Coal sb. World English Historical Dictionary

Coal sb. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1893, rev. 2025. Coal sb. 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).

1   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·.]

2   1.  A piece of carbon glowing without flame. (Now arch. or blending with 4, 5.)

3 c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter cxix. 4. Strelas mæhtʓe scearpe mid colum tolesendes.

4 c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., vii. 49. Ðurh ða colu ðæs alteres.

5 a. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 6762. Þair hertes sal bryn with-in als a cole.

6 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].

7 c. 1430.  Hymns Virg. (1867), 23. Loue is hetter þan þe cole.

8 1481.  Caxton, Reynard, xxx. (Arb.), 78. They retche not whos[e] hows brenneth, so that they may warme them by the coles.

9 1534.  Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), H ij. The coles can not be in the embres withoute sparkes.

10 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.

11 1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 160, ¶ 4. A Piece of Flesh broiled on the Coals.

12 1842.  Tennyson, St. Simon Stylites, 166. On the coals I lay, A vessel full of sin: all hell beneath Made me boil over.

13 a. 1864.  Hawthorne, Mother Rigby’s Pipe, i. A coal for my pipe!

14   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.

15 c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter cxxxix. 11. Fallað ofer hie colu fyres.

16 c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., II. 124. Wiþ deawwyrme, stæppe on hat col, cele mid wætre.

17 a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter xvii. 14. Haghil & coles of fire.

18 1340.  Ayenb., 205. A quic col berninde ope ane hyeape of dyade coles.

19 c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 86. Cole of fyre, brynnynge, pruna.

20 1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 135. Compelled to walke vpon ye hote coles.

21 1599.  Shaks., Hen. V., III. vi. 110. It is like a coale of fire, sometimes plew, and sometimes red.

22 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.

23 1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. ix. 146. The fire-wood was burnt … into embers, or live coals.

24 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?

25   † c.  The glowing portion of a match. Obs.

26 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.

27   † 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.

28   Sometimes defined as dead, cold, black, quenched coal. Cf. black as a coal in 10.

29 c. 825.  Vesp. Psalter xvii. 9. Colu onelde sind from h[i]m.

30 c. 1000.  Ælfric, Hom., II. 496 (Bosw.). Ða tweʓen drymen wurdon awende to cola ʓelicnyssum.

31 a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter xvii. 9. Koles þat ware doun-falland Kindled ere of him glouand.

32 c. 1340.  Cursor M., 11862 (Trin.). Heroude … he sleeþ his leches deed as cole.

33 1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, II. lviii. (1859), 56. Thenne woldest thou nought haue despysed me as ashes, but parauenture called me blacke forbrent coles.

34 c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 87. Cole qwenchyd, carbo.

35 1570.  Levins, Manip., 160/28. A cole cold, carbo.

36 1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., V. i. 68. Starres, Starres, And all eyes else, dead coales.

37   † b.  This passed into the sense of ‘cinder, ashes,’ as the result or residue of combustion. Cf. CINDER.

38 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 27. Ane berninde glede þet hine al forbernað þurut to cole.

39 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 4367. To cold coles sche schal be brent.

40 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].

41 c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., I. 342. Sex fyngre thicke a floore therof thou pave With lyme and asshes mixt with cole and sandes.

42 1530.  Palsgr., 208/2. Coles suche as be gyven in tenebre weke, afferendons.

43 1607.  Shaks., Cor., IV. vi. 137. If he could burne vs all into one coale, We haue deseru’d it.

44 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.

45   3.  fig. from 1 and 2.

46 1577.  Harrison, England, II. ix. (1877), I. 206. They onelie kindle coales of contention.

47 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.

48 1633.  G. Herbert, Temple, Employment, ii. Man is no starre, but a quick coal of mortall fire.

49 1684.  Baxter, Par. Congreg., 26. So do the Sons of the Coal, the superconformists more fiercely revile me.

50   † 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.

51 c. 1205.  Lay., 2366. Makian an eorð-hus And dude þer-inne muche col & claðes inowe.

52 c. 1300.  Seyn Julian, 162, in Juliana. He let make of wode and col a strong fur and good.

