wadding

[ wod-ing ]

/ ˈwɒd ɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR wadding ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any fibrous or soft material for stuffing, padding, packing, etc., especially carded cotton in specially prepared sheets.

material used as wads for guns, cartridges, etc.

Surgery. any large dressing made of cotton or a similar absorbent material that is used to stanch the flow of blood or dress a wound.

a wad or lump.

Origin of wadding

First recorded in 1620–30; wad¹ + -ing¹

Words nearby wadding

wada, wadable, wadai, waddenzee, waddesdon manor, wadding, waddington, waddle, waddy, wade, wade in

Definition for wadding (2 of 2)

wad ¹

[ wod ]

/ wɒd /

noun

a small mass, lump, or ball of anything: a wad of paper; a wad of tobacco.

a small mass of cotton, wool, or other fibrous or soft material, used for stuffing, padding, packing, etc.

a roll of something, especially of bank notes.

Informal. a comparatively large stock or quantity of something, especially money: He's got a healthy wad salted away.

a plug of cloth, tow, paper, or the like, used to hold the powder or shot, or both, in place in a gun or cartridge.

British Dialect. a bundle, especially a small one, of hay, straw, etc.

verb (used with object), wad·ded, wad·ding.

to form (material) into a wad.

to roll tightly (often followed by up): He wadded up his cap and stuck it into his pocket.

to hold in place by a wad: They rammed and wadded the shot into their muskets.

to put a wad into; stuff with a wad.

to fill out with or as if with wadding; stuff; pad: to wad a quilt; to wad a speech with useless information.

verb (used without object), wad·ded, wad·ding.

to become formed into a wad: The damp tissues had wadded in his pocket.

Origin of wad

1530–40; < Medieval Latin wadda < Arabic bāṭa'in lining of a garment, batting; compare French ouate, Dutch watte, Swedish vadd

OTHER WORDS FROM wad

wad·der, noun un·wad·ded, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for wadding

I asked, with a great sob rising in my throat, like wadding rammed by an untaught man.

The Maid of Sker |Richard Doddridge Blackmore
His bullets and wadding he carried in a small leather pouch by his side.

The Young Trailers |Joseph A. Altsheler
Wadding (VI, p. 48) cites some passages bearing on the date.

The Grey Friars in Oxford |Andrew G. Little
She won in a thunderstorm, Rothschild's filly, with wadding in her ears.

Ulysses |James Joyce

Wadding, or stuffing, should be avoided as much as possible.

The American Gentleman's Guide to Politeness and Fashion |Henry Lunettes

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (1 of 3)

wadding

/ (ˈwɒdɪŋ) /

noun

any fibrous or soft substance used as padding, stuffing, etc, esp sheets of carded cotton prepared for the purpose
a piece of this

material for wads used in cartridges or guns

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (2 of 3)

wad ¹

/ (wɒd) /

noun

a small mass or ball of fibrous or soft material, such as cotton wool, used esp for packing or stuffing

a plug of paper, cloth, leather, etc, pressed against a charge to hold it in place in a muzzle-loading cannon
a disc of paper, felt, pasteboard, etc, used to hold in place the powder and shot in a shotgun cartridge

a roll or bundle of something, esp of banknotes

US and Canadian slang a large quantity, esp of money

British dialect a bundle of hay or straw

British military slang a bun char and a wad

verb wads, wadding or wadded

to form (something) into a wad

(tr) to roll into a wad or bundle

(tr)

to hold (a charge) in place with a wad
to insert a wad into (a gun)

(tr) to pack or stuff with wadding; pad

Derived forms of wad

wadder, noun

Word Origin for wad

C14: from Late Latin wadda; related to German Watte cotton wool

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (3 of 3)

wad ²

/ (wɒd) /

noun

a soft dark earthy amorphous material consisting of decomposed manganese minerals: occurs in damp marshy areas

Word Origin for wad

C17: of unknown origin

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

wadding

noun

Origin of wadding

Words nearby wadding

Definition for wadding (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object), wad·ded, wad·ding.

verb (used without object), wad·ded, wad·ding.

Origin of wad

OTHER WORDS FROM wad

Example sentences from the Web for wadding

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (2 of 3)

noun

verb wads, wadding or wadded

Derived forms of wad

Word Origin for wad

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for wad

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

wadding

noun

Origin of wadding

Words nearby wadding

Definition for wadding (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object), wad·ded, wad·ding.

verb (used without object), wad·ded, wad·ding.

Origin of wad

OTHER WORDS FROM wad

Words related to wadding

Example sentences from the Web for wadding

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (2 of 3)

noun

verb wads, wadding or wadded

Derived forms of wad

Word Origin for wad

British Dictionary definitions for wadding (3 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for wad