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coal
/kɔʊl/
When used as a noun to describe the fuel, "coal" is typically an uncountable noun. You would say "some coal" or "a lot of coal," rather than "a coal." As a verb, it is primarily used in historical or industrial contexts, specifically referring to ships or trains from the era of steam power.
💬Casual Conversation
🎬Tuesday afternoon, Fatima is researching for a history paper while Maya is lounging at home.
Fatima
My brain is fried. This chapter on the coal industry is an absolute slog.
Maya
Just power through it. You're almost there.
💡
Fatima uses the slang 'fried' to describe mental exhaustion and 'slog' to describe a tedious task. Maya responds with the phrasal verb 'power through', meaning to continue working despite difficulties.