1904, E. Pritchard, The Physiological Feeding of Infants, Large and square-headed, fatuously complacent, pot-bellied, spade-handed and dumpy-footed, for all the world presenting the appearance of animated jelly.
2013, Ebury Press & ‎Leanne Mitchell, Finding My Voice, I can honestly say that so far-minus the spade-handed doctor perhaps — I had enjoyed every second and for me that was a big deal.
2014, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, A Mortal Glamour, He was tall, this Swiss priest, lantern-jawed and spade-handed.
Having hands that are used for digging.
1945, Wystan Hugh Auden, The collected poetry of W. H. Auden, Even the spade-handed moles shall declare their folly.
2011, Clare Clark, Savage Lands, They in their turn sought useful wives, the broad-hipped, spade-handed type of wives who might build houses and bear children in the same afternoon and still have supper on the table when they got home.
2012, Dylan Thomas, Collected Poems, Deliver me, my masters, head and heart, Heart of Cadaver's candle waxes thin, When blood, spade-handed, and the logic time Drive children up like bruises to the thumb From maid and head,
