Forms: 1–5 col, 2–8 cole, 4 kole, 4–6 coole, (5–6 Sc. coyll(e, coil(l, colle), 6–7 coale, 6– coal. [OE. col neut. corresp. to OHG. chol n., cholo m. (MHG. kol m., n., kole m. sometimes fem., mod.Ger. kohle fem.), MDu. cole, (Du. kool) f., MLG. kole, kale f., (LG. kale), OFris. kole, coele, (WFris. koal, Satl. kôle, Wang. kulle, EFris. kole, köl(e, kâl(e); ON. kol neut., (Norw. Sw. kol, Dan. kul).
Fick compares Skr. jvar, jval, to glow, jurṇi glow, corresp. to Aryan root *gwer-(l), gwor-(l), gur-(l); whence guro·, gulo·, would be represented by OTeut. *kola·.]
1. A piece of carbon glowing without flame. (Now arch. or blending with 4, 5.)
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter cxix. 4. Strelas mæhtʓe scearpe mid colum tolesendes.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., vii. 49. Ðurh ða colu ðæs alteres.
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 6762. Þair hertes sal bryn with-in als a cole.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxi. 142. A maner of tree … þat, if a man brynne it and couer þe coles þeroff with aschez, þai will hald in quikk a twelfmonth [Cf. Chaucer, Parson’s T., ¶ 477].
c. 1430. Hymns Virg. (1867), 23. Loue is hetter þan þe cole.
1481. Caxton, Reynard, xxx. (Arb.), 78. They retche not whos[e] hows brenneth, so that they may warme them by the coles.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), H ij. The coles can not be in the embres withoute sparkes.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Tracts (1684), 58. 58–9. The Coals of Juniper raked up will keep a glowing Fire for the space of a year.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 160, ¶ 4. A Piece of Flesh broiled on the Coals.
1842. Tennyson, St. Simon Stylites, 166. On the coals I lay, A vessel full of sin: all hell beneath Made me boil over.
a. 1864. Hawthorne, Mother Rigby’s Pipe, i. A coal for my pipe!
b. In this sense often defined by some addition, coals of fire, burning, hot, live, quick coal(s. Hence in later times liable to be understood in senses 4, 5.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter cxxxix. 11. Fallað ofer hie colu fyres.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 124. Wiþ deawwyrme, stæppe on hat col, cele mid wætre.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xvii. 14. Haghil & coles of fire.
1340. Ayenb., 205. A quic col berninde ope ane hyeape of dyade coles.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 86. Cole of fyre, brynnynge, pruna.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 135. Compelled to walke vpon ye hote coles.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., III. vi. 110. It is like a coale of fire, sometimes plew, and sometimes red.
1611. Bible, Isa. vi. 6. Then flew one of the Seraphims vnto mee, hauing a liue-cole [1382 Wyclif a cole; Coverd. hote cole] in his hand.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. ix. 146. The fire-wood was burnt … into embers, or live coals.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., I. xviii. 338. And do you know that England is ready to burst into a blaze, if there be one man wise enough to put the live coal into the right place?
† c. The glowing portion of a match. Obs.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, 18. If the touch powder bee not drie it taketh no fire, how good soever the cole of the match be. Ibid., 21 b. If the same matches … have received outwardlie anie wett or moisture, then the coalss doo burne inward, leaving a beard outward.
† 2. A piece of burnt wood, etc., that still retains sufficient carbon to be capable of further combustion without flame; a charred remnant; a cinder.
Sometimes defined as dead, cold, black, quenched coal. Cf. black as a coal in 10.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter xvii. 9. Colu onelde sind from h[i]m.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 496 (Bosw.). Ða tweʓen drymen wurdon awende to cola ʓelicnyssum.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter xvii. 9. Koles þat ware doun-falland Kindled ere of him glouand.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 11862 (Trin.). Heroude … he sleeþ his leches deed as cole.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, II. lviii. (1859), 56. Thenne woldest thou nought haue despysed me as ashes, but parauenture called me blacke forbrent coles.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 87. Cole qwenchyd, carbo.
1570. Levins, Manip., 160/28. A cole cold, carbo.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., V. i. 68. Starres, Starres, And all eyes else, dead coales.
† b. This passed into the sense of ‘cinder, ashes,’ as the result or residue of combustion. Cf. CINDER.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 27. Ane berninde glede þet hine al forbernað þurut to cole.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 4367. To cold coles sche schal be brent.
c. 1403. Maundev., ix. (1839), 101. He schall fynde with in hem [apples of Sodom] coles and cyndres [Roxb. text xii. 51 aschez and poudre and coles; Fr. cendres].
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 342. Sex fyngre thicke a floore therof thou pave With lyme and asshes mixt with cole and sandes.
