~ 1
■ noun
1》 a thick piece of soft or absorbent material.
↘a protective guard worn over a part of the body by a sports player.
2》 the fleshy underpart of an animal's foot or of a human finger.
3》 a number of sheets of blank paper fastened together at one edge.
4》 a flat-topped structure or area used for helicopter take-off and landing or for rocket-launching.
5》 informal a person's home.
6》 Electronics a flat area on a track of a printed circuit or on the edge of an integrated circuit to which wires or component leads can be attached to make an electrical connection.
■ verb ( ~s , ~ding , ~ded )
1》 [often as adjective ~ded ] fill or cover with a ~.
2》 ( ~ something out ) lengthen a speech or piece of writing with unnecessary material.
3》 chiefly N. Amer. defraud by adding false items to (an expenses claim or bill).
4》 ( ~ up ) (in cricket) put on protective ~s.
Derivatives
~ding noun
Origin
C16 (in the sense 'bundle of straw to lie on'): of uncertain origin; the meaning 'underpart of an animal's foot' is perh. related to Low Ger. ~ 'sole of the foot'.
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~ 2
■ verb ( ~s , ~ding , ~ded ) walk with steady steps making a soft, dull sound.
■ noun the sound of such steps.
Origin
C16: from Low Ger. ~den 'to tread, go along a path', partly imitative.