English

Noun

spade foot ‎(plural spade foots or spade feet) (see usage notes)

1. Alternative form of spadefoot
   • 1973, United States Dept. of the Interior, Final Environmental Statement for the Geothermal Leasing Program:

     There also is the potential to disturb or destroy specific sites used by such species as the western diamond back rattlesnake, spade foot toad, and the desert tortoise.

2. (furniture) A block-shaped foot higher than wide and tapering slightly toward the bottom. The spade foot usually terminates a tapering leg, and the top of the foot is wider than the leg.
   • 1929 June, Charles A. King, “Constructing a Piano Bench”, in Popular Science, volume 114, page 79:

     The spade foot leg may be used as an alternate design.

   • 2004, Philip D. Zimmerman, ‎Charles Thomas Butler, ‎& Catherine E. Hutchins, American Federal Furniture and Decorative Arts from the Watson Collection, ISBN 1882650174, page 93:

     Also, the glazing pattern of the bookcase traces simple diamonds rather than more elaborate arches or other curved elements, and the tapered legs end without a spade foot or an additional taper at the cuff.

   • 2011, George Grotz, The Furniture Doctor, ISBN 0307768619:

     First was his straight tapered leg, sometimes with a spade foot, at other times tipped in brass.

3. The foot that is habitually used to put pressure on a spade when digging.
   • 1896, Chambers's Journal, page 10:

     Nevertheless, one foot is generally used in preference to the other in such movements as digging (hence sometimes called the spade foot), in hopping, in making a leap, &c.

   • 1927, Granville Stanley Hall, ‎Edward Bradford Titchener, ‎& Karl M. Dallenbach, The American Journal of Psychology - Volume 38, page 336:

     Rife says as regards the spade foot, "the fact is always overlooked that the foot used in spading is determined entirely by the bimanual dextrality"

   • 2012, Daniel Wilson, The Right Hand: Left-Handedness, ISBN 1108053068, page 36:

     I believe every boy will hop on his spade foot. at least I do so, and I am not left-handed; and I instinctively do so because I dig with this foot.

Usage notes

When used as a synonym for spadefoot (the amphibean), the plural is "spade foots" or "spade foot toads". When used to refer to the foot of a piece of furniture or the preferred foot for digging, the plural is "spade feet".