1530. Palsgr., 208/2. Coles suche as be gyven in tenebre weke, afferendons.
1607. Shaks., Cor., IV. vi. 137. If he could burne vs all into one coale, We haue deseru’d it.
1665. G. Havers, P. della Valle’s Trav. E. India, 342. They set her on fire to make her a Coal, rather than we should make her a Prize.
3. fig. from 1 and 2.
1577. Harrison, England, II. ix. (1877), I. 206. They onelie kindle coales of contention.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 387. Affection is a coale that must be coold. Ibid. (1595), John, V. ii. 83. Your breath first kindled the dead coale of warres.
1633. G. Herbert, Temple, Employment, ii. Man is no starre, but a quick coal of mortall fire.
1684. Baxter, Par. Congreg., 26. So do the Sons of the Coal, the superconformists more fiercely revile me.
† 4. Fuel prepared from wood by a process of smothered combustion or ‘dry distillation,’ whereby the volatile constituents are driven off, and the substance reduced to more or less pure carbon; CHARCOAL. Used in pl., or as a collective sing. Obs.
c. 1205. Lay., 2366. Makian an eorð-hus And dude þer-inne muche col & claðes inowe.
c. 1300. Seyn Julian, 162, in Juliana. He let make of wode and col a strong fur and good.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2520. Choliers þat cayreden col come þere bi-side.
a. 1400. Isumbras, 427. Appone a horse that coles broghte.
1563. T. Gale, Wks. Chirurg. (1586), 66. The vsuall gun pouder … made of Sulphure, Saltpeeter and Coale.
1584. R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., XIV. i. 354. Fiers … of cole, composed speciallie of beech.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 53 b. Turning of trees to coles for fuell, when there is sufficient dead wood, is waste.
1653. Walton, Angler, ii. 58. Let him [a Chub] then be boiled gently over a Chafing-dish with wood coles.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. xii. 209. I contrived to burn some wood … till it became chark, or dry coal.
1799. G. Smith, Labor., I. 8. That the coals be of lime tree.
1860. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Coal. The English generally use the plural coals; and we as generally use the singular collectively. Coals with us may mean charcoal, in England, never.
† b. sing. A piece of charcoal. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yeom. Prol. & T., 607. This false chanoun … Out of his bosom took a bechen cole.
† c. Charcoal used for writing or drawing; hence a charcoal pencil. Also attrib.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. v. 166. Write sum … carect with cole or chalk in the wal.
1590. Davidson, Reply Bancroft, in Wodr. Soc. Misc., 508. It hath pleased his Majestie … to note it with a coal … in the margent of Bancroft’s book.
1674. Grew, Anat. Plants, III. II. vii. § 3. It maketh an excellent Coal for Painters scribets.
1817. J. Scott, Paris Revisit., 217. Delineated on the wall … in coal outline.
1835. Carlyle, Lett., in Life in London, I. 40. All these coal-marks of yours shall be duly considered.
5. A mineral, solid, hard, opaque, black, or blackish, found in seams or strata in the earth, and largely used as fuel; it consists of carbonized vegetable matter deposited in former epochs of the world’s history.
According to the degree of carbonization, coal is divided into three principal kinds, anthracite or glance coal, black or bituminous coal, and brown coal or lignite, in each of which again various qualities are distinguished.
a. with qualification (to distinguish it from prec. sense): as digged, earth, pit, sea, stone coal, etc.
[c. 1236. Newminster Chartul. (Surtees), 55. Et ad carbonem maris capiendum, etc.]
1253. Charter Hen. III., in Archæol. Æliana (1880), VIII. 172, note. Secole lan’ extra Neugat’ in suburbio London.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., II. xxvi. 139. 52 chaldernes of see colys.
1538. Leland, Itin., V. 102. Though betwixt Cawoode and Rotheram be good Plenti of Wood, yet the People burne much Yerth Cole.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 25. (Digged Cole) They digge out of the mountaynes a certayne kinde of blacke stone whiche burne in the fyre like coles.
1559. Morwyng, Evonym., 64. Such coales as are digged out of the ground are condemned bicause of their foule smell.
1578. Petition Brewers Co. to Q. Eliz., in Nature, XXVI. 569. Hersealfe greatley greved and anoyed with the taste and smoke of the sea cooles.
1616. in Entick, London, II. 47. Coals, called stone-coals, pit-coals, earth-coals.
1631. Jorden, Nat. Bathes, x. (1669), 70. Many have propounded the melting of it [iron] with stone-coal, but perhaps they have failed in their projects.
c. 1682. in Nature, XXVI. 620. A new way of makeing pitch and tarre out of pit coale.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5856/3. Smelting down Lead with Pit-Coal and Sea-Coal.
