2. To dabble in water with hands or feet; to use a paddle, or something which serves as a paddle, in
swimming, in paddling a boat, etc.
As the men were paddling for their lives.
L'Estrange.
While paddling ducks the standing lake desire.
Gay. Paddle
(Pad"dle), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Paddled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Paddling ]
1. To pat or stroke amorously, or gently.
To be paddling palms and pinching fingers.
Shak. 2. To propel with, or as with, a paddle or paddles.
3. To pad; to tread upon; to trample. [Prov. Eng.]
Paddle
(Pad"dle), n. [See Paddle, v. i.]
1. An implement with a broad blade, which is used without a fixed fulcrum in propelling and steering
canoes and boats.
2. The broad part of a paddle, with which the stroke is made; hence, any short, broad blade, resembling
that of a paddle.
Thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon.
Deut. xxiii. 13. 3. One of the broad boards, or floats, at the circumference of a water wheel, or paddle wheel.
4. A small gate in sluices or lock gates to admit or let off water; — also called clough.
5. (Zoöl.) A paddle-shaped foot, as of the sea turtle.
6. A paddle-shaped implement for stirring or mixing.
7. [In this sense prob. for older spaddle, a dim. of spade.] See Paddle staff below. [Prov. Eng.]
Paddle beam (Shipbuilding), one of two large timbers supporting the spring beam and paddle box of
a steam vessel. — Paddle board. See Paddle, n., 3. — Paddle box, the structure inclosing the
upper part of the paddle wheel of a steam vessel. — Paddle shaft, the revolving shaft which carries
the paddle wheel of a steam vessel. — Paddle staff. (a) A staff tipped with a broad blade, used by
mole catchers. [Prov. Eng.] (b) A long-handled spade used to clean a plowshare; — called also plow
staff. [Prov. Eng.] — Paddle steamer, a steam vessel propelled by paddle wheels, in distinction from
a screw propeller. — Paddle wheel, the propelling wheel of a steam vessel, having paddles (or floats)
on its circumference, and revolving in a vertical plane parallel to the vessel's length.
Paddlecock
(Pad"dle*cock`) n. (Zoöl.) The lumpfish. [Prov. Eng.]
Paddlefish
(Pad"dle*fish`) n. (Zoöl) A large ganoid fish (Polyodon spathula) found in the rivers of the
Mississippi Valley. It has a long spatula-shaped snout. Called also duck-billed cat, and spoonbill sturgeon.
Paddler
(Pad"dler) n. One who, or that which, paddles.
Paddlewood
(Pad"dle*wood`) n. (Bot.) The light elastic wood of the Aspidosperma excelsum, a tree
of Guiana having a fluted trunk readily split into planks.
