Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Wad?

\Wad\, n. [See {Woad}.] Woad. [Obs.]
\Wad\, n. [Probably of Scand. origin; cf. Sw. vadd wadding, Dan vat, D. & G. watte. Cf. {Wadmol}.] 1. A little mass, tuft, or bundle, as of hay or tow. --Holland. 2. Specifically: A little mass of some soft or flexible material, such as hay, straw, tow, paper, or old rope yarn, used for retaining a charge of powder in a gun, or for keeping the powder and shot close; also, to diminish or avoid the effects of windage. Also, by extension, a dusk of felt, pasteboard, etc., serving a similar purpose. 3. A soft mass, especially of some loose, fibrous substance, used for various purposes, as for stopping an aperture, padding a garment, etc. {Wed hook}, a rod with a screw or hook at the end, used for removing the wad from a gun.
\Wad\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Waded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Wadding}.] 1. To form into a mass, or wad, or into wadding; as, to wad tow or cotton. 2. To insert or crowd a wad into; as, to wad a gun; also, to stuff or line with some soft substance, or wadding, like cotton; as, to wad a cloak.
\Wad\, Wadd \Wadd\, n. (Min.) (a) An earthy oxide of manganese, or mixture of different oxides and water, with some oxide of iron, and often silica, alumina, lime, or baryta; black ocher. There are several varieties. (b) Plumbago, or black lead.