53 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 2520. Choliers þat cayreden col come þere bi-side.

54 a. 1400.  Isumbras, 427. Appone a horse that coles broghte.

55 1563.  T. Gale, Wks. Chirurg. (1586), 66. The vsuall gun pouder … made of Sulphure, Saltpeeter and Coale.

56 1584.  R. Scot, Discov. Witchcr., XIV. i. 354. Fiers … of cole, composed speciallie of beech.

57 1628.  Coke, On Litt., 53 b. Turning of trees to coles for fuell, when there is sufficient dead wood, is waste.

58 1653.  Walton, Angler, ii. 58. Let him [a Chub] then be boiled gently over a Chafing-dish with wood coles.

59 1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. xii. 209. I contrived to burn some wood … till it became chark, or dry coal.

60 1799.  G. Smith, Labor., I. 8. That the coals be of lime tree.

61 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.

62   † b.  sing. A piece of charcoal. Obs.

63 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Chan. Yeom. Prol. & T., 607. This false chanoun … Out of his bosom took a bechen cole.

64   † c.  Charcoal used for writing or drawing; hence a charcoal pencil. Also attrib.

65 c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., II. v. 166. Write sum … carect with cole or chalk in the wal.

66 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.

67 1674.  Grew, Anat. Plants, III. II. vii. § 3. It maketh an excellent Coal for Painters scribets.

68 1817.  J. Scott, Paris Revisit., 217. Delineated on the wall … in coal outline.

69 1835.  Carlyle, Lett., in Life in London, I. 40. All these coal-marks of yours shall be duly considered.

70   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.

71   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.

72   a.  with qualification (to distinguish it from prec. sense): as digged, earth, pit, sea, stone coal, etc.

73 [c. 1236.  Newminster Chartul. (Surtees), 55. Et ad carbonem maris capiendum, etc.]

74 1253.  Charter Hen. III., in Archæol. Æliana (1880), VIII. 172, note. Secole lan’ extra Neugat’ in suburbio London.

75 1489.  Caxton, Faytes of A., II. xxvi. 139. 52 chaldernes of see colys.

76 1538.  Leland, Itin., V. 102. Though betwixt Cawoode and Rotheram be good Plenti of Wood, yet the People burne much Yerth Cole.

77 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.

78 1559.  Morwyng, Evonym., 64. Such coales as are digged out of the ground are condemned bicause of their foule smell.

79 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.

80 1616.  in Entick, London, II. 47. Coals, called stone-coals, pit-coals, earth-coals.

81 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.

82 c. 1682.  in Nature, XXVI. 620. A new way of makeing pitch and tarre out of pit coale.

83 1720.  Lond. Gaz., No. 5856/3. Smelting down Lead with Pit-Coal and Sea-Coal.

84 1807.  Southey, Espriella’s Lett., I. 12. They burn earth-coal everywhere.

85   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.

86   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.

87 1628.  Coke, On Litt., 53 b. Mines of metall, coale, or the like.

88 1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 122. It imports Newcastle coal.

89 1813.  Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem. (1814), 341. The liquor produced by the distillation of coal.

90 1862.  Ruskin, Munera P. (1880), 34. The question of equivalence … how much coal in return for so much iron.

91 1876.  Page, Adv. Text-bk. Geol., xiv. 250. Valuable beds of coal.

92   1547.  Newminster Cartul. (Surtees), 311. A Myne of Colles.

93 1563.  Sc. Acts Q. Mary (1597), c. 84. That na coales be had furth of the Realme.

94 1605.  Camden, Rem., 1. Rich in minerall of coles, tinne, lead.

95 1667.  Primatt, City & C. Build., 26. There doth yet remain great quantities of Coles in the Earth.

96 a. 1687.  Petty, Pol. Arith. (1690), 99. Coals … were heretofore seldom used in Chambers, as now they are.

97 1785.  Franklin, Wks. (1840), VI. 525. The inhabitants of London have had no general pestilential disorder since the general use of coals.

98 1833.  Edin. Rev., LVII. 79. The increased revenue from the transport of coals is very remarkable.

99 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.’]

100   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.

101 1641.  French, Distill., v. (1651), 156. Take three parts of the best New-castle coals.

