school

[ skool ]

See synonyms for: school schooled schooling on Thesaurus.com

noun

an institution where instruction is given, especially to persons under college age: The children are at school.
an institution for instruction in a particular skill or field.

a college or university.
a regular course of meetings of a teacher or teachers and students for instruction; program of instruction: summer school.
a session of such a course: no school today; to be kept after school.
the activity or process of learning under instruction, especially at a school for the young: As a child, I never liked school.
one's formal education: They plan to be married when he finishes school.
a building housing a school.
the body of students, or students and teachers, belonging to an educational institution: The entire school rose when the principal entered the auditorium.
a building, room, etc., in a university, set apart for the use of one of the faculties or for some particular purpose: the school of agriculture.
a particular faculty or department of a university having the right to recommend candidates for degrees, and usually beginning its program of instruction after the student has completed general education: medical school.
any place, situation, etc., tending to teach anything.
the body of pupils or followers of a master, system, method, etc.: the Platonic school of philosophy.
Art.
- a group of artists, as painters, writers, or musicians, whose works reflect a common conceptual, regional, or personal influence: the modern school; the Florentine school.
- the art and artists of a geographical location considered independently of stylistic similarity: the French school.
any group of persons having common attitudes or beliefs.
Military, Navy. parts of close-order drill applying to the individual (school of the soldier ), the squad (school of the squad ), or the like.
Australian and New Zealand Informal. a group of people gathered together, especially for gambling or drinking.
schools, Archaic. the faculties of a university.
Obsolete. the schoolmen in a medieval university.

adjective

of or connected with a school or schools.
Obsolete. of the schoolmen.

verb (used with object)

to educate in or as if in a school; teach; train.
Archaic. to reprimand.

Idioms about school

school of hard knocks. See entry at school of hard knocks.
school of thought. See entry at school of thought.

Origin of school

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun scol(e), schole, Old English scōl, scolu, from Latin schola, from Greek scholḗ “leisure employed in learning”

Other words from school

school·a·ble, adjective
school·less, adjective
school·like, adjective

Other definitions for school (2 of 2)

school²

[ skool ]

noun

a large number of fish, porpoises, whales, or the like, feeding or migrating together.

verb (used without object)

to form into, or go in, a school, as fish.

Origin of school

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English schol(e), sculle, from Middle Dutch schōle “flock (of animals),” Dutch school “shoal (of fish)”; cognate with Old English scolu “troop”; see shoal²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use school in a sentence

Its anxiety gets channeled through a fabulous spin cycle of musical motifs, a hip-hop beat set to funk horn and guitars with an old-school boy band chorus.
BTS’s new album is sublime comfort pop for the soul in lockdown | Aja Romano | November 20, 2020 | Vox
Martin, the English drama teacher — the one she dated when she was 16 and he was 40 — has been fired from his high school for having sexual relationships with students.
The mind-boggling end of Susan Choi’s Trust Exercise, explained | Constance Grady | November 20, 2020 | Vox
Of the teachers who responded to this 2019 survey, six taught preschool, 62 taught elementary school, 44 taught middle school and 147 taught high school.
Insects can be the ultimate teaching tool for kids | By Kawahara, Ennes & Markee/The Conversation | November 20, 2020 | Popular-Science
The alienation at school was compounded by his loss of traditional sport — where he felt he belonged.
The enduring and ongoing legacy of Bjergsen | Noah Smith | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post
Emily Engel-Natzke started to play hockey in middle school and kept playing in Wisconsin, after her family moved to the state from Colorado.
Emily Engel-Natzke’s dad was her ‘biggest fan.’ He died of covid-19 before her hockey triumph. | Samantha Pell | November 20, 2020 | Washington Post

Consumers have been schooled to be wary of companies that offer them valuable products for free along with substantial rebates.
Panel Discussion | The Daily Beast | September 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Chef Alex Armstrong prepared the meal for participants while Kaye schooled them in the art of reconstructing ex-rabbits.
Edible Taxidermy: It’s a Good Thing | Lizzie Crocker | August 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The young men had been drinking, and an argument erupted over who was better schooled in rap music.
Bronx Gunman Shot His Friend, Didn’t Spill His Drink | Michael Daly | August 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Are we really gearing up to unleash a pack of highly schooled Jack Abramoffs on it as well?
Earn Your Degree in… Lobbying? | Michelle Cottle | April 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But instead of boning up on trivia, he read my blog—and schooled himself on game theory.
How I Taught Arthur Chu to Be the ‘Jeopardy!’ Champ Everyone Loves to Hate | Keith Williams | February 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The fact is, I believe, that I had been severely schooled by my past sufferings, and was resigned to the will of God.
My Ten Years' Imprisonment | Silvio Pellico
She had him educated and the fair inference is that he was schooled in the culture of the Egyptians.
The Necessity of Atheism | Dr. D.M. Brooks
His temper, though naturally ardent and sensitive, had been schooled in a proud self-command.
History of the English People, Volume VIII (of 8) | John Richard Green
Gano schooled himself to keep the growing assurance and victory out of his face and manner.
The Open Question | Elizabeth Robins
His swarthy face was flushed, and its constant smile was effortless; for he had schooled himself to adapt the mood to the hour.
The Terms of Surrender | Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for school (1 of 2)

school¹

/ (skuːl) /

noun

- an institution or building at which children and young people usually under 19 receive education
- (as modifier): school bus; school day
- (in combination): schoolroom; schoolwork
any educational institution or building

a faculty, institution, or department specializing in a particular subject: a law school
the staff and pupils of a school
the period of instruction in a school or one session of this: he stayed after school to do extra work
meetings held occasionally for members of a profession, etc
a place or sphere of activity that instructs: the school of hard knocks
a body of people or pupils adhering to a certain set of principles, doctrines, or methods
a group of artists, writers, etc, linked by the same style, teachers, or aims: the Venetian school of painting
a style of life: a gentleman of the old school
informal a group assembled for a common purpose, esp gambling or drinking

verb(tr)

to train or educate in or as in a school
to discipline or control

an archaic word for reprimand

Origin of school

Old English scōl, from Latin schola school, from Greek skholē leisure spent in the pursuit of knowledge

British Dictionary definitions for school (2 of 2)

school²

/ (skuːl) /

noun

a group of porpoises or similar aquatic animals that swim together

verb

(intr) to form such a group

Origin of school

Old English scolu shoal ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with school

school

In addition to the idiom beginning with school

school of hard knocks

also see:

tell tales (out of school)

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