Definify.com
Definition 2024
spad
spad
English
Alternative forms
- SpAd
Noun
spad (plural spads)
- (politics, Britain, informal) A government adviser, often in a political or media role.
- 2009, Ben Wright, Hidden world of the political advisers, BBC:
- A successful stint as a spad can be a crucial political apprenticeship - as many of the current crop of professional politicians including the Miliband brothers, David Cameron and George Osborne can testify - so long as they stay in the dark.
- 2012, Avoid The Thick of It-style spad appointments, ministers told, The Guardian:
- The hit BBC sitcom satirising the inner workings of Whitehall and the so-called spads contains "more than a grain of truth", the head of the cross-party public administration select committee has warned.
- 2009, Ben Wright, Hidden world of the political advisers, BBC:
Etymology 2
Noun
spad (plural spads)
- (mining) A nail one or two inches long, of iron, brass, tin, or tinner iron, with a hole through the flattened head, used to mark stations in underground surveying.