stool
gb/stˈul/ us/stˈul/
A2
English
~ 7500
ülőke, bárszék, sámli, szar, széklet, székel, székletet ürít
NOUN
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to sit on a [stool]
She grabbed a stool and sat down at the kitchen counter.
Fogott egy bárszéket, és leült a konyhapulthoz.
The bar was full, but he found an empty stool near the window.
A bár tele volt, de talált egy üres bárszéket az ablak mellett.
I need a step stool to reach the top shelf in the closet.
The children sat on small wooden stools around the low table.
He perched on a metal stool while getting his hair cut.
Learner examples
He sits on a stool at the bar.
A bárpultnál ül egy bárszéken.
I bought a small stool for my desk.
Vettem egy kis ülőkét az íróasztalomhoz.
She uses a stool to reach the high cabinet.
There is a tall stool next to the counter.
The child sits on a low stool to play.
Common mistake:
Learners often use "chair" for all types of seats and may say "bar chair" instead of "bar stool." A stool usually has no back or arms and is often higher than a normal chair. Another mistake is thinking that a stool must always be tall; in fact, stools can be low or high.
Meaning
backless seat for one person
Collocations
bar stool
|wooden stool
|high stool
|three-legged stool
|sit on a stool
|pull up a stool
Synonyms
seat (General word; does not suggest the simple, backless design of a stool.)
|
bench (Usually longer and for more than one person, while a stool is for one person.)
Antonyms
armchair (Has a back and arms and is larger and more comfortable, unlike a simple stool.)
Themes
home
|daily life
|objects
|housing
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A small seat for one person that has legs and no back or arms, often used at a counter or bar.
A small seat for one person, usually with three or four legs and no back or arms; often taller than a chair.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
to take a [stool] sample
The doctor asked him to provide a stool sample for testing.
Az orvos megkérte, hogy adjon székletmintát a vizsgálathoz.
Changes in the color of your stool can be a sign of illness.
A széklet színének megváltozása betegség jele lehet.
Blood in the stool should always be checked by a healthcare professional.
The lab reported that the patient's stool contained no parasites.
She kept a record of her baby's stool frequency for the pediatrician.
Learner examples
The nurse takes a stool sample to the lab.
A nővér elviszi a székletmintát a laborba.
There is blood in his stool, so he sees a doctor.
Vér van a székletében, ezért orvoshoz megy.
Her stool is very hard, and it hurts.
The doctor checks his stool for problems.
My stool is not normal today.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with the furniture sense and may not realize that in medical English "stool" is a polite, standard word for solid waste. In everyday casual speech, people more often say "poop" or "shit" (very rude), but in hospitals and health texts, "stool" is preferred.
Meaning
solid bodily waste (feces)
Collocations
loose stool
|hard stool
|bloody stool
|normal stool
|stool sample
|stool test
Synonyms
feces (More formal and scientific; used in medical and scientific writing.)
|
bowel movement (Polite medical term for the act and result of passing stool.)
Themes
health
|medicine
|biology
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Solid waste that comes out of the body when you use the toilet, especially as a medical word.
Solid waste material that is passed from the body through the bowels; feces, especially in medical or clinical contexts.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
3
székel
C1
Usage pattern:
[someone] stools [number] times
The infant has not stooled in the last 24 hours.
A csecsemő az elmúlt 24 órában nem székelt.
The nurse noted that the patient stooled three times overnight.
A nővér feljegyezte, hogy a beteg az éjszaka háromszor székelt.
If the child does not stool by tomorrow, call the clinic.
He began stooling normally again after the treatment.
Patients who have not stooled after surgery may feel uncomfortable.
Learner examples
The baby has not stooled today.
A baba ma még nem székelt.
The doctor writes that the man stooled two times.
Az orvos feljegyzi, hogy a férfi kétszer székelt.
After the medicine, she stools without pain.
If you do not stool for many days, it is a problem.
The nurse asks, "Did you stool this morning?"
Common mistake:
This verb is almost only used in medical notes and by healthcare workers. Learners sometimes try to use it in everyday speech (e.g., *"I need to stool"*), which sounds strange or wrong in normal conversation. In everyday English, people say "go to the bathroom" or "poop" instead.
Meaning
to pass stool (medical use)
Collocations
patient stooled
|stooling normally
|has not stooled
|stooled three times
Synonyms
defecate (Formal, technical word; more common in written medical English than in everyday speech.)
Themes
medicine
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
In medical language, to pass solid waste from the body.
In medical contexts, to pass solid waste from the bowels; to defecate.
Grammar
Dictionary form
stool
IPA
GB/stˈul/
US/stˈul/
Syllables & stress
stool (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (stool)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: stool
- Plural: stools
Verb
- Base: stool
- 3rd Person Singular: stools
- Present Participle: stooling
- Past: stooled
Word family
Forms
stools
noun
stooling
verb
stooled
verb
Related words
footstool
noun
barstool
noun
Expressions
bar stool
1/bˈɑɹ stˈul/
fixed phrase
tall stool used at a bar
A tall, narrow stool with no back, used for sitting at a bar or a high counter.
Examples
- He sat on a bar stool and ordered a drink.
- All the bar stools were taken, so we stood near the door.
- She chose a bar stool by the window so she could people-watch.
milking stool
1/mˈɪlkɪŋ stˈul/
fixed phrase
low stool used for milking
A small, low stool that a person sits on while milking a cow or another farm animal.
Examples
- He sat on a milking stool beside the cow.
- The old wooden milking stool was kept in the barn.
- She carried the milking stool and bucket to the field.
piano stool
1/piˈænoʊ stˈul/
fixed phrase
stool used for playing piano
A small seat, usually without a back, that someone sits on to play the piano.
Examples
- She sat on the piano stool and began to play.
- The piano stool is adjustable so both children and adults can use it.
- He kept his music books under the piano stool.
step stool
1/stˈɛp stˈul/
fixed phrase
small stool for reaching high places
A small, light stool with one or more steps that helps you reach something high.
Examples
- She used a step stool to get the box from the top shelf.
- Keep a step stool in the kitchen so you can reach the cupboards safely.
- He fell off a step stool while changing the light bulb.
stool pigeon
1/stˈul pˈɪd͡ʒɪn/
idiom
person who informs the police
A person who secretly gives the police information about criminals, often someone inside a group of criminals.
Examples
- They suspected there was a stool pigeon in the gang.
- The mob boss was arrested after a stool pigeon talked to the police.
- No one trusted him after he was exposed as a stool pigeon.
stool sample
1/stˈul sˈæmpəl/
fixed phrase
technical
sample of stool for a test
A small amount of a person’s stool that is taken and tested in a lab to check for illness.
Examples
- The clinic asked him to bring in a stool sample.
- A stool sample can show if there are parasites in your intestines.
- The doctor ordered blood work and a stool sample to find the cause of the diarrhea.
three-legged stool
1/θɹˈi lˈɛɡd stˈul/
idiom
system with three main supports
An idea, system, or plan that has three main parts which all support it and are all important.
Examples
- Their retirement plan is a three-legged stool of savings, pensions, and investments.
- A healthy life rests on a three-legged stool of sleep, diet, and exercise.
- The company’s strategy is a three-legged stool built on cost, quality, and innovation.