UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈpædəl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈpædəl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(pad′l)
Nautical, Naval Termsa short, flat-bladed oar for moving and steering a canoe or small boat.
any similar item used for mixing, stirring, or beating.
a racket with a short handle and a wide, rounded front surface, used in table tennis, etc.
Nautical, Naval Termsa blade or part of a wheel moved by the action of water rushing past it, or by an engine that pushes it through water:a paddle wheel boat.
v.
Nautical, Naval Termsto (cause to) move in a canoe or the like by using a paddle: [no object]paddled across the lake in the canoe.[~ + object]He paddled the canoe across the lake.
to spank with or as if with a paddle:[~ + object]threatened to paddle the naughty child.
pad•dle1(pad′l),USA pronunciationn., v.,-dled, -dling. n.
Naval Terms, a short, flat bladed oar for propelling and steering a canoe or small boat, usually held by both hands and moved more or less through a vertical arc.
any of various similar implements used for mixing, stirring, or beating.
Sport, any of various similar but smaller implements with a short handle for holding in one hand and a wide or rounded blade, used for a racket in table tennis, paddle tennis, etc.
such an implement or a similarly shaped makeshift one, used to spank or beat someone.
Anthropology, an implement used for beating garments while washing them in running water, as in a stream.
Naval Terms, Also called float, floatboard. a blade of a paddle wheel.
Naval Terms, See paddle wheel.
Naval Terms, any of the blades by which a water wheel is turned.
Zoologya flipper or limb of a penguin, turtle, whale, etc.
an act of paddling.
British TermsAlso, pattle.Brit. Dial. a small spade with a long handle, used to dig up thistles.
Civil Engineering(in a gate of a lock or sluice) a panel that slides to permit the passage of water.
v.i.
Naval Terms, to propel or travel in a canoe or the like by using a paddle.
Naval Terms, to row lightly or gently with oars.
Naval Terms, to move by means of paddle wheels, as a steamer.
v.t.
to propel with a paddle: to paddle a canoe.
to spank or beat with or as with a paddle.
to stir, mix, or beat with or as with a paddle
to convey by paddling, as a canoe.
Sportto hit (a table-tennis ball or the like) with a paddle.
Idiomspaddle one's own canoe. See canoe (def. 3).
late Middle English padell (noun, nominal) 1375–1425