Spall

Pronunciation: /spɔl/

Definitions of spall

noun a fragment of a material that has broken away from its main mass, typically as a result of decay or deterioration

Example Sentences

A1 The spall from the broken tile cut my foot.

A2 He collected the spall from the construction site to use in his art project.

B1 The archaeologist found a spall of pottery while excavating the site.

B2 The spall of rock flew off the cliff and narrowly missed hikers below.

C1 The engineer analyzed the spall patterns on the bridge to determine the cause of the cracks.

C2 The spall of metal was carefully removed from the machinery to prevent further damage.

Examples of spall in a Sentence

formal The engineer studied the spall patterns on the concrete wall to determine the cause of the damage.

informal I noticed some spall marks on the old building, indicating its age and wear.

slang The construction crew had to fix the spall in the foundation before continuing with the project.

figurative The relationship between the two countries began to spall as tensions rose.

Grammatical Forms of spall

• past tense: spalled
• plural: spalls
• comparative: more spall
• superlative: most spall
• present tense: spalls
• future tense: will spall
• perfect tense: has spalled
• continuous tense: is spalling
• singular: spall
• positive degree: spall
• infinitive: to spall
• gerund: spalling
• participle: spalling

Origin and Evolution of spall

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'spall' originated from Middle English, derived from the Old French word 'espale' meaning 'chip or fragment'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'spall' has retained its original meaning of a fragment or chip, but has also come to be used in geology to refer to a piece of rock that has broken off a larger mass.