paddle
paddle — noun
- paddlesingular
- paddlesplural
1. a long pole, often made of wood, that has a wide end shaped into a blade; you ho
a long pole, often made of wood, that has a wide end shaped into a blade; you hold it and push against water to move a small boat forward
Eliska gripped her paddle tightly as the canoe slid into the fast river.
collocation: grip a paddle
Kofi lost his wooden paddle overboard and had to drift to the shore.
The guide handed each of us a paddle before we climbed into the kayaks.
Rohan carved a new paddle from a fallen branch during the camping trip.
A double-bladed paddle lets you move the kayak faster with less effort.
- oar
fixed to the boat with a rowlock and used in a rowing motion, unlike a paddle
用法筆記
Typically has a blade at one end; a kayak paddle has blades at both ends.
常見錯誤
2. a flat wooden board with a shaped grip, kept in classrooms and homes in earlier
a flat wooden board with a shaped grip, kept in classrooms and homes in earlier times for striking children as a form of discipline
The headmaster kept a wooden paddle on the wall of his office.
collocation: keep a paddle (on the wall)
Grandma said her old teacher would reach for the paddle if anyone talked back.
collocation: reach for the paddle
In some schools fifty years ago, getting the paddle was a common punishment.
The old paddle had a worn handle from years of classroom use.
- cane
a thin stick rather than a flat board, used in similar punishment contexts
用法筆記
Now rare in schools; mostly used when talking about the past or in historical contexts.
3. one of the flat boards fixed around the outside of a large wheel, which push aga
one of the flat boards fixed around the outside of a large wheel, which push against water to drive a boat or mill
The old steamboat's wheel had twelve wooden paddles that slapped against the river.
collocation: wooden paddles (on a wheel)
Vinícius watched the paddles of the waterwheel turn slowly in the stream.
When one paddle broke, the whole wheel began to shake and slow down.
The mill was powered by a wide wheel with iron paddles dipped in the river.
- blade
a more general term; paddle is specific to wheels on boats or mills
用法筆記
Nearly always part of the compound 'paddle wheel' or 'waterwheel'; rarely used alone in everyday English.
4. a short walk in water that only reaches the ankles, done for fun with bare feet,
a short walk in water that only reaches the ankles, done for fun with bare feet, especially at the seaside
Noa took off her sandals and went for a paddle in the cool sea.
phrase: go for a paddle
The children had a quick paddle before the sun went behind the clouds.
phrase: have a paddle
Bao rolled up his trousers and enjoyed a long paddle along the beach.
After lunch we walked down to the shore for a paddle in the shallow waves.
Emma said her favourite part of the trip was the afternoon paddle at low tide.
- wade
can be in deeper water and is not always for fun; 'paddle' always suggests shallow, playful water
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, 'wade' or 'go wading' is more common for this sense.
常見錯誤
5. a kitchen utensil with a wide flat head attached to a short handle, used for sti
a kitchen utensil with a wide flat head attached to a short handle, used for stirring, beating, or folding ingredients together
Lakan used a wooden paddle to fold the egg whites into the cake mix.
collocation: use a paddle to fold (ingredients)
The ice-cream machine has a metal paddle that turns inside the frozen bowl.
Stir the jam gently with a wooden paddle to stop it sticking.
Otis grabbed a flat paddle from the drawer and began beating the thick dough.
- spatula
usually flexible and used for scraping or spreading; a paddle is rigid and meant for stirring
- wooden spoon
rounded bowl shape rather than flat; used for similar mixing tasks
用法筆記
Common in recipes and commercial kitchens; at home, most people say 'spatula' or 'wooden spoon' instead.
6. a small flat bat with a short handle, faced with rubber, used to strike the ball
a small flat bat with a short handle, faced with rubber, used to strike the ball in table tennis and similar games
Ingrid bought a new paddle with extra grip for the weekend tournament.
Rin's table-tennis paddle had red rubber on one side and black on the other.
collocation: table-tennis paddle
The club champion tapped the ball, sending it spinning over the net with his paddle.
