paddle

[ˈpæ.dəl]

[[ˈpʰæ.ɾɫ̩]]

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A paddle is an object used for moving water or air. It's usually flat and long.

You might use a paddle when swimming or kayaking to propel yourself through the water. Many people also call the flat, wide piece of wood that you use to steer a canoe or kayak a paddle. Some surfers use short, light paddles made of foam or other soft materials to help them stay on their boards while waiting for a wave.

How common is "paddle"?

Word paddle is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

A two-handed, single-bladed oar used to propel a canoe or a small boat.
A double-bladed oar used for kayaking.
Time spent on paddling.
Example: We had a nice paddle this morning.
A slat of a paddleboat's wheel.
A paddlewheel.
A blade of a waterwheel.
A game controller with a round wheel used to control player movement along one axis of the video screen.
A meandering walk or dabble through shallow water, especially at the seaside.
A kitchen utensil shaped like a paddle and used for mixing, beating etc.
A bat-shaped spanking implement
Example: The paddle practically ousted the British cane for spankings in the independent US.
A ping-pong bat.
A flat limb of an aquatic animal, adapted for swimming.
Example: A sea turtle's paddles make it swim almost as fast as land tortoises are slow.
In a sluice, a panel that controls the flow of water.
A group of inerts
A handheld defibrillation/cardioversion electrode
Hand
Padel (sport)