Definition

Noun A spadeful is the amount of material that a spade (a type of shovel) can hold when it is full. It is a unit of measurement for loose material like soil, sand, or gravel.

Usage

The word "spadeful" is a countable noun used to describe a specific quantity of material moved by a spade. It is typically used in contexts involving gardening, construction, or manual labor.

Examples

• He added a spadeful of compost to each planting hole.
• It took several spadefuls of gravel to fill the trench.
• She carefully removed the plant with a spadeful of soil around its roots.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used figuratively to indicate a significant but roughly measured amount of something abstract, though this is less common.
  • The scandal revealed a spadeful of corruption within the department.

Variants and Related Words

• Shovelful (noun): A very similar term meaning the amount a shovel can hold. "Shovelful" is often used more broadly than "spadeful," which is specifically associated with a spade's shape and capacity.
• Spade (noun): The tool itself, a digging tool with a flat blade and a long handle.

Synonyms

• Shovelful
• Scoop (when referring to a similar amount from any scooping tool)

Notes

"Spadeful" is a compound noun formed from "spade" + the suffix "-ful," which indicates "as much as a container can hold." Other examples include "handful," "spoonful," and "cupful."

Noun

1. the quantity a shovel can hold