Word of the day: pool

The word of the day is pool:

< French poule collective stakes in a game (1665, with reference to the card game reversis; now especially in billards (1832), also in betting (1856, originally on horses)), of uncertain origin, perhaps a transferred use of poule hen (see pull n.²), perhaps with allusion to contemporary collocations or proverbs.


Journalism (orig. and chiefly U.S.). A group of selected reporters and photographers who have special access to news sources, esp. in government or the military. (OED)



"'I rang in as normal, filing, and my editor said, "Sit down. Something quite amazing has happened," ' he recalled. Jobson flew to Los Angeles in anticipation of the arrival of William and Kate, who were landing at LAX Friday afternoon. 'I refused to do that as my last pool,' he said. 'I’m not going to come all this way to stand on the bloody tarmac."'

 - Dana Goodyear, "Shoe Leather", 25 July 2011 The New Yorker

I'm not convinced that was the right definition, but it was the best I could find.