Definition of "spoon"

He must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil.

c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iii]

While Ms. Fly was with Sharon in the kitchen, Sharon asked the defendant for a “spoon of drugs.” Defendant refused and stated that he did not know where drugs could be obtained.

1978, Illinois. Supreme Court, Reports of Cases at Law and in Chancery..., page 76

To this class college rowing offers no attractions or place, nor are they generally looked upon by the artists of the "spoons" as a desirable addition […]

1877, The Country, volumes 1-2, page 339

To get all the advantages of being with men of this sort, you must know how to draw your inferences and not be a spoon who takes things literally.

1872, George Eliot, “Chapter 23”, in Middlemarch

We therefore have to meticulously plan out each day with the small amount of spoons we have. Each task will cost us at least one spoon.

2014 March 12, “The Spoon Theory – Rationing my Legs & Energy”, in Spoonie Sophia‎, WordPress

You work, and play, and clean, and love, and hate, and that's lots of damn spoons . . but if you are young and healthy you still have spoons left over as you fall asleep and wait for the new supply of spoons to be delivered in the morning.

2015, Jenny Lawson, Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things‎, page 241

Once you're out of spoons for the day, that's it, no more energy. So when you get down to your last couple of spoons for the day, you have to decide, what's the priority?

2016, Tymber Dalton, Two Against Nature, page 86

But if you're running low on spoons, take some time out to recharge.

2018, Donna Alward, Nancy Cassidy, Adulting 101: Writing Through Life and Other Adventures‎

He has frequent dizzy spells. His friend has Asperger syndrome. Both relate and support each other when they have run out of spoons.

2018, Dennis J. DeWitt, Zoe Died. What Now?: Finding Hope in Times of Loss‎

Talbot champed away, finally spooning in resignation with the tinned fruit salad, calm of mind reached with the last piece of cheese, all passion spent in the third drained coffee-cup.

1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 365

Do you think we spoon and do? We only talk.

1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 7, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […]

Rosol spurned the chance to finish off a shallow second serve by spooning into the net, and a wild forehand took the set to 5-4, with the native of Prerov required to hold his serve for victory.

2012 June 28, Jamie Jackson, “Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal”, in the Guardian‎

He had with him all the tackle necessary for spooning pike.

1888, Mrs. Humphry Ward, Robert Elsmere

We might have spooned before the wind as well as they.

1666 August 12 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “August 2nd, 1666”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume V, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1895