trawl

American  

[trawl] / trɔl /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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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

• trawlability noun
• trawlable adjective

Etymology

Origin of trawl

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

Example Sentences

They are likely to be actively trawling an alternative list, set to be headed by former Open champion Stewart Cink.

From BBC

Authorities can then trawl through phones and inboxes for correspondence or anything else.

From The Wall Street Journal

If you look up a vet in your local area online, it may take a trawl of the small print on their website to find out who owns them.

From BBC

Investors trawling for value stocks have also boosted shares of energy and materials names.

From MarketWatch

And the likes of Zudio and Max have brought about the "trendification" of affordable fashion for the first time, appealing to Gen-Z and young millennial buyers, by trawling the latest fads in Paris and Milan.

From BBC