troll¹ (trōl)

v., trolled, troll·ing, trolls.

v.tr.

1. 1. To fish for by trailing a baited line from behind a slowly moving boat.
   2. To fish in by trailing a baited line: troll the lake for bass.
   3. To trail (a baited line) in fishing.
2. Slang. To patrol (an area) in search for someone or something: "[Criminals] troll bus stations for young runaways" (Pete Axthelm).
3. Music.
   1. To sing in succession the parts of (a round, for example).
   2. To sing heartily: troll a carol.
4. To roll or revolve.

v.intr.

1. To fish by trailing a line, as from a moving boat.
2. 1. To wander about; ramble.
   2. Slang. To patrol an area in search for someone or something.
3. Music. To sing heartily or gaily.
4. To roll or spin around.

n.

1. 1. The act of trolling for fish.
   2. A lure, such as a spoon or spinner, that is used for trolling.
2. Music. A vocal composition in successive parts; a round.

[Middle English trollen, to wander about, from Old French troller, of Germanic origin.]

troller troll'er n.

troll² (trōl)
n.
A supernatural creature of Scandinavian folklore, variously portrayed as a friendly or mischievous dwarf or as a giant, that lives in caves, in the hills, or under bridges.

[Old Norse.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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