spade-handed

comparative more spade-handed · superlative most spade-handed

1. Having large, spatulate hands.

   He was tall, this Swiss priest, lantern-jawed and spade-handed.

   2014, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, A Mortal Glamour, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   Large and square-headed, fatuously complacent, pot-bellied, spade-handed and dumpy-footed, for all the world presenting the appearance of animated jelly.

   1904, E. Pritchard, The Physiological Feeding of Infants, page 13

   I can honestly say that so far-minus the spade-handed doctor perhaps — I had enjoyed every second and for me that was a big deal.

   2013, Ebury Press, Leanne Mitchell, Finding My Voice, →ISBN, page 131

2. Having hands that are used for digging.

   Even the spade-handed moles shall declare their folly.

   1945, Wystan Hugh Auden, The collected poetry of W. H. Auden, page 247

   2 more examples

   They in their turn sought useful wives, the broad-hipped, spade-handed type of wives who might build houses and bear children in the same afternoon and still have supper on the table when they got home.

   2011, Clare Clark, Savage Lands, →ISBN, page 36

   Deliver me, my masters, head and heart, Heart of Cadaver's candle waxes thin, When blood, spade-handed, and the logic time Drive children up like bruises to the thumb From maid and head,

   2012, Dylan Thomas, Collected Poems, →ISBN