v. north. and Sc. Forms: α. 5, 9 spald, 9 spauld. β. 5 spawde, 9 spaud, spaad, spoad. [ad. MLG. spalden, = obs. WFris. spâlde, MDu. spouden (Du. spouwen; WFris. spoude, spouwe), OHG. spaltan (MHG. and G. spalten), to split. A different grade of the stem is represented by Goth. spilda, ON. speld, spjald, tablet, OE. speld, MHG. and G. dial. spelte splinter.
Eng. dialects have also the sb. spald, spaud, corresponding to MLG. spalde and spald (G. spalte, spalt), and the derivative verb spalder, spauder (cf. SPALDERLING), = MLG. spalderen.]
a. trans. To splinter, split, break up, lay open or flat. b. intr. To go apart, to splay out.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 3699. Be thane speris whare [= were] sproungene, spalddyd [? in] chippys.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12692. Þer were spaudit [printed spandit] & spilt in a spase litill, Two hundreth hede schippis in a hond qwile.
1483. Cath. Angl., 352/1. To Spawde, dissoluere. Ibid. Spawdyd as a schep (A. Spawdit as a shippe), dissolutus.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, XI. ii. 73. [He] oft down fallis spaldit on the erd. Ibid., XII. v. 204. On the erd he spaldit him all flat.
1828–. in northern glossaries.
Hence Spalding, a split and dried fish, a speldring; Spalding-knife, a knife for splitting fish.
1354. in Priory of Finchale (Surtees), p. xxxvii. Item j spaldyngknyf.
1776. Sempill’s Blythsome Bridal, in Herd, Sc. Songs, II. 25. And there will be partens and buckies, And whytens and spaldings enew.
1790. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Compl. Ep. to Bruce, Ep. Ded. p. ii. Spaldings (alias dried whitings).
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Spaldings. A north-country name for whitings and other small fish, split and dried. Ibid., Spalding-knife. A knife used for splitting fish in Newfoundland.
