school

I UK [skuːl] / US [skul] noun
Word forms "school":
singular school plural schools
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Differences between British and American English: school:

In both the UK and the US, school usually means a place where children are taught from the age of four or five until they are 18. American speakers also use school to refer to a university. In the UK, you say that children are at school during the day: The kids are at school until 3.00. In the US, you usually say they are in school, but American speakers also use in school when they mean studying at a school or university rather than having a job: She's still in school, but she's graduating in the spring.

1) [countable/uncountable] a place where children go to be taught

It's the biggest school in the city.

at/in school:

The kids will be at school until 3.00 today.

go to school:

It's time to go to school.

a) [singular] all the students and staff at a school

The whole school assembled in the hall.

b) [uncountable] the time that children spend at school during a day

Don't be late for school!

before/after school:

They go swimming after school on Thursdays.

c) [uncountable] the period during your life when you go to school

I didn't like school very much.

at school:

Both my kids are still at school.

start/leave school:

I left school when I was fifteen.

d) [only before noun] belonging to or connected with a school

a school uniform

the school bus/library/hockey team

2)

a) [countable/uncountable] a university department or a college that teaches a particular subject

the Slade School of Fine Art

the School of Management

medical/law school

b) a private institution that teaches a particular skill

the Perkins School of Ballroom Dancing

a driving/typing school

3) [countable/uncountable] American informal a college or university

Cornell is a very good school.

4)

a) [countable] a group of writers, artists etc whose work or ideas are similar

the Impressionist school of painting

b) a group of people who share the same opinions or ways of thinking

What you think about this probably depends on which school of economics you belong to.

5) [countable] a large group of fish, dolphins, whales etc

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See:

the school of hard knocks, School of the Air, school of thought

II UK [skuːl] / US [skul] verb [transitive]
Word forms "school":
present tense I/you/we/they school he/she/it schools present participle schooling past tense schooled past participle schooled

1) [usually passive] to teach or train someone in a particular subject or skill

school someone in something:

He had been well schooled in the art of diplomacy.

2) [usually passive] formal to educate a child

She was schooled in London.

3)

a) formal to make yourself do something difficult

He had schooled himself to be friendly even to the rudest customers.

b) if you school your features, you make yourself look calm even though you do not feel calm

4) to train a horse so that someone can ride it, especially in competitions