Pool
Part of speech: verb
Definition: to put together; contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of; as, the companies pooled their traffic. combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial,speculative, or gambling transaction.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A small and rather deep collection of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream; a reservoir for water; as, the pools of Solomon. --Wyclif. A small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle. A swimming pool. A supply of resources. A game at billiards, in which each of the players stakes a certain sum, the winner taking the whole; also, in public billiard rooms, a game in which the loser pays the entrance fee for all who engage in the game; a game of skill in pocketing the balls on a pool table. In rifle shooting, a contest in which each competitor pays a certain sum for every shot he makes, the net proceeds being divided among the winners. Any gambling or commercial venture in which several persons join. The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a share; also, the receptacle for the stakes. A combination of persons contributing money to be used for the purpose of increasing or depressing the market price of stocks, grain, or other commodities; also, the aggregate of the sums so contributed; as, the pool took all the wheat offered below the limit; he put $10,000 into the pool. A mutual arrangement between competing lines, by which the receipts of all are aggregated, and then distributed pro rata according to agreement. An aggregation of properties or rights, belonging to different people in a community, in a common fund, to be charged with common liabilities.
Example sentence: Nine-tenths of tactics are certain, and taught in books: but the irrational tenth is like the kingfisher flashing across the pool, and that is the test of generals.
Puddle
Part of speech: noun
Definition: A small pool of water, usually on a path or road.A homogeneous mixture of clay, water, and sometimes grit, used to line a canal or pond to make it watertight.
Part of speech: verb
Definition: To form a puddle.To play or splash in a puddle.To process iron by means of puddling.To line a canal with puddle (clay).To collect ideas, especially abstract concepts, into rough subtopics or categories, as in study, research or conversation.