1807. Southey, Espriella’s Lett., I. 12. They burn earth-coal everywhere.
b. without qualification. (This is now the ordinary sense.). Used as collective sing., and in pl.; the latter now less usual, and said only of coal in pieces for burning.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 399 (Mätz.). Col groweþ vnder lond. Ibid. (1398), Barth. De P. R., X. iv. (1495), 376. Cole is fyre in erthly substaunce and trowbly and boystous matere.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 53 b. Mines of metall, coale, or the like.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 122. It imports Newcastle coal.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem. (1814), 341. The liquor produced by the distillation of coal.
1862. Ruskin, Munera P. (1880), 34. The question of equivalence … how much coal in return for so much iron.
1876. Page, Adv. Text-bk. Geol., xiv. 250. Valuable beds of coal.
1547. Newminster Cartul. (Surtees), 311. A Myne of Colles.
1563. Sc. Acts Q. Mary (1597), c. 84. That na coales be had furth of the Realme.
1605. Camden, Rem., 1. Rich in minerall of coles, tinne, lead.
1667. Primatt, City & C. Build., 26. There doth yet remain great quantities of Coles in the Earth.
a. 1687. Petty, Pol. Arith. (1690), 99. Coals … were heretofore seldom used in Chambers, as now they are.
1785. Franklin, Wks. (1840), VI. 525. The inhabitants of London have had no general pestilential disorder since the general use of coals.
1833. Edin. Rev., LVII. 79. The increased revenue from the transport of coals is very remarkable.
1870. E. Peacock, Ralf Skirl., III. 95. When about half the heap of coals had been removed. [In dial. use, in the sing. a coal = ‘a piece of coal,’ ‘he threw a large coal at him.’]
c. with defining attribute indicating the quality, place whence obtained, or any other characteristic. See in their alphabetical places BROWN COAL, CANNEL C., CHERRY C., PARROT C., etc.
1641. French, Distill., v. (1651), 156. Take three parts of the best New-castle coals.
1673. A. Walker, Leez Lachrymans, 25. A rude Pencil would have painted it with stagnant colours, or a Scotch coal.
1777. Sheridan, Trip Scarb., III. iii. Get a Scotch coal fire in the parlour.
1805. Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., II. 468. The fire or seeing coal (so called from the light it gives).
1853. Anderson, in Pharmac. Jrnl., XIII. 122. Bituminous coal is divided into cherry coals, splint coals, caking coals, and gas coal or cannel.
1888. J. Prestwich, Geol., II. 93. Bituminous or Caking Coal.
† 6. The charred residue left in a retort after distillation. Obs.
1801. Med. Jrnl., V. 468.
1801. T. Thomson, Chem., II. 363. When tannin is distilled … there comes over also some empyreumatic oil, and a voluminous coal remains behind.
1828. Webster, In the language of chimists, any substance containing oil, which has been exposed to a fire in a close vessel, so that its volatile matter is expelled, and it can sustain a red heat without further decomposition.
† 7. a. [after L. carbo, carbunculus, Fr. charbon.] A carbuncle. b. A black crust or core in a boil.
1665. G. Harvey, Advice agst. Plague, 4. Boyls or inflammations about the groin … which if they break, contain a black crust or coal within them.
1671. Salmon, Syn. Med., III. lxxvii. 675. Carbunculus, a burning Coal. Anoint the top of it with Butter of Antimony.
II. In phrases, etc.
8. Black coal, Black-coal, occurs in various senses: † a. Charcoal, as opposed to white-coal (= wood). † b. Charcoal as a means of making a black mark; hence, a mark of censure. c. One of the three main kinds of pit-coal; see 5. d. (Sc.), a fine sort of cannel coal or jet used by carpenters and masons to mark on wood and stone.
1584. Fenner, Def. Ministers (1587), 54. If this be an euill meanes, then must he with the blacke Coole of his censure condemne those men and those writings.
1589. Pasquill’s Ret., B iij. He giues the Englishe a dash ouer the face with a blacke coale, and saith: Traistre Angloi.
1672. Sir C. Wyvill, Triple Crown, 70. But, for this, Friar Pedro has mark’d them with the black Coal of parcel Heresie.
1674. Ray, Smelting Silver, 113. The Oare … is … melted with black and white Coal; i. e. With Charcoale and wood slit into small pieces.
1840. Henry, Elem. Chem., II. 319. Black coal is the substance which is commonly applied to the purposes of fuel.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 356. Black coal, slate coal, cannel coal, and foliated coal, were so called by Jameson and other mineralogists of his day.
† 9. Precious coals! an obsolete exclamation.
1576. Gascoigne, Steele Gl. (Arb.), 80. When Roysters ruffle not aboue their rule, Nor colour crafte, by swearing precious coles.
