spall
verbEtymology From Middle English spalle (“a chip”) (first documented in 1440), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from the Middle English verb spald (“to split”) (c.1400), from Middle Low German spalden, cognate with Old High German spaltan (“to split”).
1
Ambitransitive To break into fragments or small pieces.
- Cobbed Ore is the ſpalled which is broke out of the ſolid large ſtones with ſledges1778, William Pryce, Mineralogia Cornubiensis: A Treatise on Minerals, Mines, and Mining […] :
- Drones will give an idea of the worst bits, but if it's lightly spalled then I don't know if they will necessarily see that.2021 May 5, Paul Stephen, “Restoring the glory of Ribblehead”, in RAIL, number 930, page 39:
2
Especially To undergo weathering, aging, or other wear that involves the crumbling of the substrate.
Of ferroconcrete structures or metal objects
- When the bearing race spalled under high load, it led to the failure of the bearing.
- Once the concrete had spalled extensively, the bridge could no longer pass an honest inspection.
1 more example
- I know it’s fun to go to a foreign city, look around at the buildings, and make grand sweeping judgements about the relative strength of civilizations over the next thousand years. But next time you find yourself gaping at a sparkling new high-rise in Shenzhen or Chongqing or Dubai, remind yourself: “This too shall spall.”2025 May 6, Noah Smith, “Thoughts on Sinofuturism: What does it mean for China to be "the future"? And what does that future look like?”, in Noahpinion:
3
To reduce, as irregular blocks of stone, to an approximately level surface by hammering.
- Derived terms
- nonspalling, spallable, unspalled