English · Word Candidate

wade

/weɪd/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: wades · wading · waded

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To walk through water or something that impedes progress.

Verb

So eagerly the fiend […] / With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way, / And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

To progress with difficulty.

Verb

to wade through a dull book

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

An act of wading.

Noun

We had to be careful during our dangerous wade across the river.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

A ford; a place to cross a river.

NounRegister: colloquial

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “wade” mean?

To walk through water or something that impedes progress.

Is “wade” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.