spudding (spuding)

[Verbal n. of spud, v.] In oil-well drilling, a method of handling the rope and tools by which the first fifty or sixty feet of an oil-well are bored by the aid of the bull-wheel, the depth not being sufficient to allow of the use of the working-beam for that purpose. spuddle (spud'l), v. i.; pret. and pp. spuddled, ppr. spuddling. [Freq. of spud.] 1. To dig; grub. Hee grubs and spuddles for his prey in muddy holes and obscure cavernes. John Taylor , Works (1630). ( Nares .) 2. To move about; do any trifling matter with an air of busine . Hall i well . [Prov. Eng.] spuddy (spud'i), a . [ spud +-y1.] Short and fat. They rest their spuddy hands on their knees, and shake all over like jelly when they laugh. W. W. Story , Roba di Roma, xv. spue, v . An old spelling of spew : retained in modern copies of the authorized version of the Bible.