Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense shovels, present participle shovelling, past tense, past participle shovelledregional note: in AM, use shoveling, shoveled
1. countable noun
A shovel is a tool with a long handle that is used for lifting and moving earth, coal, or snow.
...a coal shovel.
She dug the foundation with a pick and shovel.
Synonyms: spade, scoop More Synonyms of shovel
2. verb
If you shovel earth, coal, or snow, you lift and move it with a shovel.
He has to get out and shovel snow. [VERB noun]
Pendergood had shovelled the sand out of the caravan. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: move, scoop, dredge, shift More Synonyms of shovel
3. verb
If you shovel something somewhere, you push a lot of it quickly into that place.
Randall was shoveling food into his mouth. [VERB noun preposition/adverb]
More Synonyms of shovel
shovel in British English
(ˈʃʌvəl)
noun
1.
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
2.
any machine or part resembling a shovel in action
3. Also called: shovelful
the amount that can be contained in a shovel
4. short for shovel hat
verbWord forms: -els, -elling, -elledWord forms: US-els, -eling or -eled
5.
to lift (earth, etc) with a shovel
6. (transitive)
to clear or dig (a path) with or as if with a shovel
7. (transitive)
to gather, load, or unload in a hurried or careless way
he shovelled the food into his mouth and rushed away
Derived forms
shoveller (ˈshoveller) or US shoveler (ˈshoveler)
noun
Word origin
Old English scofl; related to Old High German scūfla shovel, Dutch schoffel hoe; see shove
shovel in American English
(ˈʃʌvəl)
noun
1.
a.
a tool with a broad, deep scoop or blade and a long handle: used in lifting and moving loose material, as earth,snow, gravel, etc.
b.
any machine equipped with a shovel-like device
a steam shovel
2.
shovelful
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈshoveled or ˈshovelled, ˈshoveling or ˈshovelling
3.
to lift and move with a shovel
4.
to clean or dig out (a path, etc.) with a shovel
5.
to put or throw, in large quantities
to shovel food into one's mouth
verb intransitive
6.
to use a shovel
Word origin
ME schovele < OE scofl < base of scufan: see shove
Examples of 'shovel' in a sentence
shovel
He answered by showing me the little pail and shovel he had fetched.
Andrews, Virginia WEB OF DREAMS (2005)
The digger lifted its feet and reversed in a wide arc and dropped the hydraulic shovel.
Robert Wilson BLOOD IS DIRT (2005)
A few seconds later, Justin stepped into the light, carrying a shovel.
Gregg Andrew Hurwitz MINUTES TO BURN (2005)
In other languages
shovel
British English: shovel /ˈʃʌvl/ NOUN
A shovel is a tool like a spade, used for lifting and moving earth, coal, or snow.
...a coal shovel.
American English: shovel
Arabic: جارُوف
Brazilian Portuguese: pá
Chinese: 铁铲
Croatian: lopata
Czech: lopata
Danish: skovl
Dutch: schop spade
European Spanish: pala mover
Finnish: lapio
French: pelle jardinage
German: Schaufel
Greek: φτυάρι
Italian: pala
Japanese: シャベル
Korean: 삽
Norwegian: skuffe
Polish: szufla
European Portuguese: pá
Romanian: lopată
Russian: совок
Latin American Spanish: pala
Swedish: spade
Thai: พลั่ว
Turkish: kürek
Ukrainian: лопата
Vietnamese: xẻng
British English: shovel VERB
If you shovel earth, coal, or snow, you lift and move it with a shovel.
He has to get out and shovel snow.
American English: shovel
Brazilian Portuguese: cavar com pá
Chinese: 用铲挖
European Spanish: retirar con una pala
French: pelleter
German: schaufeln
Italian: spalare
Japanese: シャベルですくう
Korean: 샆으로 푸다
European Portuguese: cavar com pá
Latin American Spanish: retirar con una pala
All related terms of 'shovel'
shovel beak
a deformity of the beak in intensively reared chicks
shovel hat
a black felt hat worn by some clergymen , with a brim rolled up to resemble a shovel in shape
shovel-nosed
having a broad , flattened nose , head, or bill
shovel-ready
of or relating to a construction project that is ready to start immediately
steam-shovel
a steam-driven mechanical excavator , esp one having a large bucket or grab on a beam slung from a revolving jib
mechanical shovel
a machine used for excavation
mandibular disease
a deformity of the beak in intensively reared chicks
Chinese translation of 'shovel'
shovel
(ˈʃʌvl)
n(c)
铲(鏟) (chǎn) (把, bǎ)
vt
[snow, coal, earth]铲(鏟) (chǎn)
(= push) 把 ... 胡乱(亂)塞入 (bǎ ... húluàn sāirù)
(noun)
Definition
a tool for lifting or moving loose material, consisting of a broad blade attached to a large handle
She dug the foundation with a pick and shovel.
Synonyms
spade
scoop
1 (verb)
Definition
to lift or move (loose material) with a shovel
He had to get out and shovel snow.
Synonyms
move
She waited for him to get up, but he didn't move.
scoop
dredge
shift
The entire pile shifted and slid, thumping onto the floor.
load
The three men had finished loading the truck.
heap
2 (verb)
Definition
to put away large quantities of (something) quickly
shovelling food into his mouth
Synonyms
stuff
spoon
ladle
Additional synonyms
in the sense of load
Definition
to place cargo or goods upon (a ship or vehicle)
The three men had finished loading the truck.
Synonyms
fill,
stuff,
pack,
pile,
stack,
heap,
cram,
freight,
lade
in the sense of shift
Definition
to move from one place or position to another
The entire pile shifted and slid, thumping onto the floor.