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Meaning & use

shovel

noun, verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈʃʌvl/
US/ˈʃʌvl/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A tool with a long handle and a wide, curved blade, used for lifting and moving loose material like soil or snow.

    Grammar: Countable: a shovel, two shovels. Often used with 'use', 'pick up', or 'with'.

    Patterns

    • use a shovel
    • pick up a shovel
    • with a shovel

    He used a shovel to clear the snow from the driveway.

    The gardener left the shovel leaning against the fence.

    You'll need a shovel to dig that hole.

  2. verbtransitive or intransitive

    To lift, move, or clear something with a shovel.

    Grammar: Can take an object (shovel snow) or be used without one (shovel for hours). Often followed by 'away', 'off', or 'into'.

    Patterns

    • shovel something
    • shovel something away
    • shovel something into something
    • shovel for hours

    We had to shovel the snow before we could leave.

    He shoveled the dirt into a wheelbarrow.

    She shoveled for an hour to clear the path.

  3. verbtransitiveinformal

    To put large amounts of food into your mouth quickly and carelessly.

    Grammar: Takes an object: shovel food into your mouth. Often used with 'into'.

    Patterns

    • shovel food into your mouth
    • shovel something down

    He shoveled his lunch into his mouth and ran out the door.

    Don't shovel your food like that; slow down and enjoy it.

Word forms

pluralshovels
third person singularshovels
past tenseshoveled
past participleshoveled
-ing formshoveling

Common combinations

snow shovel
We bought a new snow shovel for the winter.
shovel snow
He shovels snow every morning after a storm.
shovel dirt
The workers shoveled dirt into the truck.
shovel food into your mouth
She shoveled food into her mouth because she was late.
a shovel of
Add a shovel of sand to the mix.

Synonyms and how they differ

spade
A spade has a flat, rectangular blade for digging and cutting, while a shovel is wider and curved for lifting loose material.
scoop
A scoop is a small, deep tool for lifting soft substances; a shovel is larger and used for heavier work.

Word family

shovelful noun
The amount that a shovel can hold.
shoveler noun
A person who shovels, or a type of duck.

Commonly confused: shovel or shuffle?

shovel vs shuffle

Shuffle means to walk without lifting your feet or to mix cards; shovel is about moving material with a tool.

Practice

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