trawl

Meanings

Noun

• A net or dragnet used for trawling.
• A long fishing line having many short lines bearing hooks attached to it; a setline.

Verb

• To take (fish or other marine animals) with a trawl.
• To fish from a slow-moving boat.
• To make an exhaustive search for something within a defined area.

Origin

• 16th century, borrowed from Dutch tragelen, from Middle Dutch traghelen, from traghel (presumably from Latin tragula), and as such root-cognate with English drag.