From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Paddle \Pad"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Paddled; p. pr. & vb. n. Paddling] 1. To pat or stroke amorously, or gently. [Obsolescent] [1913 Webster] To be paddling palms and pinching fingers. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To propel with, or as with, a paddle or paddles. [1913 Webster] 3. To pad; to tread upon; to trample. [Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster] 4. To spank with a paddle or as if with a paddle; -- usually as a disciplinary punishment of children. [PJC] 5. To mix (a viscous liquid) by stirring or beating with a paddle. [PJC]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Paddle \Pad"dle\, n. [See Paddle, v. i.] 1. An implement with a broad blade, which is used without a fixed fulcrum in propelling and steering canoes and boats. [1913 Webster] 2. The broad part of a paddle, with which the stroke is made; hence, any short, broad blade, resembling that of a paddle, such as that used in table tennis. [1913 Webster] Thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon. --Deut. xxiii. 13. [1913 Webster] 3. One of the broad boards, or floats, at the circumference of a water wheel, or paddle wheel. [1913 Webster] 4. A small gate in sluices or lock gates to admit or let off water; -- also called clough. [1913 Webster] 5. (Zool.) A paddle-shaped foot, as of the sea turtle. [1913 Webster] 6. A paddle-shaped implement for stirring or mixing. [1913 Webster] 7. [In this sense prob. for older spaddle, a dim. of spade.] See Paddle staff (b), below. [Prov. Eng.] [1913 Webster] Paddle beam (Shipbuilding), one of two large timbers supporting the spring beam and paddle box of a steam vessel. Paddle board. See Paddle, n., 3. Paddle shaft, the revolving shaft which carries the paddle wheel of a steam vessel. Paddle staff. (a) A staff tipped with a broad blade, used by mole catchers. [Prov. Eng.] (b) A long-handled spade used to clean a plowshare; -- called also plow staff. [Prov. Eng.] Paddle steamer, a steam vessel propelled by paddle wheels, in distinction from a screw propeller. Paddle wheel, the propelling wheel of a steam vessel, having paddles (or floats) on its circumference, and revolving in a vertical plane parallel to the vessel's length. [1913 Webster] paddlebox From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]: Paddle \Pad"dle\, v. i. [Prob. for pattle, and a dim. of pat, v.; cf. also E. pad to tread, Prov. G. paddeln, padden, to walk with short steps, to paddle, G. patschen to splash, dash, dabble, F. patouiller to dabble, splash, fr. patte a paw. [root]21.] 1. To use the hands or fingers in toying; to make caressing strokes. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To dabble in water with hands or feet; to use a paddle, or something which serves as a paddle, in swimming, in paddling a boat, etc. [1913 Webster] As the men were paddling for their lives. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster] While paddling ducks the standing lake desire. --Gay. [1913 Webster] From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: paddle n 1: small wooden bat with a flat surface; used for hitting balls in various games 2: a blade of a paddle wheel or water wheel 3: an instrument of punishment consisting of a flat board 4: a short light oar used without an oarlock to propel a canoe or small boat [syn: paddle, boat paddle] v 1: propel with a paddle; "paddle your own canoe" 2: play in or as if in water, as of small children [syn: dabble, paddle, splash around] 3: swim like a dog in shallow water 4: walk unsteadily; "small children toddle" [syn: toddle, coggle, totter, dodder, paddle, waddle] 5: give a spanking to; subject to a spanking [syn: spank, paddle, larrup] 6: stir with a paddle From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008) [foldoc]: Paddle A language for transformations leading from specification to program. Used in the POPART programming environment generator. (1994-11-30)