noun
- an implement consisting of a broad blade or scoop attached to a long handle, used for taking up, removing, or throwing loose matter, as earth, snow, or coal.
- any fairly large contrivance or machine with a broad blade or scoop for taking up or removing loose matter: a steam shovel.
- a shovelful.
- Informal. shovel hat.
verb (used with object), shov·eled, shov·el·ing or (especially British) shov·elled, shov·el·ling.
- to take up and cast or remove with a shovel: to shovel coal.
- to gather up in large quantity roughly or carelessly with or as if with a shovel: He shoveled food into his mouth.
- to dig or clear with or as if with a shovel: to shovel a path through the snow.
verb (used without object), shov·eled, shov·el·ing or (especially British) shov·elled, shov·el·ling.
- to work with a shovel.
noun
- an instrument for lifting or scooping loose material, such as earth, coal, etc, consisting of a curved blade or a scoop attached to a handle
- any machine or part resembling a shovel in action
- Also called: shovelful the amount that can be contained in a shovel
- short for shovel hat
verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled
- to lift (earth, etc) with a shovel
- (tr) to clear or dig (a path) with or as if with a shovel
- (tr) to gather, load, or unload in a hurried or careless wayhe shovelled the food into his mouth and rushed away
Old English scofl, sceofol “shovel,” related to scufan (see shove (v.)), from Proto-Germanic *skublo (cf. Old Saxon skufla, Swedish skovel, Middle Low German schufle, Middle Dutch shuffel, Dutch schoffel, Old High German scuvala, German Schaufel). Shovel-ready, with reference to construction projects, is attested by 2006.
mid-15c., from shovel (n.). Related: Shoveled; shoveling. Cf. German schaufeln, verb from noun.