102 1673.  A. Walker, Leez Lachrymans, 25. A rude Pencil would have painted it with stagnant colours, or a Scotch coal.

103 1777.  Sheridan, Trip Scarb., III. iii. Get a Scotch coal fire in the parlour.

104 1805.  Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., II. 468. The fire or seeing coal (so called from the light it gives).

105 1853.  Anderson, in Pharmac. Jrnl., XIII. 122. Bituminous coal is divided into cherry coals, splint coals, caking coals, and gas coal or cannel.

106 1888.  J. Prestwich, Geol., II. 93. Bituminous or Caking Coal.

107   † 6.  The charred residue left in a retort after distillation. Obs.

108 1801.  Med. Jrnl., V. 468.

109 1801.  T. Thomson, Chem., II. 363. When tannin is distilled … there comes over also some empyreumatic oil, and a voluminous coal remains behind.

110 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.

111   † 7.  a. [after L. carbo, carbunculus, Fr. charbon.] A carbuncle. b. A black crust or core in a boil.

112 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.

113 1671.  Salmon, Syn. Med., III. lxxvii. 675. Carbunculus, a burning Coal. Anoint the top of it with Butter of Antimony.

114   II.  In phrases, etc.

115   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.

116 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.

117 1589.  Pasquill’s Ret., B iij. He giues the Englishe a dash ouer the face with a blacke coale, and saith: Traistre Angloi.

118 1672.  Sir C. Wyvill, Triple Crown, 70. But, for this, Friar Pedro has mark’d them with the black Coal of parcel Heresie.

119 1674.  Ray, Smelting Silver, 113. The Oare … is … melted with black and white Coal; i. e. With Charcoale and wood slit into small pieces.

120 1840.  Henry, Elem. Chem., II. 319. Black coal is the substance which is commonly applied to the purposes of fuel.

121 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.

122   † 9.  Precious coals! an obsolete exclamation.

123 1576.  Gascoigne, Steele Gl. (Arb.), 80. When Roysters ruffle not aboue their rule, Nor colour crafte, by swearing precious coles.

124 1599.  Chapman, Hum. Dayes Myrth, Plays, 1873, I. 77. Gods precious coles tis he.

125 1606.  Heywood, 2nd Pt. If you Know not me, etc. Wks. 1874, I. 281. Precious cole, here’s a knave round with me.

126   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.

127 c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., II. 332. Wyl eft oþ þæt hit sie swa þicce swa molcen and swa sweart swa col.

128 c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 456. He watz colored as þe cole, corby al vntrwe.

129 c. 1340.  Cursor M., 22489 (Edinb.). Þe sternes … sal haf tint þair liht, and worde al blak sum ani col.

130 c. 1460.  Towneley Myst. Creatio (1836), 4. Now ar we waxen blak as any coylle.

131 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.

132 a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, xliv. 147. As blacke as a cole.

133 1611.  Bible, Lam. iv. 8. Their visage is blacker then a cole.

134   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.

135 1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIII. 144. To louye … Þine enemye in al wyse euene forth with þi-selue, Cast coles on his hed.

136 1526–34.  Tindale, Rom. xii. 20. In so doynge that shalt heape coles of fyre on his heed.

137 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.

138 1589.  R. Harvey, Pl. Perc., 7. Doe good against euill: and heape hoat burning coales vpon his head.

139 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.

140 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.

141 1638.  Sanderson, Serm., II. 109. Blow the coal of contention to make it blaze afresh.

142 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.

143 1732.  Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 23. Blowing the Coals between polemical Divines.

144 1753.  Smollett, Ct. Fathom (1784), 129/1. By these means he blew the coals of her jealousy.

145 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.’

146   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.

147   1522.  Skelton, Wks. (ed. Dyce), II. 34. Wyll ye bere no coles?

148 1586.  J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 105/1. This gentleman was … one that in an upright quarell would beare no coles.

149 1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. i. 1. A my word wee’l not carry coales.

150 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.

151 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.

152 a. 1683.  B. Whichcote, Serm., II. ii. (1698), 328. Those who are sensible that they carry Coals, and are full of Ill-will.

