/wayd/ , v. , waded, wading , n.
v.i.
1. to walk in water, when partially immersed: He wasn't swimming, he was wading.
2. to play in water: The children were wading in the pool most of the afternoon.
3. to walk through water, snow, sand, or any other substance that impedes free motion or offers resistance to movement: to wade through the mud.
4. to make one's way slowly or laboriously (often fol. by through ): to wade through a dull book.
5. Obs. to go or proceed.
v.t.
6. to pass through or cross by wading; ford: to wade a stream.
7. wade in or into ,
a. to begin energetically.
b. to attack strongly: to wade into a thoughtless child; to wade into a mob of rioters.
n.
8. an act or instance of wading: We went for a wade in the shallows.
[ bef. 900; ME waden to go, wade, OE wadan to go; c. G waten, ON vatha; akin to OE waed ford, sea, L vadum shoal, ford, vadere to go, rush ]
Syn. 4. labor, toil, plod, plow, work.