\Shoal\, n. [AS. scolu, sceolu, a company, multitude,
crowd, akin to OS. skola; probably originally, a division,
and akin to Icel. skilja to part, divide. See {Skill}, and
cf. {School}. of fishes.]
A great multitude assembled; a crowd; a throng; -- said
especially of fish; as, a shoal of bass. ``Great shoals of
people.'' --Bacon.
      Beneath, a shoal of silver fishes glides. --Waller.

\Shoal\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Shoaled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Shoaling}.]
To assemble in a multitude; to throng; as, the fishes shoaled
about the place. --Chapman.

\Shoal\, a. [Cf. {Shallow}; or cf. G. scholle a clod,
glebe, OHG. scollo, scolla, prob. akin to E. shoal a
multitude.]
Having little depth; shallow; as, shoal water.

\Shoal\, n.
1. A place where the water of a sea, lake, river, pond, etc.,
   is shallow; a shallow.
         The depth of your pond should be six feet; and on
         the sides some shoals for the fish to lay their
         span.                                 --Mortimer.
         Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory, And
         sounded all the depths and shoals of honor. --Shak.
2. A sandbank or bar which makes the water shoal.
         The god himself with ready trident stands, And opes
         the deep, and spreads the moving sands, Then heaves
         them off the shoals.                  --Dryden.

\Shoal\, v. i.
To become shallow; as, the color of the water shows where it
shoals.

\Shoal\, v. t.
To cause to become more shallow; to come to a more shallow
part of; as, a ship shoals her water by advancing into that
which is less deep. --Marryat.