trawl
UK: trɔːl | US: trɔːl
n. 1. A large fishing net dragged along the sea bottom.
vt. 2. To fish or catch with a trawl net.
vi. 3. To search through something thoroughly or systematically.
The word "trawl" originates from the Middle Dutch traghelen ("to drag"), reflecting the action of pulling a net through water. It entered English in the 16th century as a nautical term for a method of fishing. Over time, its meaning expanded metaphorically to describe thorough searching (e.g., "trawling through data"). The spelling and core concept of "dragging" remain central to its modern usage.
The fishermen set out early to trawl for shrimp.
Environmentalists oppose bottom trawling due to its harm to marine ecosystems.
She trawled the archives for historical documents.
The police trawled social media for evidence.
A trawl net can capture hundreds of fish in a single sweep.