trawl

Etymology

16th century, borrowed from Dutch tragelen (“to pull with a towline, trawl”), from Middle Dutch traghelen, from traghel (“dragnet”) (presumably from Latin tragula (“dragnet”)), and as such root-cognate with English drag.

noun

1. A net or dragnet used for trawling.
2. A long fishing line having many short lines bearing hooks attached to it; a setline.

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To take (fish or other marine animals) with a trawl.
2. (intransitive) To fish from a slow-moving boat.
3. (intransitive) To make an exhaustive search for something within a defined area.