Now dial. [f. SPIT v.3]

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  1.  A spade or spud.

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1600.  F. Walker, trans. Span. Mandeville, 69. Commaunding certaine men to digge with spytters, they found … vnder the grounde a graue.

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1706.  Phillips (ed. Kersey), Spade or Spitter, (among Husband-men) a Tool to dig the Ground with.

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1825.  Jennings, Obs. Dial. W. Eng., 71. Spitter, a small tool with a long handle, used for cutting up weeds, thistles, &c. Ibid., 72. To move the earth lightly with a spade or spitter.

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  2.  A spademan; a delver or digger.

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1648.  Hexham, II. Een Kley-steker, a digger or spitter of Clay. Ibid., Een Spader, a Delver, a Spademan, a Spitter.

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1728.  Douglas, in Phil. Trans., XXXV. 568. As soon as the Digger or Spitter has gone once the Breadth of the Ridge, he begins again at the other Side.

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