153   1565.  Cdl. Allen, in Fulke, Confut. (1577), 372. S. Augustine, that knewe best how to fetche an heretike ouer the coles.

154 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.

155 1589.  Marprel. Epit., C iij b. Let vs here how you fetch your brethren ouer the coales with your next reason.

156 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.

157 1832.  Marryat, N. Forster, I. xiii. 189. Lest he should be ‘hauled over the coals’ by the Admiralty.

158 1884.  H. D. Traill, New Lucian, 213. Your magistrates … vastly needed a call over the coals.

159   13.  To carry coals to Newcastle: to take a thing to where it is naturally plentiful; to do what is absurdly superfluous.

160 [1606.  Heywood, 2nd Pt. If you know not me, Wks. 1874, I. 259. As common as coales from Newcastle.]

161 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.

162 1661.  Grant, Bills Mortality, Ded. Ld. Truro, I should (according to our English Proverb) … but carry Coals to Newcastle.

163 c. 1690.  B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Coals to Newcastle, when the Drawer carries away any Wine in the Pot or Bottle.

164 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.

165 1889.  Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 24 Dec., 73. It would be like exporting coals to Newcastle.

166   III.  Attrib. and Comb. (almost exclusively in the current sense 5).

167   14.  attrib. or adj. Of or pertaining to coal.

168 1753.  Chambers, Cycl. Suppl., s.v. Coal, The coal countries.

169 1792.  J. Anderson (title), Observations on the Effects of Coal Duty upon the remote and thinly peopled coasts of Britain.

170 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.

171   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.

172 1657.  Austen, Fruit Trees, I. 71. Put in, instead, sand, or *cole ashes, or any stuffe that is barren.

173 1833.  Brewster, Nat. Magic, x. 254. Having rubbed his fingers with coal-ashes to keep them from slipping.

174 1837.  Lockhart, Scott, iii. The maid servant … struck her mistress to death with a *coal axe.

175 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.

176 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.

177 1661.  in Beveridge, Hist. Culross Town Records (1885), I. 310. Margaret Wilson *coalbearer.

178 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.

179 1861.  Sir G. W. Dasent, Burnt Njal, I. 87. In rushed the *coal-blue sea.

180 1887.  Morris, Odyss., III. 200. The wind and the water bore their coal-blue prows.

181 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.

182 1772.  Ann. Reg., 126/1. Mr. Moore’s new-invented *coal-carriage, the wheels of which are 15 feet high.

183 1839.  Coventry Standard, 29 Nov., 2/3. His horse shied at a *coal-cart.

184 1838.  Dickens, O. Twist, ii. He was keeping it [his birthday] in the *coal-cellar.

185 1846.  Greener, Sci. Gunnery, 101. The adoption of *coal-coke was a matter of necessity.

186 c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xxxviii. 51. A payr of *Coil Crellis.

187 1871–3.  Trans. Amer. Inst. Mining Engineers, I. 23. (Article) The Monitor *Coal-cutter.

188 1866.  Jevons, Coal Question, 60. The new *coal-cutting machines.

189 1850.  Mrs. Browning, Poems, II. 145. Through the *coal-dark underground.

190 1733.  Derby Mercury, II. 21 Feb., 4/2. To be lett, A Very good *Coal-Delph.

191 1883.  Science, I. 114. The small areal surface occupied by the *coal-deposits of France.

192 1861.  Tylor, Anahuac, iv. 87. In *coal- and iron-districts in England.

193 1598.  Rowlands, Betraying of Christ, 25. Wrap me from eies *cole-fac’d eternall night.

194 1710.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4720/2. Our *Coal Fleet waits only a fair Wind to set sail.

195 1873.  Geikie, Gt. Ice Age, App. 479. In the swamps within, the *coal-flora flourished.

196 1850.  Lyell, 2nd Visit U.S., II. 299. Composed of strata of the *coal formation.

197 1888.  Pall Mall Gaz., 30 Oct., 12/1. There are many non-producers who share in the rise in wages besides the *coal-getter.

198 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.

199 1875.  P’cess Alice, Mem. (1884), 340. The town grows so, and is all railroad and *coal-heaps where we had our walks formerly.