1599. Chapman, Hum. Dayes Myrth, Plays, 1873, I. 77. Gods precious coles tis he.
1606. Heywood, 2nd Pt. If you Know not me, etc. Wks. 1874, I. 281. Precious cole, here’s a knave round with me.
10. Phrase as black as a coal, with its variants, goes back to OE. times, and appears to have originally belonged to 2; but it is now usually associated with 5.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 332. Wyl eft oþ þæt hit sie swa þicce swa molcen and swa sweart swa col.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 456. He watz colored as þe cole, corby al vntrwe.
c. 1340. Cursor M., 22489 (Edinb.). Þe sternes … sal haf tint þair liht, and worde al blak sum ani col.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst. Creatio (1836), 4. Now ar we waxen blak as any coylle.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, ii. 60. The kynge … loked grymly and fyersly in his vysage for grete wrath, and becam blacke as a cole.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, xliv. 147. As blacke as a cole.
1611. Bible, Lam. iv. 8. Their visage is blacker then a cole.
11. To heap (cast, gather) coals of fire on the head (see Rom. xii. 20): to produce remorse by requiting evil with good. To blow the coals: to fan the flames of passion, etc.: cf. BLOW v. 17 b. To blow hot coals: to rage fiercely. To stir coals: to excite strife or ill-feeling. A cold coal to blow at: a hopeless task to perform.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 144. To louye … Þine enemye in al wyse euene forth with þi-selue, Cast coles on his hed.
1526–34. Tindale, Rom. xii. 20. In so doynge that shalt heape coles of fyre on his heed.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 344 b. After soche sorte did he vpbraid to the people their rashe and vnaduised stieryng of coles, and arisynges to warre.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc., 7. Doe good against euill: and heape hoat burning coales vpon his head.
1616. Surflet & Markh., Country Farm, 324. Notwithstanding that they [the (Bee) kings] moue no warre, nor stirre vp anie coales amongst the young swarmed brood.
c. 1626. Dick of Devon, I. ii. in Bullen, O. Pl., II. 13. Spaines anger never blew hott coales indeed Till in Queene Elizabeths Raigne.
1638. Sanderson, Serm., II. 109. Blow the coal of contention to make it blaze afresh.
1708. M. Bruce, Lect., 33 (Jam.). If I had no more to look to but your reports, I would have a cold coal to blow at.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 23. Blowing the Coals between polemical Divines.
1753. Smollett, Ct. Fathom (1784), 129/1. By these means he blew the coals of her jealousy.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., vii. ‘Aweel,’ said Cuddie … ‘I see but ae gate for ’t, and that ’s a cauld coal to blaw at, mither.’
12. To carry or bear coals: to do dirty or degrading work, to submit to humiliation or insult. To haul, call († fetch, † bring) over the coals: to call to account and convict, to reprimand, call to task: originally in reference to the treatment of heretics.
1522. Skelton, Wks. (ed. Dyce), II. 34. Wyll ye bere no coles?
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 105/1. This gentleman was … one that in an upright quarell would beare no coles.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. i. 1. A my word wee’l not carry coales.
1603. H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 15. For now if one … will carrie coales, and meekly suffer rebuke, he is noted of cowardize, and deuoyd of manly parts.
1638. H. Shirley, Mart. Soldier, II. i. in Bullen, O. Pl., I. 192. I can carry anything but Blowes, Coles, my Drink, and … the tongue of a Scould.
a. 1683. B. Whichcote, Serm., II. ii. (1698), 328. Those who are sensible that they carry Coals, and are full of Ill-will.
1565. Cdl. Allen, in Fulke, Confut. (1577), 372. S. Augustine, that knewe best how to fetche an heretike ouer the coles.
1580. G. Gilpin (title), The Bee hiue of the Romische Churche … Wherein, both the Catholic Religion is substantially confirmed, and the Heretikes finely fetcht ouer the coales.
1589. Marprel. Epit., C iij b. Let vs here how you fetch your brethren ouer the coales with your next reason.
1777. R. Forbes, Poems Buchan Dial. (1785), 35 (Jam.). But time that tries such proticks past, Brought me out o’er the coals fu’ fast.
1832. Marryat, N. Forster, I. xiii. 189. Lest he should be ‘hauled over the coals’ by the Admiralty.
1884. H. D. Traill, New Lucian, 213. Your magistrates … vastly needed a call over the coals.
13. To carry coals to Newcastle: to take a thing to where it is naturally plentiful; to do what is absurdly superfluous.
[1606. Heywood, 2nd Pt. If you know not me, Wks. 1874, I. 259. As common as coales from Newcastle.]
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Northumbrld., 302. To carry Coals to Newcastle, that is to do what was done before; or to busy one’s self in a needless imployment.
1661. Grant, Bills Mortality, Ded. Ld. Truro, I should (according to our English Proverb) … but carry Coals to Newcastle.
c. 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Coals to Newcastle, when the Drawer carries away any Wine in the Pot or Bottle.
1822. Scott, Let. Joanna Baillie, 10 Feb., in Lockhart. It would be sending coals to Newcastle with a vengeance, not to mention salt to Dysart.
