trawling

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2019

trawl /trɔl/   n. [countable]

1. Also called  ˈtrawl ˌnet. a fishing net dragged along the sea bottom to catch fish.
2. Also called  ˈtrawl ˌline. a line attached to buoys and used in sea fishing, having many short lines with baited hooks attached at intervals.

v. 

3. to fish with a trawl (in):
   [~ + object] trawling the seas for big game fish.
   [no object] a day spent trawling for fish.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2019

trawl (trôl),  n. 

1. Also called trawl′ net′. a strong fishing net for dragging along the sea bottom.
2. Also called trawl′ line′. a buoyed line used in sea fishing, having numerous short lines with baited hooks attached at intervals.

v.i. 

3. to fish with a net that drags along the sea bottom to catch the fish living there.
4. to fish with a trawl line.
5. to troll.

v.t. 

6. to catch with a trawl net or a trawl line.
7. to drag (a trawl net).
8. to troll.

trawl ′a•ble, adj. 
trawl′a•bil ′i•ty, n. 

• Middle Dutch tragel (noun, nominal), tragelen (verb, verbal); cognate with trail
• 1475–85

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

trawl /trɔːl/ n

1. Also called: trawl net a large net, usually in the shape of a sock or bag, drawn at deep levels behind special boats (trawlers)
2. 
   Also called: trawl line a long line to which numerous shorter hooked lines are attached, suspended between buoys
3. the act of trawling

vb

1. to catch or try to catch (fish) with a trawl net or trawl line
2. (intransitive) followed by for: to seek or gather (something, such as information, or someone, such as a likely appointee) from a wide variety of sources

Etymology: 17th Century: from Middle Dutch traghelen to drag, from Latin trāgula dragnet; see trail