shoal¹ / shōl/ • n. a large number of fish swimming together: a shoal of bream. Compare with school² . ∎ inf. a large number of people: a rock star's entrance, first proceeding with his shoal of attendants.• v. [intr.] (of fish) form shoals.shoal² • n. an area of shallow water, esp. as a navigational hazard. ∎  a submerged sandbank visible at low water. ∎  (usu. shoals) fig. a hidden danger or difficulty: he alone could safely guide them through Hollywood's treacherous shoals.• v. [intr.] (of water) become shallower.• adj. (of water) shallow.DERIVATIVES: shoal·y adj.

Shoal

a great number; a crowd; a throng: especially of fish.

Examples : shoal of bass; of boats, 1839; of crows, 1759; of eagles, 1801; of fish, 1579; of frogs, 1692; of goslings, 1584; of herrings, 1774; of martyrs, 1610; of minnows; of miracles, 1639; of novelties, 1900; of injured people, 1901; of perch; of pilchards; of quails, 1659; of seals, 1835; of shepherds, 1579; of sticklebacks; of texts, 1688; of troubles; of whales, 1836; of small troubles, 1858; shoals of actors and actresses, 1749; of letters; of people, 1881; of Scotsmen, 1791.

shoal1 shallow. XVI. alt. of late ME. scho(o)ld, Sc. schald (XIV), repr. OE. sċ(e)ald (only in local names) :- *skaldaz, rel. to SHALLOW.
Hence shoal sb. shallow place, sandbank XVI; succeeding to late ME. schald, sholde, earlier shelde.

shoal2 large number of fish, etc., swimming together. late XVI. prob. — MLG., MDu. schōle (adopted earlier as SCHOOL2).

shoal A mound or other structure raised above the sea bed in shallow water that is composed of, or covered by, unconsolidated material and may be exposed at low water.