1889. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 24 Dec., 73. It would be like exporting coals to Newcastle.
III. Attrib. and Comb. (almost exclusively in the current sense 5).
14. attrib. or adj. Of or pertaining to coal.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Suppl., s.v. Coal, The coal countries.
1792. J. Anderson (title), Observations on the Effects of Coal Duty upon the remote and thinly peopled coasts of Britain.
1882. Pall Mall Gaz., 1 July, 6/1. The coal lands owned by the company are worth ‘70,000,000 dols.’ Ibid. (1884), 8 Jan., 9/2. Works … for the compressing of coal briquettes. Ibid., 14 Aug., 1/2. At the present day speed, armament, and coal capacity are everything. Ibid. (1888), 30 Oct., 12/1. The coal famine with which London was threatened when we last wrote on the coal crisis is now averted.
15. General combinations: a. attributive, as coal-agent, -ashes, -coke, -district, -heap, -merchant, -monger, -salesman, -trade; coal-laden adj.; (employed in the working, carriage, storing, etc., of coal), as coal-ax, -barge, -bunk, -carriage, -cart, -cellar, -chute, -creel (Sc.), -delf, -depôt, -fleet, -hammer, -hold, -place, -shed, -ship, -shovel, -sieve, -smack, -tongs, -trough, -wagon, -wharf, etc.; (of coal in its geological character), as coal-basin, -deposit, -flora, -formation, -rock, -strata, -vein; b. objective (and obj. genit.), as coal-bearer, -boring, -cutter (machine), -cutting, -getter, -getting, -hewer, -measurer, -producing, etc.; c. similative, as coal-blue, -dark adjs.; d. parasynthetic, as coal-eyed, -faced adjs.
1657. Austen, Fruit Trees, I. 71. Put in, instead, sand, or *cole ashes, or any stuffe that is barren.
1833. Brewster, Nat. Magic, x. 254. Having rubbed his fingers with coal-ashes to keep them from slipping.
1837. Lockhart, Scott, iii. The maid servant … struck her mistress to death with a *coal axe.
1827. in Hone, Every-day Bk., II. 1040. Adventurous cockneys swim from the Sestos of the Strand stairs to the Abydos of the *coal-barge on the opposite shore.
1854. F. C. Bakewell, Geol., 36–7. The occurence of this arrangement of strata has caused the term *‘coal basin’ to be applied to a confined district of coal, in which the strata are so placed.
1661. in Beveridge, Hist. Culross Town Records (1885), I. 310. Margaret Wilson *coalbearer.
1799. Act 39 Geo. III., c. 56. Preamb., Many Colliers, Coalbearers and Salters were bound for life to, and transferable with, the Collieries and Salt works.
1861. Sir G. W. Dasent, Burnt Njal, I. 87. In rushed the *coal-blue sea.
1887. Morris, Odyss., III. 200. The wind and the water bore their coal-blue prows.
1867. Morning Star, 22 Nov. She stayed at St. Thomas, resolving rather to delay a day or so than come away with her *coal-bunks half filled.
1772. Ann. Reg., 126/1. Mr. Moore’s new-invented *coal-carriage, the wheels of which are 15 feet high.
1839. Coventry Standard, 29 Nov., 2/3. His horse shied at a *coal-cart.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, ii. He was keeping it [his birthday] in the *coal-cellar.
1846. Greener, Sci. Gunnery, 101. The adoption of *coal-coke was a matter of necessity.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xxxviii. 51. A payr of *Coil Crellis.
1871–3. Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Engineers, I. 23. (Article) The Monitor *Coal-cutter.
1866. Jevons, Coal Question, 60. The new *coal-cutting machines.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, II. 145. Through the *coal-dark underground.
1733. Derby Mercury, II. 21 Feb., 4/2. To be lett, A Very good *Coal-Delph.
1883. Science, I. 114. The small areal surface occupied by the *coal-deposits of France.
1861. Tylor, Anahuac, iv. 87. In *coal- and iron-districts in England.
1598. Rowlands, Betraying of Christ, 25. Wrap me from eies *cole-fac’d eternall night.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4720/2. Our *Coal Fleet waits only a fair Wind to set sail.
1873. Geikie, Gt. Ice Age, App. 479. In the swamps within, the *coal-flora flourished.
1850. Lyell, 2nd Visit U.S., II. 299. Composed of strata of the *coal formation.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 30 Oct., 12/1. There are many non-producers who share in the rise in wages besides the *coal-getter.
1883–4. Trans. N. Engl. Inst. Mining Engineers, XXXIII. 37. (Article) The Harwell Mechanical coal-getter. Ibid. (1869–70), XIX. 239. Jones’ *coal getting machine.
1875. P’cess Alice, Mem. (1884), 340. The town grows so, and is all railroad and *coal-heaps where we had our walks formerly.
