A small and rather deep area of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream or river; a reservoir for water.
A guide to pool
• Any small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle.
• Ellipsis of swimming pool.
• A set of resources that are kept ready to use.
• Any group of like things.
• A small amount of liquid on a surface.
• A localized glow of light.
(Verb) To form a pool.
(Noun) A supply of resources. A number of people when considered as a resource.
• A number of people when considered as a resource.
• 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 cue sport played on a pool table. There are 15 balls, 7 of one colour or solids, 7 of another color or stripes, and the black ball (also called the 8 ball). A player must pocket all their own colour balls and then the black ball in order to win.
• 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.
• A group of fencers taking part in a competition.
• A set of teams playing each other in the same division, while not during the same period playing any teams that belong to other sets in the division.
• 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.
• A set of players in quadrille etc.
• 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.
(Verb) 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.
• To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.
Why pool is relevant in U.S. law
pool appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
When and how pool applies
In practice, pool is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Wiktionary , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.