trawl

[trawl]

noun

1. Also called trawl net. a strong fishing net for dragging along the sea bottom.

2. Also called trawl line. a buoyed line used in sea fishing, having numerous short lines with baited hooks attached at intervals.

verb (used without object)

1. to fish with a net that drags along the sea bottom to catch the fish living there.

2. to fish with a trawl line.

3. to troll.

verb (used with object)

1. to catch with a trawl net or a trawl line.

2. to drag (a trawl net).

3. to troll.

trawl

/ trɔːl /

noun

1. Also called: trawl net. a large net, usually in the shape of a sock or bag, drawn at deep levels behind special boats (trawlers)

2. Also called: trawl line. a long line to which numerous shorter hooked lines are attached, suspended between buoys See also setline trotline

3. the act of trawling

verb

1. sea fishing to catch or try to catch (fish) with a trawl net or trawl line

2. sea fishing (tr) to drag (a trawl net) or suspend (a trawl line)

3. to seek or gather (something, such as information, or someone, such as a likely appointee) from a wide variety of sources

noun

1. angling another word for troll 1

Other Word Forms

• trawlable adjective
• trawlability noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of trawl¹

1475–85; < Middle Dutch tragel (noun), tragelen (v.); cognate with trail

Word History and Origins

Origin of trawl¹

C17: from Middle Dutch traghelen to drag, from Latin trāgula dragnet; see _trail

Example Sentences

More could still emerge in the United States in the trawling of documents related to Epstein.

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They said they had been forced to work around the clock, trawling for victims for a plethora of phone and internet scams.

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And it remains unknown what might still emerge from the trawl of information surrounding Epstein.

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Researchers have previously used AI to trawl through thousands of known chemicals in an attempt to identify ones with potential to become new antibiotics.

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You do not have to trawl through advanced statistics to work out Rangers have had their goalkeeper Jack Butland and some terrible profligacy from their opponents to thank in their two ties so far.

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