1887. Monthly Chron. N.-Country Lore & Leg., I. 111/1. (Article) Notable *Coal-Hewers.
1839. Parl. Report Steam Vessel Accid., 74. Neither the bunkers nor the *coal-hold were cleared out so often as they should be.
1878. F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 603. *Coal-laden trucks block up the sidings. Coal-laden trains are groaning and grunting hither and thither.
1720. Lond. Gaz., No. 5880/6. John Hall, *Coal-measurer.
1677. Patent 29 Chas. II., in Brand, Newcastle (1789), II. 668. The society of *coale merchants tradeing to Newcastle.
Mod. Newspaper. Coal-merchants find great difficulty in executing their orders.
1697. View of Penal Laws, 49. (Heading of ch.) *Coalmongers and Colliers.
1742. J. Yarrow, Love at First Sight, 46. Lock him up in the *Coal-Place ’till he is sober.
1860. E. Hull, Coal-fields Gt. Brit., 2. Fast approaching extinction as a *coal-producing district.
1867. W. W. Smyth, Coal & Coal-mining, 95. The extent of the *coal-rocks.
1639. R. Junius (Younge), Sinne Stigmatizd, § 101. 389. The Pirat never spends his shott upon *Cole-Ships.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 44. The masters of coal-ships … they call collier-masters.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 337/2. The *Coale or Lyme Sive hath wide square holes.
1883. Black, Shandon Bells, xxvii. He pointed out where the *coal-smack had come to grief.
1830. Herschel, Study Nat. Phil., 45. Separated from the *coal-strata by a series of interposed beds.
1655. R. Gardiner (title), England’s Grievance discovered in relation to the *Coal Trade.
1852. McCulloch, Dict. Comm., 298. The total number of persons directly engaged in the coal trade may be set down at from 190,000 to 220,000.
1594. Merry Knack to Know a Knave, in Hazl., Dodsley, VI. 567. My bellows, my *coal-trough, and my water.
1665. D. Dudley, Metallum Martis (1854), 39. The manner of the *cole-veins or measures in these parts.
1827. in Hone, Every-day Bk., II. 858. A body of friends in every description of vehicle, from a *coal-waggon to a wheel-barrow drawn by dogs.
1695. Lond. Gaz., No. 3059/4. A convenient … Wharf … which … hath been employed as a *Coal-Wharf.
1840. Penny Cycl., XVI. 342/1. There are several coal-wharfs on its line.
16. Special comb.: coal-backer, a man who carries coal on his back between the boat and the wharf or wagon; so coal-backing; † coal-ball, a ball made of coal-dust for use as fuel; coal-bearing a. (Geol.), containing coal, carboniferous; coal-bed (Geol.), a stratum of coal; coal-blacking, a blacking made from ground coal, used by ironfounders; † coal-blende, iron pyrites of the coal-measures; † coal-blower, a term of contempt for an alchemist, a quack (cf. Ger. kohlen-bläser); also = BLOW-COAL (cf. BLOW- 3); coal-brand, smut or brand in corn; coal-brass, a name of the iron pyrites found in some coal-measures (cf. BRASS 1 e.); coal-breaker, one who breaks coal; also techn., see quot.; so coal-breaking; † coal-burner, a charcoal-burner; coal-bushel, a bushel measure used for coal (see quot.); † coal-clive (see CLIFF 4); † coal-crimp, a coal-factor; coal-drift, a channel or gallery in a coal-mine; coal-drop, a chute for coal, a place where coal is ‘shot’; also, an apparatus used for dropping a coal wagon from a staith to the level of a ship’s hatchway; † coal-engine, a colliery engine; Coal-Exchange, an Exchange devoted to the coal trade; coal-fitter, a colliery agent who conducts the sale of coal to shippers; coal-flap, a flap (on the pavement) covering the entrance to a coal-cellar; † coal-fold, an enclosure for storing coal; coal-gabbard (Sc.), a lighter for carrying coal; † coal-garth, a coal-yard; coal-goose, a local name of the cormorant; coal-handler (U.S.), a man employed in loading or unloading coal; coal-hod, a coal-box (U.S. and dial.); coal-horse, a heavy horse for drawing coal-wagons; coal-hulk, a hulk used for supplying steamers with coal; † coal-kiln, a place where charcoal is made; † coal-kindler (fig.), one who enflames or stirs up strife; † coal-light, a ‘light’ or beacon kept up with coal; coal-master, the proprietor or lessee of a colliery; a coal-owner; coal naphtha, naphtha obtained by the distillation of coal-tar; coal-note, a kind of promissory note formerly in use in the port of London; coal-oil, an early name of petroleum; coal-pan, † (a.) a brazier; (b.) a coal-scuttle; coal-passer, one who passes coal on to the furnace of a steam-boiler; coal-pen, an enclosure for the storage of coal; † coal-perch, a fish resembling the perch; coal-plant, a plant of