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spade-handed. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
spade-handed, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
spade-handed in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
From spade + handed.
Adjective
spade-handed (comparative more spade-handed, superlative most spade-handed)
- Having large, spatulate hands.
1904, E. Pritchard, The Physiological Feeding of Infants, page 13:Large and square-headed, fatuously complacent, pot-bellied, spade-handed and dumpy-footed, for all the world presenting the appearance of animated jelly.
2013, Ebury Press, Leanne Mitchell, Finding My Voice, →ISBN, page 131:I can honestly say that so far-minus the spade-handed doctor perhaps — I had enjoyed every second and for me that was a big deal.
2014, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, A Mortal Glamour, →ISBN:He was tall, this Swiss priest, lantern-jawed and spade-handed.
- Having hands that are used for digging.
1945, Wystan Hugh Auden, The collected poetry of W. H. Auden, page 247:Even the spade-handed moles shall declare their folly.
2011, Clare Clark, Savage Lands, →ISBN, page 36:They in their turn sought useful wives, the broad-hipped, spade-handed type of wives who might build houses and bear children in the same afternoon and still have supper on the table when they got home.
2012, Dylan Thomas, Collected Poems, →ISBN:Deliver me, my masters, head and heart, Heart of Cadaver's candle waxes thin, When blood, spade-handed, and the logic time Drive children up like bruises to the thumb From maid and head,