From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_266_dpoolpool1 /puːl/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 
for swimming [countable] a hole or container that has been specially made and filled with water so that people can swim or play in it SYN swimming pool They have a nice pool in their backyard. a shallow pool suitable for children2 area of water [countable] a small area of still water in a hollow place pools of water with tiny fish in them Mosquitoes breed in stagnant pools of water.3 → pool of water/blood/light etc4 game [uncountable]DGS a game in which you use a stick to hit numbered balls into holes around a table, which is often played in barsshoot/play pool We went to the pub and played pool.5 group of people [countable] a group of people who are available to work or to do an activity when they are neededpool of a pool of talented applicants to choose from The region has a large and talented labour pool.6 shared money/things [countable usually singular]GROUP OF THINGS a number of things that are shared or an amount of money that is shared by a group of people Both partners put money into a common pool. 7 → the pools8 sports [countable] American English a game in which people try to win money by guessing the result of a sports game, or the money that is collected from these people for this the office basketball pool
for swimming [countable] a hole or container that has been specially made and filled with water so that people can swim or play in it SYN swimming pool They have a nice pool in their backyard. a shallow pool suitable for children2 area of water [countable] a small area of still water in a hollow place pools of water with tiny fish in them Mosquitoes breed in stagnant pools of water.3 → pool of water/blood/light etc4 game [uncountable]DGS a game in which you use a stick to hit numbered balls into holes around a table, which is often played in barsshoot/play pool We went to the pub and played pool.5 group of people [countable] a group of people who are available to work or to do an activity when they are neededpool of a pool of talented applicants to choose from The region has a large and talented labour pool.6 shared money/things [countable usually singular]GROUP OF THINGS a number of things that are shared or an amount of money that is shared by a group of people Both partners put money into a common pool. 7 → the pools8 sports [countable] American English a game in which people try to win money by guessing the result of a sports game, or the money that is collected from these people for this the office basketball poolExamples from the Corpus
pool• Most countries have a pool of surplus labour.• The Kohlers' have a pool in their backyard.• Trautman was lying in a pool of blood.• A pool of oil had collected under the car.• a pool of volunteers for community projects• What Mr Milken did was to make huge pools of capital available to finance takeovers.• Huge pools of eyes stared back at her from the dead white planes of the face.• a secretarial pool• There is a much smaller pool of houses to rent than there used to be.• Below us in the center of the compound there was a swimming pool, set amidst flower beds and rows of palms.• Anna was gazing at the pool of fluid, and the corners of her mouth began to droop.• I spent the entire afternoon relaxing by the pool.• He won $50,000 from the pool.• Littlewoods, the pools promoter, calculates each punter has a 1:39 chance of a win.• Going too fast would result in his jumping over the pool and crashing into the far end.• There had been the world, with the pool in the middle and the petals round the edge.• But even more intriguing was the third pool, Heart pool.• Kids were looking at the starfish and anemones in the tide pools.shoot/play pool• There is a games room where you can play pool or table-tennis, and live music is planned for the summer.• He left the house less and less frequently and spent more and more time in the cellar playing pool.• I play pool, but I am really brutal.• The place is empty but for the bar and three or four slightly-built lads shooting pool without words.• She reported that when members play pool they pay 10p.• I lean against the cigarette machine and watch the men play pool, sipping my Bud.• I have fond memories of Sussex-playing pool and, much more to the point, the excellent discussions on science.labour pool• The area possessed a large labour pool.• Men are now recruited into a national labour pool and their home base is largely irrelevant to where they take ships. poolpool2 verb [transitive] SHAREto combine your money, ideas, skills etc with those of other people so that you can all use them Investors agreed to pool their resources to develop the property. The students worked together, pooling their knowledge.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
pool• All information can be pooled at the report session, and problems discussed and clarified.• If constitutional independence is what sovereignty is, I do not know how one can reduce it by pooling it.• Why don't we get together and pool our ideas?• If we all pool our money I'm sure we'll have enough to buy her a present.• We will be pooling our sovereignty, not losing it.• Usually they pool their financial resources and their business acumen.• Other voluntary hospitals with such funds lost them to the Exchequer, which pooled them in a central fund.pool ... resources• Many companies are pooling their resources and talents through alliances and mergers with other companies to make the electronic marketplace a reality.• Like pooling our resources and that.• Usually they pool their financial resources and their business acumen.• Individual unions are beginning to cooperate strategically and pool resources for membership recruitment and strike funds.• Through the securities market, corporations can pool the financial resources of extremely large numbers of people.• Furthermore, if one of the females becomes too dominant they can pool their male resources to put her in her place.• It is even cheaper to pool your resources with four or five other bands and put together a composite album.• The obligation to pool and share resources with one's kin would be felt differently by women and men.From Longman Business Dictionarypoolpool1 /puːl/ noun [countable]1an amount of money or a number of things shared by a group of peopleBoth partners put money into a common pool, and both may spend this money.2HUMAN RESOURCESa group of people who are available to do a particular job, if they are neededTaiwan offered a pool of cheap labour.There is a considerable pool of experience within our own organization.3INSURANCE an association of insurance companies organized to UNDERWRITE (=be responsible for) a particular risk, each member sharing any costs or lossesthe state-run pool for high-risk drivers → see also car pool1, motor poolpoolpool2 verb [transitive] to combine your money, ideas, skills etc with those of other people so that you can all use themMeetings enable people to pool ideas.More and more firms are pooling their resources and going into joint ventures. —pooling noun [uncountable]the pooling of information→ See Verb tableOrigin pool1 1. Old English pol2. (1600-1700) French poule “hen”; perhaps because a chicken was the target or prize in a game 