PADDLE


Meaning of PADDLE in English

1. n. & v.

--n.

1. a short broad-bladed oar used without a rowlock.

2 a paddle-shaped instrument.

3 Zool. a fin or flipper.

4 each of the boards fitted round the circumference of a paddle-wheel or mill-wheel.

5 the action or a spell of paddling.

--v.

1. intr. & tr. move on water or propel a boat by means of paddles.

2 intr. & tr. row gently.

3 tr. esp. US colloq. spank.

Phrases and idioms:

paddle-boat (or -steamer etc.) a boat, steamer, etc., propelled by a paddle-wheel. paddle-wheel a wheel for propelling a ship, with boards round the circumference so as to press backwards against the water.

Derivatives:

paddler n.

Etymology: 15th c.: orig. unkn. 2. v. & n.

--v.intr. walk barefoot or dabble the feet or hands in shallow water.

--n. the action or a spell of paddling.

Derivatives:

paddler n.

Etymology: prob. of LG or Du. orig.: cf. LG paddeln tramp about

Oxford English vocab.      Оксфордский английский словарь.