school — English Dictionary

school
Pronunciations (9)
  • /skuːl/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Received-Pronunciation
  • [skuːɫ]
    Pronunciation notes
    • Received-Pronunciation
  • /skul/
    Pronunciation notes
    • General-American
  • [skuɫ]
    Pronunciation notes
    • General-American
  • /skʉːl/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Australia
    • New-Zealand
  • [skʉːɫ]
    Pronunciation notes
    • Australia
    • New-Zealand
  • /skʉl/
  • /skɪʉːl/
  • /(ɪ)sk(h)uːl/
    Pronunciation notes
    • South-Asia

Noun

  1. An institution dedicated to teaching and learning; an educational institution.

    Usage
    • Canada
    • India
    • US usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples

    The children walk to school.

    The children go to school.

    Our children attend a public school in our neighborhood.

    Harvard University is a famous American postsecondary school.

    More examples (1)

    Just one more tardy and you'll be staying after school.

  2. An educational institution providing primary and secondary education, prior to tertiary education (college or university).

    Usage
    • UK usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples
    More examples (1)

    One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks on schools, said the report, as children, teachers or school buildings become the targets of attacks. Parents fear sending their children to school. Girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence. […] In Syria, 3,900 schools have been destroyed, damaged or occupied for purposes other than education since the start of the conflict over two years ago.

  3. At Eton College, a period or session of teaching.

    Usage
    • UK usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples

    Divinity, history and geography are studied for two schools per week.

  4. Within a larger educational institution, an organizational unit, such as a department or institute, which is dedicated to a specific subject area.

    Usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples

    We are enrolled in the same university, but I attend the School of Economics and my brother is in the School of Music.

  5. An art movement, a community of artists.

    Usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples

    The Barbizon school of painters were part of an art movement towards Realism in art, which arose in the context of the dominant Romantic movement of the time.

  6. The followers of a particular doctrine; a particular way of thinking or particular doctrine; a school of thought.

    Usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples

    This school of thought is influential.

    These economists belong to the monetarist school.

    More examples (1)

    Let no man be leſſe confident in his holy faith […] by reason of any difference of judgement vvhich is in the ſeveral Schools of Chriſtians concerning the effects and conſequent bleſſings of this Sacrament.

    Here the stripped panelling was warmly gold and the pictures, mostly of the English school, were mellow and gentle in the afternoon light.

  7. The time during which classes are attended or in session in an educational institution.

    Usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples

    School starts at nine.

    I’ll see you after school.

  8. The room or hall in English universities where the examinations for degrees and honours are held.

    Usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
  9. The canons, precepts, or body of opinion or practice, sanctioned by the authority of a particular class or age.

    Usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable
    Examples

    He was a gentleman of the old school.

    His face pale but striking, though not handsome after the schools.

  10. An establishment offering specialized instruction, as for driving, cooking, typing, coding, etc.

    Usage
    • Countable
    • Uncountable

Verb

  1. To educate, teach, or train (often, but not necessarily, in a school).

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    Many future prime ministers were schooled in Eton.

    More examples (1)

    I tooke delights / In plucking Apples from t’Heſperian Trees, / Which Eating, I grew Learn’d: adde to All theſe / My Priuate Readings, which more School’d my Soule, / Then Tutors, when they ſternliest did Controll / With Frownes or Rods: […]

  2. To defeat emphatically, to teach an opponent a harsh lesson.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    A blind law graduate who put the National Conference of Bar Examiners to the test got schooled in federal court.

    Two weeks later, the Cornhuskers put on their road whites again and promptly got schooled by miserable Iowa State in Ames. After the shocking loss […]

    More examples (3)

    "You again?" Sandman demanded. "I guess you didn't learn your lesson." "This time I'm gonna school you."

    Mr. Harris said he was confident he could go toe to toe with any skeptic; he bragged that he’d recently schooled some crypto haters from Vice News.

    The speech dwindled to a halt and there was a smattering of applause from a gathering that was glad just to have been schooled for admitting migrants into their country and backing renewable energy, rather than witnessing a full-on declaration of war on the stage in front of them.

  3. To control, or compose, one’s expression.

    Usage
    • Transitive
    Examples

    She took care to school her expression, not giving away any of her feelings.

Noun

  1. A group of fish or a group of marine mammals such as porpoises, dolphins, or whales.

    Usage
    • collective
    Synonyms
    Examples

    The divers encountered a huge school of mackerel.

    More examples (1)

    Here there were concentrations of shrimp and bait fish and sometimes schools of squid in the deepest holes and these rose close to the surface at night where all the wandering fish fed on them.

  2. A multitude.

Verb

  1. To form into, or travel in, a school.

    Usage
    • Intransitive
    • of fish
    Synonyms
    Examples

    School with other fish: you’re less likely to be eaten.

Noun

  1. an educational institution

    Examples

    the school was founded in 1900

  2. a building where young people receive education

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    the school was built in 1932

    he walked to school every morning

  3. the process of being formally educated at a school

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    what will you do when you finish school?

  4. a body of creative artists or writers or thinkers linked by a similar style or by similar teachers

    Broader terms
    Examples

    the Venetian school of painting

  5. the period of instruction in a school; the time period when school is in session

    Examples

    stay after school

    he didn't miss a single day of school

    More examples (1)

    when the school day was done we would walk home together

  6. an educational institution's faculty and students

    Examples

    the school keeps parents informed

    the whole school turned out for the game

  7. a large group of fish

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
    Examples

    a school of small glittering fish swam by

Verb

  1. educate in or as if in a school

    Broader terms
    Examples

    The children are schooled at great cost to their parents in private institutions

  2. teach or refine to be discriminative in taste or judgment

    Examples

    Cultivate your musical taste

    Train your tastebuds

    More examples (1)

    She is well schooled in poetry

  3. swim in or form a large group of fish

    Broader terms
    Examples

    A cluster of schooling fish was attracted to the bait

Word forms
schoolsscholeschoolsschoolingschooledschooledskull

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