the coal-measures; coal-plate, an iron plate on a pavement covering the opening to a coal-cellar; coal-putter, the putter in a coal-pit who removes the coal after it is hewed; coal-scoop, (a.) a coal-shovel, (b.) a coal-box; coal-screen, a frame or screen for separating small or dust coal from larger coal; coal-seam, a stratum or bed of coal; coal-shaft, the shaft of a coal-mine; coal-shed, a shed for storing coal, or for the sale of coal in small quantities; coal-shoot (dial.), -skip, a coal-scuttle; coal-slack, -slake, -sleck, dust or grime of coal; coal-smut, small powdery coal mixed with earthy matter; also see quot. 1790; coal-spout, a chute at a coal-staith down which coals are poured from the wagon to the ship; coal-staith, an elevated wharf with a chute or drop for shipping coal; † coal-stalk = coal-plant; † coal-stealer (Sc.), see quot.; coal-trimmer, one who stows away coal in a vessel as cargo, or in the bunkers of a steam-ship as fuel; † coal-turned a., turned into charcoal; coal-vase, a ‘fancy’ coal-box; coal-vend, (a.) the general sale of coals, (b.) the limited quantity of coal to which each colliery was restricted by a former combination of coal owners on the Tyne and Wear; coal-water, water from a coal-mine; † coal-wood, wood for turning into charcoal; coal-yard, a yard in which coal is stored or sold.
1861. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, II. 156. On questioning one, he said his father was a *coal-backer. Ibid., III. 252. *Coal-backing is as heavy a class of labour as any performed.
1741. Phil. Trans. (Abridg.), VIII. 483. (title) Account of *Coal Balls made at Liege, from the dust of Pit Coals.
1770–4. A. Hunter, Georg. Ess. (1803), III. 149. About Bristol … they make coal-balls of their culm, or small refuse coal.
1833. Lyell, Princ. Geol., III. 327. The *coal-bearing strata are characterized by several hundred species of plants.
1863. A. C. Ramsay, Phys. Geog., 40. There are in Edinburghshire over 3000 feet of coal-bearing strata.
1802. Playfair, Illustr. Hutton. Th., 159. What occupied the place of the *coal-bed before?
1861. H. Macmillan, Footnotes fr. Page Nature, 5. A coal-bed is, in fact, a hortus siccus of extinct cryptogamic vegetation.
1806. Davy, in Phil. Trans., XCVII. 55. Where pyritous strata and strata of *coal-blende occur.
1721. N. Hodges, Acc. Plague, 151. So our modern *coal blowers have … cried up their pernicious secrets and wickedly imposed them upon the credulous Populace.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., *Coal-breaker, a building containing the machinery for breaking coal with toothed rolls, sizing it with sieves, and cleaning it for market.
1725. Lond. Gaz., No. 6382/11. Thomas Cundy … *Coal-Burner.
1827. Hutton, Course Math., I. 28. The dimensions of the Winchester bushel … were 8 inches deep, and 181/2 inches wide or in diameter. But the *Coal bushel was to be 191/2 inches in diameter.
1719. Strachey, in Phil. Trans., XXX. 969. A Dark or Blackish Rock, which they call the *Coal Clives.
1698. Cay, ibid. XX. 368. A Current of Water that runs through a *Coal-Drift.
1878. F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 247. If some 31/4 acres of land were arched over for *coal drops, at least 250,000 tons of coal could be disposed of.
1806. Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., IV. 49. Upon this water [the Orr] there are six corn-mills, two fulling mills … and one *coal-engine.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. Coals, Stat. 28 Geo. 3 c. 53 was past … for the purpose of putting an end to the Society at the *Coal Exchange formed to regulate (i. e. to monopolize) the trade.
1860. Smiles, Self-Help, vi. 157. Lord Eldon was the son of a Newcastle *coal-fitter.
1881. C. Dickens, Dict. Lond., *Coal-flaps and gratings of all kinds should be distrusted.
1704. Minutes Torryburn Sess., in Ess. Witchcr. (1820), 137. The west end of the *Coalfold.
1776. G. Semple, Building in Water, 51. The *Coal-gabbards were stopped for the first Time, and missed three Tides.
1593. Rites Durham (1842), 83. A litle stone house, joyninge of the *Cole garth.
1802. G. Montagu, Ornith. Dict., *Coal-goose.
1862. Johns, Brit. Birds, Index, Cole or Coal Goose, the Cormorant.
1887. Standard, 27 Jan., 5/6. New York…. The strike of the *coal handlers will culminate to-morrow in twenty thousand longshoremen ceasing work.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 12 May, 7/2. The New Jersey coal-handlers.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, *Coal-hod … to hold the coals.
1860. Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Coal-hod. A kettle for carrying coals to the fire. More frequently called, as in England, a coal-scuttle.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Coal-hod, a wooden coal-scuttle.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., I. 8 May, Waggons, and *Coal-horses.
1533. trans. Erasm. on Com. Crede, 69 b. Nestorius whiles he dothe dylygently eschewe this lyme kylle, he felle into the *colekylne.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1693), 104 (D.). It may be a *Coal-kindler would think such Counsel as this not worth the hearing.
1798. in Naval Chron. (1799), I. 81. There has long been a *coal-light on the Isles.
1878. F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 8. The resolution at which the *coal-masters had arrived.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 720. The analogy between *coal naphtha and the petrolene of Boussingault.
1875. T. Hill, True Order Studies, 93. There are facts enough established in this science [geology],… the nature of the various coals, and *coal oils.
1883. E. V. Smalley, in Century Mag., July, 326/1. The ‘coal oil,’ as it [petroleum] was then generally called.
1535. Coverdale, Jer. lii. 19. The basens, *colepannes, sprinklers, pottes, candlestickes.
1885. T. Mozley, Reminisc. Towns, etc. I. 377. Charles Childers at once pronounced me a north-country-man when I called the coal-scuttle a ‘coal-pan.’
1884. C. C. Buel, in Century Mag., Jan., 364/2. In that blanching pit nine *coal-passers and twelve stokers were speeding their lives double-quick for $17 and $18 a month.
1827. J. Powell, Devises, II. 189. A *coal pen which was on the opposite side of the road near the house.
1672. Phil. Trans., VII. 4070. A small fish, much esteem’d here, and not much unlike a Pearch: only not so party coloured … call’d the *Cole-pearch.
1708. J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 36. Another sort of Labourers which are called Barrow-Men, or *Coal-Putters, these Persons take the hewed Coals from the Hewers.
1789. Brand, Hist. Newcastle, II. 681, note. Coal-putters … who fill the corves … with the coals wrought by the hewer, and then draw them … to the pit-shaft.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Coal-scoop, a shovel for taking coals from a scuttle to throw on a fire.
1883. Civil Service Price-list, Coal scoops, the ‘Haymarket.’ The newest and best of the high class brass scoops, ‘Albert’ coal-scoop, with Hand-scoop.
1850. Lyell, 2nd Visit U.S., II. 81. The beds of black shale covering each *coal-seam.
1863. A. C. Ramsay, Phys. Geog., 136. Were it not for our coal-seams, the agency of steam would be almost wholly denied to us.
1708. J. C., Compl. Collier (1845), 21. Many times we are forced … to have a Water-Course or Drift from the intended *Coal-Shaft to this other Shaft.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, IV. 143. Our eager Embraces in *Coal-sheds.
1816. Gentl. Mag., LXXXVI. I. 229. In a coal-shed attached to a Grocer’s shop.
1813. W. Taylor, Eng. Syn. (1856), 45. Set down the *coal-shoot.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal (Cabinet Cycl.), II. 202. Removing the dust and coals from the hearthstone to the *coalskip.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., iii. 45. Froome for her disgrace Since scarcely ever washt the *Colesleck from her face.
1790. W. Marshall, Midland Count., Gloss. (E. D. S.), *Coal-smut, a fossil, or an efflorescence, found on the surface, over seams of coal.
1813. Bakewell, Introd. Geol. (1815), 199. In most coal fields there are thin strata of coal-smut or carbonaceous and other particles intermixt.
1816. J. Rennie, in Mackenzie, Newcastle (1827), II. 742. To altering coal-staiths and other landing or shipping places … £25,000.
1883. W. Clark Russell, Sea Queen, I. xiv. 249. She was alongside a coal-staith.
1793. D. Ure, Hist. Rutherglen, 302 (Jam.). These impressions abound in coal countries; and are, in many places, not improperly known by the name of *Coal-Stalk.
1682. Lond. Gaz., No. 1688/4. This story had its rise from some rascally Boys (whom we call here [Edinburgh] *Coal stealers).
1825–79. Jamieson, Coalstealer Rake, a thief, a vagabond, or one who rakes during night for the purpose of depredation.
1856. L. Herbert, Engineers and Mech. Encycl., II. 746. On the arrival of every vessel, a gang of *Coal trimmers enter her and sweep down every atom of coal into the bunkers.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., III. 44 (R.). Then Nestor broild them on the *coal-turnd wood.
1698. Cay, in Phil. Trans., XX. 368. It’s no great Wonder if such a Water should yield Vitriol, as many of our *Coal-Waters do.
1806. Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., IV. 49. This water [the Orr] … in its course being mixed with coal-water, has never been used for the purpose of bleaching.
1691. Overseers’ Acc. Wakes’ Colne, Essex (MS.), 20. Paid for 2 loades of wood and a stack of *coalewood.
Coal sb.2 slang: Money: see COLE.
