shovel

noun shov·el \ ˈshə-vəl \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

Definition of shovel

1 a : a hand implement consisting of a broad scoop or a more or less hollowed out blade with a handle used to lift and throw material

b : something that resembles a shovel

c : an excavating machine; especially : a hydraulic diesel-engine driven power shovel

2 : shovelful

See shovel defined for English-language learners

See shovel defined for kids

Recent Examples of shovel from the Web

The man was digging a toilet in his backyard when his shovel struck a shimmering blue vein of cobalt.

— william clowes, Bloomberg.com, "Never Mind the Mines. In Congo, There’s Cobalt Under the House," 28 Mar. 2018
Please bring a hammer, shovel and work gloves, if possible.

— staff report, The Aegis, "Harford County to observe Arbor Day on March 30 at Annie's Playground," 27 Mar. 2018
Eventually, Skylar took the baby outside through the back door, found a shovel in the garage, and dug a small grave.

— keith bierygolick, Cincinnati.com, "Buried baby case: Family of cheerleader, charged with murder, wants newborn's remains returned," 16 Mar. 2018
Eventually, Skylar took the baby outside through the back door, found a shovel in the garage, and dug a small grave.

— sonia chopra, Cosmopolitan, "19-Year-Old Skylar Richardson Says She Had a Stillborn Baby. So Why Is She On Trial For Murder?," 14 Mar. 2018
No meiofauna anywhere was safe from his shovel and sieve.

— adrienne mason, Smithsonian, "King of The Mud Dragons," 2 Mar. 2018
Use your hands or the handle end of the shovel to gently tamp down the soil and force air pockets out.

— leslie crawford, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Short season for bare-root trees is here," 11 Jan. 2018
Kirby Smart's fingerprints were all over the shovel.

— laura goldman, AL.com, "What Nick Saban, Tua Tagovailoa had to say following Alabama's unbelievable win over Georgia," 8 Jan. 2018
Turn your mixture over every week or two with a shovel or garden fork to mix it up.

— michaela hermanova, Good Housekeeping, "The Easiest Way to Start Composting," 3 Sep. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shovel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of shovel

Middle English, from Old English scofl; akin to Old High German scūfla shovel, Old English scūfan to thrust away

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

shovel

verb

Definition of shovel

shoveled or shovelled; shoveling or shovelling play \ˈshə-və-liŋ, ˈshəv-liŋ\

transitive verb

1 : to take up and throw with a shovel

2 : to dig or clean out with a shovel

3 : to throw or convey roughly or in a mass as if with a shovel

shoveled his food into his mouth

intransitive verb

: to use a shovel

See shovel defined for English-language learners

Examples of shovel in a Sentence

He is outside shoveling snow.
I have to shovel the driveway.
I had to shovel for an hour to clear the driveway.
The snow was so deep we had to shovel a path to our front door.
Stop shoveling food into your mouth.

Recent Examples of shovel from the Web

Characters are shoveled into the story with little to no introduction and shuffled out with even less fanfare.

— steven strom, Ars Technica, "Far Cry 5 review: Five steps back," 27 Mar. 2018
Seemingly in one motion, Crosby shoveled Guentzel's deflection up to himself, then in a move more suited for a tennis racket, batted the puck backhanded past Montreal goaltender Carey Price, who is also widely regarded as the best at his position.

— matt wyatt, Houston Chronicle, "Sidney Crosby delivers goal of the year candidate," 22 Mar. 2018
Representatives from Coca-Cola, Chive Cincinnati, Cincinnati Parks Foundation and even former Mayor Roxanne Qualls, shoveled mulch and cleaned out the rowing facility under Montgomery Inn.

— carrie blackmore smith, Cincinnati.com, "Putting Cincinnati's Smale Park back together after the flood," 15 Mar. 2018
The city is not responsible for clearing snow from driveways, and property owners can't shovel, blow or plow snow into the street or onto sidewalks.

— devin kelly, Anchorage Daily News, "Why isn’t my street plowed? Here’s what to know about snowplowing in Anchorage.," 27 Feb. 2018
George Nell, a maintenance ranger for the North District, shoveled the walks at the Mammoth campground bathroom.

— rob kuznia, Washington Post, "At national parks, the confusing reality of the government shutdown’s first day," 20 Jan. 2018
In Lonergan’s third film, Manchester by the Sea, Casey Affleck plays Lee Chandler, a taciturn janitor who lives alone in a basement in Boston and spends his days scrubbing toilets, shoveling snow, doing odd handyman jobs.

— tom shone, Newsweek, "Review: Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams Will Break Your Heart in ‘Manchester by the Sea’," 26 Nov. 2016
Yep, those were officers shoveling mud off the sidewalk in the Steele Creek area!

— joe marusak, charlotteobserver, "Police went to get person off road. Then they saw why and got to work. | Charlotte Observer," 22 Mar. 2018
Human nature quickly filled it up, shoveling all manner of score-settling accusations, hypotheticals, dark memories of past problems and other dire forms of hand-wringing into the abyss.

— christopher knight, latimes.com, "MOCA still mum about curator's firing, despite crucial questions and too few answers," 20 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of shovel

15th century

shovel Synonyms

SHOVEL Defined for English Language Learners

shovel

noun

Definition of shovel for English Language Learners

: a tool with a long handle that is used for lifting and throwing dirt, sand, snow, etc.
: the part of a machine (such as a backhoe) that picks up and moves dirt, sand, snow, etc.