pool

A small and rather deep area of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream or river; a reservoir for water.

• the pools of Solomon
• the Pool of London

Any small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle.

Ellipsis of swimming pool.abbreviationalt-ofellipsis

A set of resources that are kept ready to use.broadly

Any group of like things.broadly

A small amount of liquid on a surface.

• a pool of blood

A localized glow of light.

• He walked slowly, passing through one pool of light after another, his shadow running tall across the fronts of the barber shop, the Western Auto, the video-rental shop.

To form a pool.intransitive

A supply of resources.countableuncountable

• The 4-BEP and 4-CEP stock is maintained in a common pool for both Chatham and South Eastern fast main-line services.

A supply of resources.; A number of people when considered as a resource.countableuncountable

• dating pool
• There is a limited pool of candidates from which to choose the new manager.

A billiards game in which each player stakes a certain sum, the winner taking the whole; also, in public billiard rooms, a game in which the loser pays the entrance fee for all who engage in the game.historicaluncountable

A cue sport played on a pool table. There are 15 balls, 7 of one colour or solids, 7 of another color or stripes, and the black ball (also called the 8 ball). A player must pocket all their own colour balls and then the black ball in order to win.countableuncountable

• He plays pool at the billiard-houses, and may be seen engaged at cards and dominoes of forenoons.

In rifle shooting, a contest in which each competitor pays a certain sum for every shot he makes, the net proceeds being divided among the winners.countableuncountable

A group of fencers taking part in a competition.countableuncountable

A set of teams playing each other in the same division, while not during the same period playing any teams that belong to other sets in the division.countableuncountable

Any gambling or commercial venture in which several persons join.countableuncountable

The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a share; also, the receptacle for the stakes.countableuncountable

A combination of persons contributing money to be used for the purpose of increasing or depressing the market price of stocks, grain, or other commodities; also, the aggregate of the sums so contributed.countableuncountable

• The pool took all the wheat offered below the limit.
• He put $10,000 into the pool.

To put together; contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of.transitive

• We must pool our resources.

To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.intransitive