pooled

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

pool¹ /pul/   n. [countable]

1. a small body of standing water;
   a small pond.
2. any small collection of liquid on a surface;
   puddle:
   a pool of blood.
3. a large, artificial basin filled with water for swimming:
   a large pool in their backyard.

v. 

4. to (cause to) form a pool (in): [no object]
   The blood pooled in the area of the wound.
   [~ + object]
   pooling the blood in one region of the body.

pool² /pul/   n. 

1. Games a game played on a pool table with a cue ball and 15 other balls that are driven into pockets with a long stick:
   [uncountable] friendly games of pool.
2. Games [countable]
   • the total amount bet, as on a race.
3. [countable]
   • a combination of resources, etc., dedicated to some common purpose.
   • the combined resources:
     a pool of over $500.
4. [countable]
   • a facility shared by a group of people:
     a car pool.
   • the people involved in providing such a service.

v. [~ + object]

5. to put (resources, etc.) into a common fund, as for a business:
   pooled their resources for the venture.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pool¹  (po̅o̅l), n. 

1. a small body of standing water;
   pond.
2. a still, deep place in a stream.
3. any small collection of liquid on a surface:
   a pool of blood.
4. a puddle.
5. See swimming pool. 
6. Geology, Rocks a subterranean accumulation of oil or gas held in porous and permeable sedimentary rock (reservoir.)

v.i. 

7. to form a pool.
8. Physiology (of blood) to accumulate in a body part or organ.

v.t. 

9. to cause pools to form in.
10. Pathology to cause (blood) to form pools.

adj. 

11. of or for a pool:
    pool filters.
12. taking place or occurring around or near a pool:
    a pool party.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English pōl; cognate with Dutch poel, German Pfuhl

pool²  (po̅o̅l), n. 

1. Also called pocket billiards. any of various games played on a pool table with a cue ball and 15 other balls that are usually numbered, in which the object is to drive all the balls into the pockets with the cue ball.
2. the total amount staked by a combination of bettors, as on a race, to be awarded to the successful bettor or bettors.
3. the combination of such bettors.
4. an association of competitors who agree to control the production, market, and price of a commodity for mutual benefit, although they appear to be rivals.
5. [Finance.] a combination of persons or organizations for the purpose of manipulating the prices of securities.
6. a combination of resources, funds, etc., for common advantage.
7. the combined interests or funds.
8. a facility, resource, or service that is shared by a group of people:
   a car pool; a typing pool.
9. the persons or parties involved.
10. the stakes in certain games.
11. [Brit.] a billiard game.
12. [Fencing.] a match in which each teammate successively plays against each member of the opposing team.

v.t. 

13. to put (resources, money, etc.) into a pool, or common stock or fund, as for a financial venture, according to agreement.
14. to form a pool of.
15. to make a common interest of.

v.i. 

16. to enter into or form a pool.

adj. 

17. of or belonging to a pool:
    a pool typist; a pool reporter.

• French poule stakes, literally, hen. See pullet
• 1685–95

pool′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 4. corner, monopoly.
• 13. combine, merge, consolidate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pool / puːl/ noun

1. a small body of still water, usually fresh; small pond
2. a small isolated collection of liquid spilt or poured on a surface; puddle: a pool of blood
3. a deep part of a stream or river where the water runs very slowly
4. an underground accumulation of oil or gas, usually forming a reservoir in porous sedimentary rock
5. See swimming pool

Etymology: Old English pōl; related to Old Frisian pōl, German Pfuhl

pool / puːl/ noun

1. any communal combination of resources, funds, etc: a car pool
2. the combined stakes of the betters in many gambling sports or games; kitty
3. a group of producers who conspire to establish and maintain output levels and high prices, each member of the group being allocated a maximum quota; price ring
4. a joint fund organized by security-holders for speculative or manipulative purposes on financial markets
5. any of various billiard games in which the object is to pot all the balls with the cue ball, esp that played with 15 coloured and numbered balls; pocket billiards

verb (transitive)

1. to combine (investments, money, interests, etc) into a common fund, as for a joint enterprise
2. to organize a pool of (enterprises)

Etymology: 17th Century: from French poule, literally: hen used to signify stakes in a card game, from Medieval Latin pulla hen, from Latin pullus young animal