Trowel vs. Spade

By Jaxson

Main Difference

The main difference between Trowel and Spade is that the Trowel is a one of many kinds of small hand tools used for digging, applying, smoothing, or moving small amounts of viscous or particulate material; common varieties include the masonry trowel, garden trowel, and float trowel and Spade is a tool for digging.

  • Trowel

    A trowel is a small hand tool used for digging, applying, smoothing, or moving small amounts of viscous or particulate material. Common varieties include the masonry trowel, garden trowel, and float trowel.

    A power trowel is a much larger gasoline or electrically powered walk-behind device with rotating paddles used to finish concrete floors.

  • Spade

    A spade is a tool primarily for digging, comprising a blade – typically narrower and less curved than that of a shovel – and a long handle. Early spades were made of riven wood or of animal bones (often shoulder blades). After the art of metalworking was developed, spades were made with sharper tips of metal. Before the introduction of metal spades manual labor was less efficient at moving earth, with picks being required to break up the soil in addition to a spade for moving the dirt. With a metal tip, a spade can both break and move the earth in most situations, increasing efficiency.

Wikipedia
  • Trowel (noun)

    A mason’s tool, used in spreading and dressing mortar, and breaking bricks to shape them.

  • Trowel (noun)

    A gardener’s tool, shaped like a scoop, used in taking up plants, stirring soil etc.

    “I need to dig a hole for these begonias; would you pass me that trowel?”

  • Trowel (noun)

    A tool used for smoothing a mold.

  • Trowel (verb)

    To apply a substance with a trowel.

    “He troweled the coarse mix with a twist, leaving a pattern of arcs.”

  • Trowel (verb)

    To pass over with a trowel.

  • Trowel (verb)

    To apply something heavily or unsubtly.

  • Spade (noun)

    A garden tool with a handle and a flat blade for digging. Not to be confused with a shovel which is used for moving earth or other materials.

  • Spade (noun)

    A playing card marked with the symbol ♠.

    “I’ve got only one spade in my hand.”

  • Spade (noun)

    A black person.

  • Spade (noun)

    A cutting instrument used in flensing a whale.

  • Spade (noun)

    A hart or stag three years old.

  • Spade (noun)

    A castrated man or animal.

  • Spade (verb)

    To turn over soil with a spade to loosen the ground for planting.

Wiktionary

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