English Language & Usage Asked by user392289 on January 21, 2021
I like wiping the back of a spoon on peanut butter to get it out of the jar, instead of scooping it out the normal way. Could this action still be described as “scooping out”, but with the back of the spoon?
What about “pulling out peanut butter with the back of a spoon”? Does that sound right?
The verb for this, which doesn't specify the part of the utensil used, is actually spoon:
[Merriam-Webster]
transitive
: to take up and usually transfer in a spoon
Used in your example:
I spooned peanut butter out of the jar.
What's good about this verb is that it doesn't matter how you used the spoon, only that you did.
However, if you do want to specify the exact method, you could simply add the description.
To address a comment that the Merriam-Webster definition cannot be interpreted as functional with the back of a spoon, because it uses the preposition in, here is the Oxford (Lexico) definition of the verb:
1 [with object and adverbial of direction] Put (food) into or on something with a spoon.
‘Rosie spooned sugar into her mug’
Note how it uses the preposition with rather than in.
As such, I don't hold to the inference that spoon necessitates a specific usage.
Correct answer by Jason Bassford on January 21, 2021
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