spates

spate

(redirected from spates)
Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Encyclopedia.

spate

 (spāt)

n.

1. A sudden flood, rush, or outpouring: "It issues a spate of words from the loudspeakers and the politicians" (Virginia Woolf).

2. Chiefly British

a. A flash flood.

b. A freshet resulting from a downpour of rain or melting of snow.

c. A sudden heavy fall of rain.


[Middle English, of unknown origin.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

spate

(speɪt)

n

1. a fast flow, rush, or outpouring: a spate of words.

2. (Physical Geography) chiefly Brit a sudden flood: the rivers were in spate.

3. (Physical Geography) chiefly Brit a sudden heavy downpour

[C15 (Northern and Scottish): of unknown origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

spate

(speɪt)

n.

1. a sudden, almost overwhelming outpouring.

2. Brit.

a. a flood.

b. a river flooding its banks.

c. a sudden or heavy rainstorm.

[1400–50; late Middle English (north), of obscure orig.]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

spate

- A sudden flood or rush, an outpouring.

See also related terms for rush.

Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun1.spate - (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extentspate - (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent; "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble"; "a lot of money"; "he made a mint on the stock market"; "see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos"; "it must have cost plenty"; "a slew of journalists"; "a wad of money"

deluge, flood, inundation, torrent - an overwhelming number or amount; "a flood of requests"; "a torrent of abuse"

haymow - a mass of hay piled up in a barn for preservation

2.spate - a sudden forceful flowspate - a sudden forceful flow    

flow, flowing - the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

debris storm, debris surge - the sudden spread of dust and debris from a collapsing building; "the destruction of the building produced an enormous debris surge"

onrush - a forceful forward rush or flow; "from the bow she stared at the mesmerising onrush of the sea where it split and foamed"; "the explosion interrupted the wild onrush of her thoughts"

3.spate - the occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snowspate - the occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow

flow, flowing - the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

spate

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

spate

noun

1. A sudden or rapid flowing outward:

2. Something suggestive of running water:

3. Chiefly British. An abundant, usually overwhelming flow or fall, as of a river or rain:

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

spate

[speɪt] N

2. to be in (full) spate [river] → estar (muy) crecido

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

spate

[ˈspeɪt] n

(= series) → vague f
a spate of [+ attacks, scandals] → une vague de

to be in spate [river] → être en crue

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

spate

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995