From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcoalcoal /kəʊl $ koʊl/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 [uncountable]TPGHEG a hard black mineral which is dug out of the ground and burnt to produce heat Put some coal on the fire. the coal mining industry a lump of coal2 [countable usually plural]DH a piece of coal, especially one that is burning Red hot coals glowed in the grate.3 [countable usually plural] American English a piece of wood or coal that is burning → charcoal Grill over hot coals for two minutes.4 → carry/take coals to Newcastle5 → haul/rake/drag somebody over the coals
Examples from the Corpus
coal• coal miners• Known oil reserves are enough to last for 40 years, natural gas for over 65 years and coal for 250 years.• Heat is radiated entirely from the ceramic coals or logs.• Grill the steaks over medium-hot coals for 5-7 minutes on each side.• Now coal exports are smaller and these docks are less busy.• For the Schuman plan had implications beyond a simple coordination of coal and steel production.• Soft coal is notorious for its content of pollutants, such as sulfur.• What of Labour's plans for the future of the coal industry?• Wilson had grown up black with coal dust.Origin coal Old English col 