wooden spoon
Plural
wooden spoons
1
a spoon that is made of wood
A wooden spoon is a utensil typically made from wood, with a long handle and a rounded or flat bowl-like end. It is commonly used in cooking for stirring, mixing, and serving various dishes, particularly those cooked in pots or pans with non-stick coatings or delicate surfaces that could be scratched by metal utensils. Wooden spoons are valued for their durability, heat resistance, and non-reactivity with acidic ingredients, making them suitable for use with a wide range of foods. They come in various sizes and shapes, from small stirring spoons to larger mixing spoons, and are often preferred by chefs and home cooks alike for their natural feel and traditional appeal.
- She used a wooden spoon to stir the sauce to prevent scratching the pot.
- A wooden spoon is a must-have for mixing batters and doughs.
- The wooden spoon has been passed down in the family for generations.
- He reached for a wooden spoon to serve the pasta.
- Wooden spoons are ideal for cooking because they don’t conduct heat.
2
a mock prize, usually a wooden spoon, given to the person or team that finishes last in a competition
A wooden spoon award is a humorous or ironic prize given to someone who has performed the worst in a competition or contest. It is usually a literal wooden spoon, but sometimes it can be just a name or a title. The origin of this award comes from the British tradition of awarding a wooden spoon to the lowest-scoring student in the mathematics exam at the University of Cambridge. The wooden spoon award has since spread to other English-speaking countries and can be used for various academic, sporting or fun events.
- Their team received the wooden spoon after losing every match.
- He joked about aiming for the wooden spoon instead of the trophy.
- The quiz's wooden spoon went to the lowest-scoring group.
- The club awards a wooden spoon each year to the bottom-ranked player.
- She accepted the wooden spoon with good humor.