SPATE
Dictionary entry overview: What does spate mean?
• SPATE (noun)
The noun SPATE has 3 senses:
1. (often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent
2. a sudden forceful flow
3. the occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow
Familiarity information: SPATE used as a noun is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• SPATE (noun)
Meaning:
(often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent
Classified under:
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
Synonyms:
mint; muckle; peck; quite a little; slew; spate; tidy sum; whole lot; mickle; whole slew; lot; hatful; good deal; great deal; batch; wad; stack; raft; plenty; pile; heap; mass; flock; deal; pot; mess; sight
Context examples:
a batch of letters / a deal of trouble / a lot of money / he made a mint on the stock market / it must have cost plenty
Hypernyms ("spate" is a kind of...):
large indefinite amount; large indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is above the average in size or magnitude)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spate"):
deluge; flood; inundation; torrent (an overwhelming number or amount)
haymow (a mass of hay piled up in a barn for preservation)
Meaning:
A sudden forceful flow
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
upsurge; surge; spate; rush
Hypernyms ("spate" is a kind of...):
flow; flowing (the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spate"):
debris storm; debris surge (the sudden spread of dust and debris from a collapsing building)
onrush (a forceful forward rush or flow)
Meaning:
The occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural events
Synonyms:
freshet; spate
Hypernyms ("spate" is a kind of...):
flow; flowing (the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases))
