spud

1 of 2

verb

ˈspəd

spudded; spudding

transitive verb

: to dig with a spud

: to begin to drill (an oil well)

intransitive verb

: to use a spud

spud

2 of 2

noun

: a tool or device (as for digging, lifting, or cutting) having the characteristics of a spade and a chisel

: potato sense 2b

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

When the ice is thicker than four to five inches, nobody wants to keep spudding or drilling new holes every time the fish move on. —

The Editors, Field & Stream, 22 Nov. 2019 The old days of spudding a hole in a foot of ice and huddling and freezing over it for hours on an upturned five-gallon pail are just that—the old days. —

The Editors, Field & Stream, 22 Nov. 2019

Noun

Rubbing potatoes with oil and sprinkling them with salt before baking in the oven transforms the entire spud, skin and all, into a delectable dish anyone would happily devour. —

Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023 Baked potatoes are a classic preparation, but why stop with a simple plain baked spud? —

Casey Barber, CNN, 25 Mar. 2022 Potatoes, this spud’s for you. —

Tribune News Service, cleveland, 23 Mar. 2021 After an internal investigation, the spud magically appeared on the menu on Sunday. —

Emma Balter, Chron, 8 Mar. 2023 The state eschewed the spud after just one year. —

Cory Graff, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Dec. 2022 Hold that Tot – your main spud, MR. —

Ryan Cooper, TheWeek, 4 Mar. 2021 The exterior of roasted spuds typically leans more chewy-crisp and the flesh is more tender than soft and buttery. —

Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 23 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.