spud

[ spuhd ]

/ spʌd /

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noun

Informal. a potato.

a spadelike instrument, especially one with a narrow blade, as for digging up or cutting the roots of weeds.

a chisel-like tool for removing bark.

a pointed leg or stake for staying or supporting dredging or earth-boring machinery.

a short pipe, as for connecting a water pipe with a meter.

Surgery. an instrument having a dull flattened blade for removing substances or foreign bodies from certain parts of the body, as wax from the ear.

verb (used with object), spud·ded, spud·ding.

to remove with a spud.

Verb Phrases

spud in, to set up earth-boring equipment, especially for drilling an oil well.

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Origin of spud

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English spudde “short knife”; further origin unknown

Words nearby spud

sprung rhythm, spry, s.p.s., spt., SPUC, spud, spud-bashing, spudder, spuddle, Spud Island, spue

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use spud in a sentence

First, poke your spud with a fork to allow for even cooking and prevent any explosions.
How to chop tearless onions, and 9 other genius microwave hacks|Sandra Gutierrez G.|September 13, 2021|Popular-Science
I hate to ask who the maternal figure is behind “Mama’s” mashed potatoes, but the lackluster spuds don’t exactly rate the feel-good reference.
Count on crisp and juicy fried chicken at the bustling new Yardbird in D.C.|Tom Sietsema|June 25, 2021|Washington Post
Some of the recipes traditionally called for pre- or par-cooked potatoes, but all can be cooked from raw spuds.
How to make crispy shredded hash browns part of your breakfast rotation|Aaron Hutcherson|March 19, 2021|Washington Post
However, I tend to regulate these iterations of crispy spuds to lunch and dinner these days, thus filling me with joy and exuberance anytime I’m able to enjoy crunchy taters in the morning.
How to make crispy shredded hash browns part of your breakfast rotation|Aaron Hutcherson|March 19, 2021|Washington Post

Below, you’ll find some great spud ideas for your Thanksgiving table.
Mashed, roasted, crispy or creamy: Our best potato recipes for your holiday table|Kari Sonde|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
Old Warrender would lean on his daisy-spud a pleased spectator of the Arcadian scene.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume II (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Again he caught a glimpse of the boy's arm amid all that spud and foam.
The Banner Boy Scouts on a Tour|George A. Warren
Spud Murphy, our officer, fought till his arm was disabled, but we continued to hold the trench.
Into the Jaws of Death|Jack O'Brien
She walked up and down with her spud for another half-hour before she could come to any conclusion.
The Necromancers|Robert Hugh Benson
Spud answered with a joyous oath that it certainly looked like it.
Under Handicap|Jackson Gregory

British Dictionary definitions for spud

spud

/ (spʌd) /

noun

an informal word for potato (def. 1)

a narrow-bladed spade for cutting roots, digging up weeds, etc

Also called: spudder a tool, resembling a chisel, for removing bark from trees

verb spuds, spudding or spudded

(tr) to remove (bark) or eradicate (weeds) with a spud

(intr) to drill the first foot of an oil-well

Word Origin for spud

C15 spudde short knife, of unknown origin; applied later to a digging tool, and hence to a potato

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

spud

Origin of spud

Words nearby spud

Words related to spud

How to use spud in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for spud

Word Origin for spud