Definition of coal

• n. - A thoroughly charred, and extinguished or still ignited, fragment from wood or other combustible substance; charcoal.
• n. - A black, or brownish black, solid, combustible substance, dug from beds or veins in the earth to be used for fuel, and consisting, like charcoal, mainly of carbon, but more compact, and often affording, when heated, a large amount of volatile matter.
• v. t. - To burn to charcoal; to char.
• v. t. - To mark or delineate with charcoal.
• v. t. - To supply with coal; as, to coal a steamer.
• v. i. - To take in coal; as, the steamer coaled at Southampton.