200 1887.  Monthly Chron. N.-Country Lore & Leg., I. 111/1. (Article) Notable *Coal-Hewers.

201 1839.  Parl. Report Steam Vessel Accid., 74. Neither the bunkers nor the *coal-hold were cleared out so often as they should be.

202 1878.  F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 603. *Coal-laden trucks block up the sidings. Coal-laden trains are groaning and grunting hither and thither.

203 1720.  Lond. Gaz., No. 5880/6. John Hall, *Coal-measurer.

204 1677.  Patent 29 Chas. II., in Brand, Newcastle (1789), II. 668. The society of *coale merchants tradeing to Newcastle.

205 Mod. Newspaper.  Coal-merchants find great difficulty in executing their orders.

206 1697.  View of Penal Laws, 49. (Heading of ch.) *Coalmongers and Colliers.

207 1742.  J. Yarrow, Love at First Sight, 46. Lock him up in the *Coal-Place ’till he is sober.

208 1860.  E. Hull, Coal-fields Gt. Brit., 2. Fast approaching extinction as a *coal-producing district.

209 1867.  W. W. Smyth, Coal & Coal-mining, 95. The extent of the *coal-rocks.

210 1639.  R. Junius (Younge), Sinne Stigmatizd, § 101. 389. The Pirat never spends his shott upon *Cole-Ships.

211 1722.  De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 44. The masters of coal-ships … they call collier-masters.

212 1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, III. 337/2. The *Coale or Lyme Sive hath wide square holes.

213 1883.  Black, Shandon Bells, xxvii. He pointed out where the *coal-smack had come to grief.

214 1830.  Herschel, Study Nat. Phil., 45. Separated from the *coal-strata by a series of interposed beds.

215 1655.  R. Gardiner (title), England’s Grievance discovered in relation to the *Coal Trade.

216 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.

217 1594.  Merry Knack to Know a Knave, in Hazl., Dodsley, VI. 567. My bellows, my *coal-trough, and my water.

218 1665.  D. Dudley, Metallum Martis (1854), 39. The manner of the *cole-veins or measures in these parts.

219 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.

220 1695.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3059/4. A convenient … Wharf … which … hath been employed as a *Coal-Wharf.

221 1840.  Penny Cycl., XVI. 342/1. There are several coal-wharfs on its line.

222   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.

223 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.

224 1741.  Phil. Trans. (Abridg.), VIII. 483. (title) Account of *Coal Balls made at Liege, from the dust of Pit Coals.

225 1770–4.  A. Hunter, Georg. Ess. (1803), III. 149. About Bristol … they make coal-balls of their culm, or small refuse coal.

226 1833.  Lyell, Princ. Geol., III. 327. The *coal-bearing strata are characterized by several hundred species of plants.

227 1863.  A. C. Ramsay, Phys. Geog., 40. There are in Edinburghshire over 3000 feet of coal-bearing strata.

228 1802.  Playfair, Illustr. Hutton. Th., 159. What occupied the place of the *coal-bed before?

229 1861.  H. Macmillan, Footnotes fr. Page Nature, 5. A coal-bed is, in fact, a hortus siccus of extinct cryptogamic vegetation.

230 1806.  Davy, in Phil. Trans., XCVII. 55. Where pyritous strata and strata of *coal-blende occur.

231 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.

232 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.

233 1725.  Lond. Gaz., No. 6382/11. Thomas Cundy … *Coal-Burner.

234 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.

235 1719.  Strachey, in Phil. Trans., XXX. 969. A Dark or Blackish Rock, which they call the *Coal Clives.

236 1698.  Cay, ibid. XX. 368. A Current of Water that runs through a *Coal-Drift.

237 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.

238 1806.  Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., IV. 49. Upon this water [the Orr] there are six corn-mills, two fulling mills … and one *coal-engine.

239 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.

240 1860.  Smiles, Self-Help, vi. 157. Lord Eldon was the son of a Newcastle *coal-fitter.

241 1881.  C. Dickens, Dict. Lond., *Coal-flaps and gratings of all kinds should be distrusted.

