What is "spudding"

n. (context drilling English) The initial drilling of a well; a test drilling. vb. (present participle of spud English)

1. n. an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland [syn: potato, white potato, Irish potato, murphy, tater]

2. a sharp hand shovel for digging out roots and weeds [syn: stump spud]

3. v. initiate onsite drilling operations, as for petroleum; "The well was spudded in April"

4. produce buds, branches, or germinate; "the potatoes sprouted" [syn: shoot, germinate, pullulate, bourgeon, burgeon forth, sprout]

5. [also: spudding, spudded]

See spud