Mattock - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A mattock is a hand tool with a pick-like head on one side and an adze or chisel on the other, used for digging and chopping in gardening or farming.
Definition:
A digging tool with a flat blade on one side and a pick or axe on the other.
Synonyms:
pickaxe, grub hoe, adze
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
shovel, trowel
Common Collocations:
wield a mattock, dig with a mattock, strike with a mattock
Derivatives:
mattocks, mattocking
Usage Tips:
Use "mattock" to refer to a dual-purpose digging tool, not just an axe or pickaxe alone.
Common Phrases:
swing a mattock, break ground with a mattock
Etymology:
From Old English "mattuc," possibly related to "mate" (a club) or Celtic origins.
Examples:
- 1. The farmer used a mattock to break up the hard soil.
- 2. She swung the mattock effortlessly, loosening the roots of the old tree.
- 3. Archaeologists often use a mattock for careful excavation work.
- 4. The gardener replaced his broken shovel with a sturdy mattock.