While talking with the Owlvark about our new equipment I pulled up the wikipedia page on E-tools to have a look at what the current standard tool is, and, after the required link-hopping, saw that there is a very quiet debate about the use of the word "shovel" versus "spade, " specifically between those who want the two words clearly separated, and those who agree that natural language doesn't always follow dictionary definitions.

It starts on the E-tool page, with "The United States Army folding spade, or entrenching tool, has evolved from a single fold spade (inaccurately referred to as a "shovel" by military quartermasters)" On the shovel page, under "Spade, " we have "Some usage prescriptions prescribe that the words "spade" and "shovel" should be held in contradistinction (piercing and digging [spade] versus scooping and moving [shovel]). Natural language does not widely follow these prescriptions; it more often treats "spade" and "scoop" as contradistinguished subsets under "shovel." Further down the page we find "Square Shovel - A general category of shovel that includes many types with a generally square outline (rather than being pointed like many spades are). But there is no rigorous, always-enforced distinction between square shovels and spades."

So much specificity for such a small thing- and I thought I was pedantic :)