Definition

Noun: The amount of material that a shovel can hold at one time; a quantity measured by the capacity of a single scoop with a shovel.

Usage

The word "shovelful" is a countable noun used to specify a unit of measure for loose or granular materials like soil, sand, coal, or snow. It describes the amount picked up in one scooping motion with a shovel. - Add two shovelfuls of gravel to the mix. - He tossed a shovelful of dirt onto the pile.

Examples

• The gardener used a shovelful of compost for each plant.
• After the blizzard, clearing the driveway required moving hundreds of shovelfuls of heavy snow.
• The recipe called for one shovelful of charcoal for the barbecue.

Advanced Usage

• Figurative Use: While primarily literal, it can be used figuratively to describe a large, roughly measured amount of something abstract.
  • The report contained a shovelful of new statistics.
• Plural Form: The standard plural is "shovelfuls." The less common variant "shovelsful" is also considered correct but is rarely used in modern English.

Variants and Related Words

• Shovel (noun): The tool with a broad blade and a handle, used for lifting and moving material.
• Shovel (verb): To move or clear with a shovel.
• Spoonful: The amount a spoon can hold (a similar construction for a smaller utensil).
• Bucketful: The amount a bucket can hold (a similar construction for a larger container).

Synonyms

• Scoop: A similar unit of measure, though "scoop" can imply a tool with a deeper bowl and is less specific to the shovel's shape.
• Spadeful: Specifically the amount a spade can hold (a spade is a digging tool similar to a shovel).
• Load: A more general term for an amount carried at one time.

Idioms and Phrases

Note: "Shovelful" itself is not commonly used in idioms. However, the related word "shovel" appears in several expressions. - To shovel something down/in: To eat something quickly and in large quantities. - He shoveled the food down as if he hadn't eaten in days. - To have a lot to shovel: To have a large, difficult task ahead (often figurative). - After the scandal, the PR team had a lot to shovel.

Noun

1. the quantity a shovel can hold