v. pad·ded, pad·ding, pads v.intr. 1. To go about on foot. 2. To move or walk about almost inaudibly. v.tr. To go along (a route) on foot: padding the long road into town. n. 1. A muffled sound resembling that of soft footsteps. 2. A horse with a plodding gait. [Early Modern English, probably from Middle Low German *padden (modern Low German padden), from pat, pad-, path; see pent- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots. Sense 2, probably partly also imitative of footsteps.] padder n. |
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