v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Waded; p. pr. & vb. n. Wading. ] [ OE. waden to wade, to go, AS. wadan; akin to OFries. wada, D. waden, OHG. watan, Icel. va&unr_;a, Sw. vada, Dan. vade, L. vadere to go, walk, vadum a ford. Cf. Evade, Invade, Pervade, Waddle. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To go; to move forward. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When might is joined unto cruelty,
Alas, too deep will the venom wade. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Forbear, and wade no further in this speech. Old Play. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To walk in a substance that yields to the feet; to move, sinking at each step, as in water, mud, sand, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

So eagerly the fiend . . .
With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,
And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence, to move with difficulty or labor; to proceed &unr_;lowly among objects or circumstances that constantly &unr_;inder or embarrass; as, to wade through a dull book. [ 1913 Webster ]

And wades through fumes, and gropes his way. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king's admirable conduct has waded through all these difficulties. Davenant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Woad. [ Obs. ] Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To pass or cross by wading; as, he waded &unr_;he rivers and swamps. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of wading. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, wades. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Any long-legged bird that wades in the water in search of food, especially any species of limicoline or grallatorial birds; -- called also wading bird. See Illust. g, under Aves. [ 1913 Webster ]