school

{{11}}school (n.¹) "place of instruction," O.E. scol, from L. schola, from Gk. skhole "school, lecture, discussion," also "leisure, spare time," originally "a holding back, a keeping clear," from skhein "to get" + -ole by analogy with bole "a throw," stole "outfit," etc.

The original notion is "leisure," which passed to "otiose discussion," then "place for such." The PIE root is *segh- "to hold, hold in one's power, to have" (see SCHEME (Cf. scheme)). The Latin word was widely borrowed, Cf. O.Fr. escole, Fr. école, Sp. escuela, It. scuola, O.H.G. scuola, Ger. Schule, Swed. skola, Gael. sgiol, Welsh ysgol, Rus. shkola. Replaced O.E. larhus "lore house."

Meaning "students attending a school" is attested from c.1300; sense of "school building" is first recorded 1590s. Sense of "people united by a general similarity of principles and methods" is from 1610s; hence school of thought (1864). School of hard knocks "rough experience in life" is recorded from 1912 (in George Ade); to tell tales out of school "betray damaging secrets" is from 1540s.

{{12}}school (n.²) "group of fish," c.1400, from M.Du. schole "group of fish or other animals," cognate with O.E. scolu "band, troop, school of fish," from W.Gmc. *skulo- (see SHOAL (Cf. shoal) (n.²)).

{{12}}school (v.) 1570s, from SCHOOL (Cf. school) (n.¹). Related: Schooled; schooling.