coaling

Verb

coal (third-person singular simple present coals, present participle coaling, simple past and past participle coaled)

1. (intransitive) To take on a supply of coal (usually of steam ships or locomotives).
   • shortly after that she coaled again at Simon's Bay; and that after remaining in the neighbourhood of our ports for a time, she proceeded to Mauritius, where she coaled again, and then returned to this colony.1863, Colonial Secretary to Commander Baldwin, USN
2. (transitive) To supply with coal.
   • to coal a steamer
3. (intransitive) To be converted to charcoal.
   • After the initial burn the goal of any good fire should be coaling; that is, creating a bed of solid coals that will sustain the fire.2014, Ken Mudge, Steve Gabriel, Farming the Woods
4. (transitive) To burn to charcoal; to char.
   • Char-coal of roots, coaled into great pieces.1622, Francis Bacon, Natural History
5. (transitive) To mark or delineate with charcoal.
   • […] marvailing, he coaled out these rithms upon the wall near to the picture1551, William Camden, Remains concerning Britain

See all 17 meanings of coal