Definition of "spudding" [spudding]

• The initial drilling of a well; a test drilling. (noun)
• Present participle of spud. (verb)

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• "BP today started drilling - or "spudding" - a new relief well half a mile away from the site of the Deepwater Horizon."
• "Where else can you do cool science while also being a macho Marlbor man: wearing blue jeans, driving jeeps, spudding in oil wells while shooting Beduin bandits…"
• "Miss Prosody, quite genial and urbane after luncheon, was deep in consultation with the boatman as to the locality of certain ferns she proposed spudding up for her pet rockery at "The Maples," where her lighter hours were diurnally spent in washing and tending her spoils."