1. A short light oar used without an oarlock to propel a canoe or small boat
   "They grabbed their boat paddles and set off across the calm lake";
   - boat paddle
    
2. Small wooden bat with a flat surface; used for hitting balls in various games
   "He served the ping pong ball with a swift motion of his paddle"
    
3. A blade of a paddle wheel or water wheel
   "The steamboat's large paddle wheels churned the river water"
    
4. An enjoyable walk or play in shallow water with bare feet
   "The children enjoyed a paddle in the cool stream"
    
5. [N. Amer] An instrument of punishment consisting of a flat board
   "The old school kept a paddle in the principal's office as a deterrent"

1. Propel with a paddle
   "paddle your own canoe"
    
2. Stir with a paddle
   "She paddled the batter to remove all the lumps"
    
3. Play in or as if in water, as of small children
   "The kids paddled in the kiddie pool";
   - dabble, splash around
    
4. Swim like a dog in shallow water
   "The children paddled in the shallows"
    
5. Walk unsteadily, with short steps
   "small children paddle";
   - toddle, coggle, totter, dodder, waddle
    
6. [N. Amer] Give a spanking to; subject to a spanking
   "The old-fashioned teacher would paddle misbehaving students";
   - spank, larrup [informal]

Derived forms: paddling, paddles, paddled

Type of: bat, beat, beat up, blade, boat, instrument of punishment, oar, play, stir, swim, vane, walk, work over [informal]

Part of: mill wheel, millwheel, paddle wheel, paddlewheel

Encyclopedia: Paddle