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spud

/spʌd/
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Word: Spud

Part of Speech: Noun and Verb

Basic Definition:
  1. As a noun:

    • A spud is a potato, which is an edible vegetable. It is often used as a staple food in many cultures, especially in Ireland.
    • A spud can also refer to a sharp hand shovel used for digging out roots and weeds in gardening.
  2. As a verb:

    • To spud means to produce buds or germinate like a potato sprouting.
    • It can also mean to initiate drilling operations, particularly in the oil industry. For example, when a drilling site starts work, you might say, "They spudded the well."
Usage Instructions:
  • As a noun, you can use "spud" when talking about food or gardening.
  • As a verb, it is often used in contexts related to agriculture or oil drilling.
Examples:
  • Noun: "I made mashed spuds for dinner." (Here, "spuds" means potatoes.)
  • Noun: "Using a spud, I cleared the weeds from my garden." (Here, "spud" refers to the gardening tool.)
  • Verb: "The potatoes began to spud after a few weeks in the soil." (Here, "spud" means to sprout.)
  • Verb: "They are going to spud the new oil well next month." (Here, "spud" refers to starting the drilling process.)
Advanced Usage:
  • In agriculture, the term "spud" may refer to specific techniques for planting or harvesting potatoes.
  • In the oil industry, the phrase "spudding in" is commonly used to describe the start of drilling.
Word Variants:
  • The word "spud" does not have many variants, but related terms include "spudding" (the act of starting to drill) and "spudders" (people or machines that drill).
Different Meanings:
  • Spud primarily refers to potatoes or a digging tool, but it can also be used in technical contexts related to drilling and agriculture.
Synonyms:
  • For potato: tuber, spud (informal)
  • For hand shovel: trowel, digger
  • For the verb to germinate: sprout, bud
  • For the verb to start drilling: commence drilling, initiate drilling
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:
  • There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "spud," but you might encounter phrases like "spud out" in casual conversation, referring to the act of digging or removing something from the ground.
Summary:

"Spud" is a versatile word that can refer to potatoes, a gardening tool, or actions related to sprouting and drilling.

Noun
  1. a sharp hand shovel for digging out roots and weeds
  2. an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
Verb
  1. produce buds, branches, or germinate
    • the potatoes sprouted
  2. initiate drilling operations, as for petroleum
    • The well was spudded in April

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