shovel
UK[ˈʃʌv(ə)l]US[ˈʃʌv(ə)l]
n
a tool with a broad blade and a long handle, used for digging and moving loose material such as soil, snow, or coal
v
to move or clear something with or as if with a shovel
Etymology
The word 'shovel' originates from the Old English 'scofl', which is related to the verb 'scūfan', meaning 'to push or shove'. This etymological connection highlights the tool's primary function of pushing material. The term can be traced further back to the Proto-Germanic root 'skūflō', and ultimately to the Proto-Indo-European root 'skeubh-', meaning 'to push, shove, or thrust'. The semantic journey is straightforward: from the general action of pushing, the name became fixed for the specific tool designed to perform that action on loose materials like earth or snow.
Analysis
The word 'shovel' is a simplex word derived from Old English 'scofl'. It is not productively formed from smaller, recognizable morphemes in modern English.
Examples
He used a shovel to clear the snow from the driveway.
The workers began to shovel the gravel into the truck.
She bought a new garden shovel for planting flowers.