- school
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I. noun
Etymology: Middle English scole, from Old English scōl, from Latin schola, from Greek scholē leisure, discussion, lecture, school; perhaps akin to Greek echein to hold — more at scheme
Date: before 12th century
1. an organization that provides instruction: as
a. an institution for the teaching of children
b. college, university
c.
(1) a group of scholars and teachers pursuing knowledge together that with similar groups constituted a medieval university
(2) one of the four faculties of a medieval university
(3) an institution for specialized higher education often associated with a university <the school of engineering> d. an establishment offering specialized instruction <a secretarial school> <driving schools> 2. a. (1) the process of teaching or learning especially at a school (2) attendance at a school (3) a session of a school b. a school building c. the students attending a school; also its teachers and students 3. a source of knowledge <experience was his school> 4. a. a group of persons who hold a common doctrine or follow the same teacher (as in philosophy, theology, or medicine) <the Aristotelian school>; also the doctrine or practice of such a group b. a group of artists under a common influence c. a group of persons of similar opinions or behavior; also the shared opinions or behavior of such a group <other schools of thought> 5. the regulations governing military drill of individuals or units; also the exercises carried out <the school of the soldier> II. transitive verb Date: 15th century 1. a. to teach or drill in a specific knowledge or skill <well schooled in languages> b. to discipline or habituate to something <school oneself in patience> 2. to educate in an institution of learning Synonyms: see teach III. noun Etymology: Middle English scole, from Middle Dutch schole; akin to Old English scolu multitude and probably to Old English scylian to separate — more at skill Date: 15th century a large number of fish or aquatic animals of one kind swimming together IV. intransitive verb Date: 1597 to swim or feed in a school <bluefish are schooling>
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.