The club provides paddles and balls, so you only need to bring yourself.
- bat
the British English term for the same object in table tennis
用法筆記
In table tennis, 'bat' is more common in British English; 'paddle' is the usual term in American English.
常見錯誤
paddle — verb
- paddlepresent simple I / you / we / they
- paddles3rd person singular
- paddling-ing form
- paddledpast simple
1. to move a small boat through water by pushing a long-handled blade against the w
to move a small boat through water by pushing a long-handled blade against the water, using your own strength
Eliska paddled the canoe across the lake before the morning mist lifted.
transitive: paddle + boat
Kofi paddled hard against the strong current to reach the far bank.
intransitive: paddle + adverb
We paddled slowly downstream, watching birds settle on the water.
Rohan taught his younger sister how to paddle the kayak without drifting sideways.
The campers paddled their raft to a tiny island and set up tents.
- row
uses oars fixed to the boat; paddling uses a free-held paddle and a different motion
文法句型
paddle + (boat)
paddle + across/down/up + water body
用法筆記
Can be used with or without a direct object. 'Paddle a canoe' (transitive) and 'paddle across the river' (intransitive) are both correct.
常見錯誤
2. to smack a child's rear end with a flat board, a method of correction used in sc
to smack a child's rear end with a flat board, a method of correction used in schools and homes in earlier times
The headmaster would paddle any boy caught fighting in the schoolyard.
transitive: paddle + person
Otto still remembered being paddled by his strict fifth-grade teacher.
passive: be paddled
In those days, parents sometimes paddled their children for serious misbehaviour.
The school stopped paddling students after the new rules came into effect.
文法句型
paddle + person
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('was paddled'). Now very rare and illegal in most school systems.
常見錯誤
3. to walk barefoot through water that comes only to your ankles, splashing gently
to walk barefoot through water that comes only to your ankles, splashing gently as you go, especially at a beach
Noa paddled along the shore while her father watched from the sand.
intransitive: paddle + along + place
The children paddled happily in the shallow rock pools all afternoon.
intransitive: paddle + in + water body
Bao took off his flip-flops and paddled at the edge of the lake.
Emma rolled her jeans to her knees and paddled through the cool stream.
We paddled in the sea until our feet were numb from the cold water.
- wade
can mean walking through deeper water and is not always playful; 'paddle' implies fun, shallow water
文法句型
paddle + (in water)
用法筆記
Primarily British. Americans more often say 'wade.' Always intransitive — you paddle (in water), not 'paddle the water.'
常見錯誤
4. to swim using short, quick up-and-down movements of the arms and legs, keeping t
to swim using short, quick up-and-down movements of the arms and legs, keeping the head above water — the way a dog swims
The toddler paddled across the shallow end of the pool with armbands on.
intransitive: paddle + across + distance
Vinícius was tired so he just paddled slowly to the edge of the lake.
The puppy paddled around the pond while the children cheered from the bank.
Ingrid can paddle a few metres but she has not learned proper swimming strokes yet.
- dog-paddle
the noun form naming this specific swimming style; 'paddle' as a verb means to perform this action
文法句型
paddle + (in water)
用法筆記
Describes a very basic, informal swimming style. A human 'paddling' in water looks like a dog swimming — head up, short strokes, no formal technique.
5. to mix, beat, or stir a substance with a flat-bladed tool, especially in commerc
to mix, beat, or stir a substance with a flat-bladed tool, especially in commercial food preparation or industrial processing
The baker paddled the thick dough until it was smooth and stretchy.
transitive: paddle + substance
Workers used long wooden tools to paddle the dye in the large vats.
The machine slowly paddles the cream as it freezes into ice cream.
Lakan watched the chef paddle the bubbling jam with a wide metal spoon.
- stir
the everyday word for mixing with any utensil; 'paddle' implies using a paddle-shaped tool and often a heavier mixture
文法句型
paddle + substance
用法筆記
Rare in everyday English; mostly found in recipes, food manufacturing, or traditional crafts like dyeing. 'Stir' or 'mix' are the usual words at home.