swimming pool

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Other Word Forms

• pooler noun

Etymology

Origin of pool¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English pol, pole, Old English pōl; cognate with Dutch poel, German Pfuhl

Origin of pool²

First recorded in 1685–95; from French poule “collective stakes in a game,” literally, “hen”; pullet

Example Sentences

Her most recent was to find out if they would need a permit to rebuild the damaged pool.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Residents will also have access to a suite of community amenities, including a waterfront pool and sun deck, a private clubhouse, a fitness center, and a limited collection of just seven private boat slips.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

The two videos, each lasting less than 30 seconds, show one of the helicopters hovering by the music star’s swimming pool as he salutes the crew.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Kid Rock, a supporter of President Donald Trump, posted a video of himself gesturing at the AH-64 Apaches above his swimming pool on Saturday, prompting many to question why the helicopters would visit his home.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

We could have our own heated pool in the backyard and maybe even a jacuzzi with bubble jets.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• basin
• bath
• lagoon
• lake
• pond
• puddle
• swimming pool
• tank