Coal

Coal, kōl, n. a solid, black, combustible substance used for fuel, dug out of the earth: cinder.—v.i. to take in coal.—v.t. to supply with coal.—n. Coal′-bed, a stratum of coal.—adj. Coal′-black, black as coal, very black.—ns. Coal′-box, a box for holding coal; Coal′-brass, a name applied to the pyrites in the coal-measures; Coal′field, a field or district containing coal strata; Coal′-fish, a fish of the cod family, so named from the black colour of its back; Coal′-gas, the mixture of gases produced by the destructive distillation of coal, chiefly carburetted hydrogen—giving the gaslight in common use; Coal′-heav′er, one employed in carrying coal; Coal′-house, a covered-in place for keeping coal; Coal′man, one who has to do with coals; Coal′-mas′ter, the owner or lessee of a coalfield; Coal′-meas′ure, a measure by which the quantity of coal is ascertained: (pl.) the group of carboniferous strata in which coal is found (geol.); Coal′-mine, Coal′-pit, a pit or mine from which coal is dug; Coal′-own′er, one who owns a colliery; Coal′-plant, a fossil plant of the carboniferous strata; Coal′-scutt′le, a vessel for holding coal; Coal′-tar, or Gas-tar, a thick, black, opaque liquid which condenses in the pipes when coal or petroleum is distilled; Coal′-trim′mer, one who stores or shifts coal on board vessels; Coal′-whip′per, one employed in unloading coal from vessels at anchor to barges which convey it to the wharves.—adj. Coal′y, of or like coal.—Coaling station, a port at which steamships take in coal; Coal-scuttle bonnet, a woman's bonnet, shaped like a coal-scuttle upside down.—Blind or Anthracite coal, that which does not flame when kindled; Bituminous coal, that which does; Brown coal (see Brown); Caking coal, a bituminous coal which cakes or fuses into one mass in the fire; Cannel or Parrot coal (see Cannel); Cherry or Soft coal, coal breaking off easily into small, irregular cubes, having beautiful shining lustre; Splint, Hard, or Block coal, plentiful in Scotland, hard, breaking into cuboidal blocks.—Blow the coals, to excite passion; Carry coals to Newcastle, to take a thing where it is least needed; Haul over the coals, reprimand—from the discipline applied to heretics; Heap coals of fire on the head, to excite remorse by returning good for evil (Rom. xii. 20). [A.S. col; cog. with Ice. kol, Ger. kohle.]