Paddlings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A series of light blows delivered with a flat object, often used as a form of discipline or correction
2. Engaging in playfully striking the surface of water with hands or a paddle, creating splashes and waves
3. The act of using a paddle to propel a small boat or canoe across a body of water, enhancing movement and navigation

Etymology: "Paddlings" is simply the plural of "paddling", so the story belongs to the noun it pluralises. That noun is built from "paddle", a word for a short, broad-bladed oar or a flat-ended beating implement, plus the suffix "-ing", which turns a verb or noun into a noun for an action or its result. Its ancestor in Middle English was "padelynge", formed the same way from "paddle". The sense "a light slapping or tapping" comes from the paddle's use as a hand or small implement applied with quick strikes. The plural form, which the word's meaning suggests, refers to a series of such light hits rather than a single one.