Spate

Quick meaning: Spate is a noun meaning (countable) A sudden heavy downpour of rain.

Meaning

(countable) A sudden heavy downpour of rain.

More Meanings

1. (countable, figurative) A sudden increase or rush of something; a flood, an outburst, an outpouring.
2. (transitive) To (suddenly) flood or inundate (a river or other watercourse) with water.
3. (intransitive) To (suddenly) rain heavily; to pour.
4. (countable) A (sudden) flood or inundation of water; specifically, a flood in or overflow of a river or other watercourse due to heavy rain or melting snow; (uncountable, archaic) flooding, inundation.

Example Sentences

At the edge of the burn, where the path turns downward, there is a patch of shingle washed up by some spate.

The last tall son of Lot and Bellicent, / And tallest, Gareth, in a showerful spring / Stared at the spate. A slender-shafted Pine / Lost footing, fell, and so was whirled away.

The snow had left the bottoms and valleys and nestled only on the north slopes of the ice-scarred ridges. The glacial drip was already in evidence, and every creek in roaring spate.

Arous'd by bluſtering vvinds an' ſpotting thovves, / In mony a torrent dovvn the ſnavv-broo rovves; / VVhile craſhing ice, borne on the roaring ſpeat, / Svveeps dams, an' mills, an' brigs, a' to the gate; […]

Word Forms

• spates
• spat
• spating
• spated

Synonyms for spate

Depending on context, synonyms include surge, slew, rush, mass, pile, deal.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include freshet, stack, raft, slew, surge, pile.

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