paddle

Meanings

Noun

• A two-handed, single-bladed oar used to propel a canoe or a small boat.
• A double-bladed oar used for kayaking.
• Time spent on paddling.
• A slat of a paddleboat's wheel.
• A paddlewheel.
• A blade of a waterwheel.
• A game controller with a round wheel used to control player movement along one axis of the video screen.
• A meandering walk or dabble through shallow water, especially at the seaside.
• A kitchen utensil shaped like a paddle and used for mixing, beating etc.
• A broad, flat spanking implement.
• A broad, flat device used in striking the ball, analogous to a racket in tennis.
• A flat limb of an aquatic animal, adapted for swimming.
• In a sluice, a panel that controls the flow of water.
• A group of inerts.
• A handheld defibrillation/cardioversion electrode.
• hand
• Alternative of padel

Verb

• To propel something through water with a paddle, oar, hands, etc.
• To row a boat with less than one's full capacity.
• To spank with a paddle.
• To pat or stroke amorously or gently.
• To tread upon; to trample.
• To walk or dabble playfully in shallow water, especially at the seaside.
• To toddle.
• To toy or caress using hands or fingers.

Origin

• Partly from the verb paddle 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 ("rudder, steering oar"), derived from πηδός.
• Recorded since 1530, probably cognate with Low German paddeln ("to tramp about"), frequentative form of padjen, from pad (also in Dutch dialects). Compare also Saterland Frisian paddelje ("to paddle").