Trawl

noun
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.
verb (used without object)
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.
verb (used with object)
6.
to catch with a trawl net or a trawl line.
7.
to drag (a trawl net).
8.
to troll.
noun (fishing:Sea)
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 See also setline, trotline
3.
the act of trawling
verb
4.
(fishing:Sea) to catch or try to catch (fish) with a trawl net or trawl line
5.
(fishing:Sea) (transitive) to drag (a trawl net) or suspend (a trawl line)
6.
(intransitive) foll by for. to seek or gather (something, such as information, or someone, such as a likely appointee) from a wide variety of sources
noun, verb
7.
(angling) another word for troll1

To sift through large volumes of data (e.g. Usenet postings, FTP archives, or the Jargon File) looking for something of interest. [Jargon File]