242 1704.  Minutes Torryburn Sess., in Ess. Witchcr. (1820), 137. The west end of the *Coalfold.

243 1776.  G. Semple, Building in Water, 51. The *Coal-gabbards were stopped for the first Time, and missed three Tides.

244 1593.  Rites Durham (1842), 83. A litle stone house, joyninge of the *Cole garth.

245 1802.  G. Montagu, Ornith. Dict., *Coal-goose.

246 1862.  Johns, Brit. Birds, Index, Cole or Coal Goose, the Cormorant.

247 1887.  Standard, 27 Jan., 5/6. New York…. The strike of the *coal handlers will culminate to-morrow in twenty thousand longshoremen ceasing work.

248 1888.  Pall Mall Gaz., 12 May, 7/2. The New Jersey coal-handlers.

249 a. 1825.  Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, *Coal-hod … to hold the coals.

250 1860.  Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Coal-hod. A kettle for carrying coals to the fire. More frequently called, as in England, a coal-scuttle.

251 1879.  Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., Coal-hod, a wooden coal-scuttle.

252 1771.  Smollett, Humph. Cl., I. 8 May, Waggons, and *Coal-horses.

253 1533.  trans. Erasm. on Com. Crede, 69 b. Nestorius whiles he dothe dylygently eschewe this lyme kylle, he felle into the *colekylne.

254 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.

255 1798.  in Naval Chron. (1799), I. 81. There has long been a *coal-light on the Isles.

256 1878.  F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 8. The resolution at which the *coal-masters had arrived.

257 1838.  T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 720. The analogy between *coal naphtha and the petrolene of Boussingault.

258 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.

259 1883.  E. V. Smalley, in Century Mag., July, 326/1. The ‘coal oil,’ as it [petroleum] was then generally called.

260 1535.  Coverdale, Jer. lii. 19. The basens, *colepannes, sprinklers, pottes, candlestickes.

261 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.’

262 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.

263 1827.  J. Powell, Devises, II. 189. A *coal pen which was on the opposite side of the road near the house.

264 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.

265 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.

266 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.

267 1858.  Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Coal-scoop, a shovel for taking coals from a scuttle to throw on a fire.

268 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.

269 1850.  Lyell, 2nd Visit U.S., II. 81. The beds of black shale covering each *coal-seam.

270 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.

271 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.

272 1719.  D’Urfey, Pills, IV. 143. Our eager Embraces in *Coal-sheds.

273 1816.  Gentl. Mag., LXXXVI. I. 229. In a coal-shed attached to a Grocer’s shop.

274 1813.  W. Taylor, Eng. Syn. (1856), 45. Set down the *coal-shoot.

275 1833.  J. Holland, Manuf. Metal (Cabinet Cycl.), II. 202. Removing the dust and coals from the hearthstone to the *coalskip.

276 1612.  Drayton, Poly-olb., iii. 45. Froome for her disgrace Since scarcely ever washt the *Colesleck from her face.

277 1790.  W. Marshall, Midland Count., Gloss. (E. D. S.), *Coal-smut, a fossil, or an efflorescence, found on the surface, over seams of coal.

278 1813.  Bakewell, Introd. Geol. (1815), 199. In most coal fields there are thin strata of coal-smut or carbonaceous and other particles intermixt.

279 1816.  J. Rennie, in Mackenzie, Newcastle (1827), II. 742. To altering coal-staiths and other landing or shipping places … £25,000.

280 1883.  W. Clark Russell, Sea Queen, I. xiv. 249. She was alongside a coal-staith.

281 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.

282 1682.  Lond. Gaz., No. 1688/4. This story had its rise from some rascally Boys (whom we call here [Edinburgh] *Coal stealers).

283 1825–79.  Jamieson, Coalstealer Rake, a thief, a vagabond, or one who rakes during night for the purpose of depredation.

284 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.

285 1615.  Chapman, Odyss., III. 44 (R.). Then Nestor broild them on the *coal-turnd wood.

286 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.

287 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.

288 1691.  Overseers’ Acc. Wakes’ Colne, Essex (MS.), 20. Paid for 2 loades of wood and a stack of *coalewood.

289
  Coal sb.2 slang: Money: see COLE.

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