noun
spud
spuhd
noun
1
Informal word for a potato.
"He tossed a few spuds into the stew."
"Fish and chips just needs good spuds and fresh oil."
2
A narrow tool similar to a spade, used for digging out weeds or roots.
"She used a spud to lever the dandelion roots out of the lawn."
verb
1
To begin drilling an oil well.
"The crew spudded the new well early Monday morning."
How to Use Spud
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEveryday slang for a potato; also a small digging tool, and in the oil industry, to start drilling.
When to use it
The potato sense is informal, everyday slang.
Common pairings
a few spuds
spud gun
spud the well
Word Forms
spudded past tense, spuds plural, spuds singular
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Etymology
From a Middle English word for a small knife, probably related to Scandinavian words for a spear or spike; the potato sense may have started in Australian or New Zealand slang.