Paddle

//ˈpædl̩// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    A two-handed implement consisting of a shaft with one or two blades attached to the end(s) used to propel a canoe, kayak or a small boat. A paddle is unattached to the boat and freely operated with the hands, compared with an oar which is attached to the boat at a pivot point.; A single-bladed version is typically used on canoes and some other small boats. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    a short light oar used without an oarlock to propel a canoe or small boat wordnet
  3. 3
    A two-handed implement consisting of a shaft with one or two blades attached to the end(s) used to propel a canoe, kayak or a small boat. A paddle is unattached to the boat and freely operated with the hands, compared with an oar which is attached to the boat at a pivot point.; A double-bladed version with blades at each end of the shaft is used for kayaking. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    an instrument of punishment consisting of a flat board wordnet
  5. 5
    The use of a paddle to propel a boat; a session of paddling. countable, uncountable

    "We had a nice paddle this morning."

Show 18 more definitions
  1. 6
    a blade of a paddle wheel or water wheel wordnet
  2. 7
    A slat of a paddleboat's wheel. countable, uncountable
  3. 8
    small wooden bat with a flat surface; used for hitting balls in various games wordnet
  4. 9
    A paddlewheel. countable, uncountable
  5. 10
    A blade of a waterwheel. countable, uncountable
  6. 11
    A game controller with a round wheel used to control player movement along one axis of the video screen. countable, dated, uncountable
  7. 12
    A meandering walk or dabble through shallow water, especially at the seaside. British, countable, uncountable
  8. 13
    A kitchen utensil shaped like a paddle and used for mixing, beating etc. countable, uncountable
  9. 14
    A broad, flat spanking implement. countable, uncountable

    "The paddle practically ousted the British cane for spankings in the independent US."

  10. 15
    A broad, flat device used in striking the ball, analogous to a racket in tennis. countable, uncountable

    "(UK)"

  11. 16
    A flat board with a number of holes or indentations, used to carry small alcoholic drinks such as shots. countable, uncountable

    "And it really is a paddle, too, with a blade big enough to hold several sampling glasses of different beers (known for some reason as a 'flight') for customers to try. Beer paddles have become very popular in American craft beer bars: […]"

  12. 17
    A flat limb of an aquatic animal, adapted for swimming. countable, uncountable

    "A sea turtle's paddles make it swim almost as fast as land tortoises are slow."

  13. 18
    In a sluice, a panel that controls the flow of water. countable, uncountable
  14. 19
    A handheld electrode used for defibrillation or cardioversion. countable, uncountable
  15. 20
    A flipper in a pinball machine. countable, uncountable
  16. 21
    A person's hand. countable, slang, uncountable
  17. 22
    A flap of attached skin that has been cut away from a wound. countable, uncountable

    "A large ( 13 x 25 cm ) paddle of skin was used to cover a large wound following a temporal bone resection."

  18. 23
    Alternative form of padel. alt-of, alternative, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To propel something through water with a paddle, oar, hands, etc. transitive

    "as the Men were Paddling for their Lives"

  2. 2
    To walk or dabble playfully in shallow water, especially at the seaside. British, intransitive
  3. 3
    stir with a paddle wordnet
  4. 4
    To row a boat with less than one's full capacity. intransitive
  5. 5
    To dog paddle in water. intransitive
Show 10 more definitions
  1. 6
    give a spanking to; subject to a spanking wordnet
  2. 7
    To spank with a paddle. transitive

    "Do you think we'll get paddled? They can't paddle me! I'm a girl!!"

  3. 8
    To toddle. intransitive

    "[…] little feet paddling round and about a man's bed and following wherever he went."

  4. 9
    walk unsteadily, with short steps wordnet
  5. 10
    To pat or stroke amorously or gently.

    "to be paddling palms and pinching fingers."

  6. 11
    To toy or caress using hands or fingers. archaic, intransitive
  7. 12
    propel with a paddle wordnet
  8. 13
    To tread upon; to trample.
  9. 14
    swim like a dog in shallow water wordnet
  10. 15
    play in or as if in water, as of small children wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

Partly from the verb paddle ("to splash, dabble"; see below) and partly from Middle English padell (“small spade”). Middle English padell is from Medieval Latin padela, itself of uncertain origin: perhaps an alteration of Middle English *spaddle (see also spaddle), a diminutive of spade; or from Latin patella (“pan, plate”), the diminutive of patina, or a merger of the two. Compare Ancient Greek πηδάλιον (pēdálion, “rudder, steering oar”), derived from πηδόν (pēdón, “the blade of an oar; an oar”).

Etymology 2

Partly from the verb paddle ("to splash, dabble"; see below) and partly from Middle English padell (“small spade”). Middle English padell is from Medieval Latin padela, itself of uncertain origin: perhaps an alteration of Middle English *spaddle (see also spaddle), a diminutive of spade; or from Latin patella (“pan, plate”), the diminutive of patina, or a merger of the two. Compare Ancient Greek πηδάλιον (pēdálion, “rudder, steering oar”), derived from πηδόν (pēdón, “the blade of an oar; an oar”).

Etymology 3

Recorded since 1530, probably cognate with Low German paddeln (“to tramp about”), frequentative form of padjen (“to tramp, run in short steps”), from pad (also in Dutch dialects). Compare also Saterland Frisian paddelje (“to paddle”).

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