paddle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   propel with a paddle

   paddle your own canoe

2. 2
   noun

   The use of a paddle to propel a boat; a session of paddling.

   We had a nice paddle this morning.

3. 3
   noun

   A broad, flat spanking implement.

   The paddle practically ousted the British cane for spankings in the independent US.

4. 4
   noun

   A broad, flat device used in striking the ball, analogous to a racket in tennis.

   (UK)

5. 5
   noun

   A flat board with a number of holes or indentations, used to carry small alcoholic drinks such as shots.

   And it really is a paddle, too, with a blade big enough to hold several sampling glasses of different beers (known for some reason as a 'flight') for customers to try. Beer paddles have become very popular in American craft beer bars: […]

6. 6
   noun

   A flat limb of an aquatic animal, adapted for swimming.

   A sea turtle's paddles make it swim almost as fast as land tortoises are slow.

7. 7
   noun

   A flap of attached skin that has been cut away from a wound.

   A large ( 13 x 25 cm ) paddle of skin was used to cover a large wound following a temporal bone resection.

8. 8
   verb

   To propel something through water with a paddle, oar, hands, etc.

   as the Men were Paddling for their Lives

Etymology

Partly from the verb paddle ("to splash, dabble"; see below) 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 (pēdálion, “rudder, steering oar”), derived from πηδόν (pēdón, “the blade of an oar; an oar”).