trawl

UK: /ˈtrɔːl/ US: /trɔl/ ,(trôl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

trawl /trɔl/   n. [countable]

1. Also called ˈtrawl ˌnet. a fishing net dragged along the sea bottom to catch fish.
2. Also called ˈtrawl ˌline. a line attached to buoys and used in sea fishing, having many short lines with baited hooks attached at intervals.

v. 

3. to fish with a trawl (in): [~ + object]
   trawling the seas for big game fish.
   [no object]
   a day spent trawling for fish.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

trawl (trôl),  n. 

1. Also called trawl′ net′. a strong fishing net for dragging along the sea bottom.
2. Also called trawl′ line′. a buoyed line used in sea fishing, having numerous short lines with baited hooks attached at intervals.

v.i. 

3. to fish with a net that drags along the sea bottom to catch the fish living there.
4. to fish with a trawl line.
5. to troll.

v.t. 

6. to catch with a trawl net or a trawl line.
7. to drag (a trawl net).
8. to troll.

• Middle Dutch tragel (noun, nominal), tragelen (verb, verbal); cognate with trail
• 1475–85

trawl ′a•ble, adj. 
trawl′a•bil ′i•ty, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

trawl / trɔːl/ noun

1. Also called: trawlnet a large net, usually in the shape of a sock or bag, drawn at deep levels behind special boats (trawlers)
2. Also called: trawl line a long line to which numerous shorter hooked lines are attached, suspended between buoys
   See also setline, trotline
3. the act of trawling

verb

1. to catch or try to catch (fish) with a trawlnet or trawl line
2. (intransitive) followed by for: to seek or gather (something, such as information, or someone, such as a likely appointee) from a wide variety of sources

noun , verb

1. another word for troll1

Etymology: 17th Century: from Middle Dutch traghelen to drag, from Latin trāgula dragnet; see trail