spud

American  

[spuhd] / spʌd /

noun

1. Informal. a potato.

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

3. a chisel-like tool for removing bark.

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

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

6. 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.

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verb (used with object)

spuds, present (3rd person singular) spudded, past participle, past spudding present participle

1. to remove with a spud.

verb phrase

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

spud British  

/ spʌd /

noun

1. an informal word for potato

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

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

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verb

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

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

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has spudded
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are spudding
  progressive
• have spudded
  perfect
• has been spudding
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is spudding
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been spudding
  perfect progressive
• am spudding
  progressive 1st person singular
• spudding
  participle
• spuds
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had spudded
  perfect
• had been spudding
  perfect progressive
• was spudding
  progressive singular
• were spudding
  progressive plural
• spudded
  simple
• spudded
  participle

Future

• will spud
  simple
• will have spudded
  perfect
• will be spudding
  progressive
• will have been spudding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of spud

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

Example Sentences

She believes the spud frenzy is all about the sheer surprise and novelty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

Cantwell is right to defend the spud against this line of attack.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2024

But the case, like so many others, fell by the flesh of the spud.

From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2024

Baked, boiled, roasted or chipped, the humble spud is a dinner staple.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2023

Dennis had the craving, so he did, for a nice sheep’s head with a bit of cabbage and a spud so up with me to Barry the butcher with the last few shillings I had.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt