trowel

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Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈtɹaʊ.əl/

Noun

trowel (plural trowels)

1. A mason’s tool, used in spreading and dressing mortar, and breaking bricks to shape them.
2. 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?

3. A tool used for smoothing a mold.

Translations

• French: truelle
• German: Kelle, Maurerkelle, Mörtelkelle
• Italian: cazzuola
• Portuguese: colher de pedreiro, trolha
• Russian: мастеро́к
• Spanish: paleta de albañil, cuchara de albañil, trulla

Translations

• French: déplantoir, transplantoir
• German: Pflanzkelle, Pflanzschaufel, Handschaufel
• Italian: paletta
• Portuguese: espátula
• Russian: садо́вый сово́к
• Spanish: pala de jardinería, desplantador

Translations

• French: gâche
• German: Glättkelle, Spachtel, Spatel, Hohlspatel
• Italian: pala

Verb

trowel (trowels, present participle troweling; past and past participle troweled)

1. (transitive) To apply (a substance) with a trowel.

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

2. (transitive) To pass over with a trowel.
3. (colloquial, figurative) To apply something heavily or unsubtly.
   • 2014, Steve Rose, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: a primate scream - first look review ↗", The Guardian, 1 July 2014:

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