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

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

From BBC

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.

From BBC

She says many of the children spend hours trawling Russian social media channels, desperately searching for information about their family members.

From BBC

Metropolitan Police officers trawled through thousands of messages on encrypted communication service EncroChat.

From BBC

The officers spend much of their days trawling through the millions of digitised documents which will make up much of the evidence in the cases.

From BBC