Spade (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spaded;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Spading.]
To dig with a spade;
to pare off
the sward of, as land, with a spade.
Spade , n. [AS. spæd; spada; akin to D. spade, G. spaten, Icel.
spaði, Dan. & Sw. spade, L. spatha a spatula, a broad two-edged sword, a spathe, Gr. spa`qh.
Cf. Epaulet, Spade at cards, Spathe, Spatula.]
1. An implement for digging or cutting the ground, consisting usually of an oblong
and nearly rectangular blade of iron, with
a handle like that of
a shovel. "With spade and pickax armed." Milton.
2. [Sp.
espada, literally, a
sword; -- so caused because these cards among the Spanish bear the figure of
a sword. Sp. espada is fr. L. spatha, Gr. spa`qh. See the Etymology above.] One of that suit
of cards each of which bears one or more
figures resembling a spade.
"Let spades be trumps!" she said.
Pope. 3. A cutting instrument used in flensing a whale.
Spade bayonet, a bayonet with a broad
blade which may be used digging; -- called also trowel bayonet. --
Spade handle
(Mach.), the forked
end of a
connecting rod in which a pin is held at both ends. See Illust. of Knuckle joint, under Knuckle.
Spade (?), n. [Cf. Spay, n.]
1. (Zoöl.) A hart or stag three years old. [Written also spaid,
spayade.]
2. [Cf. L. spado.] A castrated man or beast.
Hear it pronounced