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Glite Dictionary
paddle-box

paddle-box

9.6
A wooden cover that protects a ship's paddle wheel from water and dirt
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : caja de palas
  • The riverboat's twin paddle-boxes provide protection from debris and enhance its classic design.

Examples

  • After the accident, the damaged paddle-box had to be replaced before the ship could sail again.

  • The riverboat's twin paddle-boxes gave it a distinctive silhouette against the sunset.

  • The old steamer's paddle-box was intricately carved and painted.

  • The paddle-box on the steamer was beautifully crafted.

  • Many paddle-boxes were damaged during the storm.

  • The old steamer's paddle-box was intricately carved and painted to withstand harsh weather.

  • After the accident, the damaged paddle-box had to be replaced before the ship could sail again.

Synonyms

paddle box
vspaddle-box
  • Archaic
9.9

A wooden cover around the top of a paddle wheel on a steamboat that protects it from water spray

retains identical function but appears as a hyphenated written form

Surface Forms

paddle-box singular
paddle-boxes plural

Morphology

paddle-box = paddle + box (transparent) = paddle + box

The compound 'paddle-box' combines 'paddle' and 'box' in a way that clearly denotes a box-like enclosure related to the paddlewheel, so learners who know 'paddle' and 'box' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Paddle-box comes from the two simple words paddle ('a flat blade used to push water') and box ('a cover or case'). So a paddle-box is the wooden cover that 'protects' a ship's paddlewheel on a paddle steamer from water, weather, and debris.