spade
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spade 1
(spād)n.
1. A sturdy digging tool having a thick handle and a heavy, flat blade that can be pressed into the ground with the foot.
2. Any of various similar digging or cutting tools.
tr.v. spad·ed, spad·ing, spades
Idiom: To dig or cut with a spade.
call a spade a spade
To speak plainly and forthrightly.
[Middle English, from Old English spadu.]
spad′er n.
spade 2
(spād)n.
Idiom: 1. Games
a. A black, leaf-shaped figure on certain playing cards.
b. A playing card with this figure.
c. also spades(used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure.
2. Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a black person.
in spades
To a considerable degree: They had financial trouble in spades.
[Italian spade, pl. of spada, card suit, from Latin spatha, sword, broad-bladed stirrer, from Greek spathē, broad blade.]
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.
spade
(speɪd)n
1. (Tools) a tool for digging, typically consisting of a flat rectangular steel blade attached to a long wooden handle
2. (Tools)
a. an object or part resembling a spade in shape
b. (as modifier): a spade beard.
3. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) a heavy metallic projection attached to the trail of a gun carriage that embeds itself into the ground and so reduces recoil
4. (Rowing) a type of oar blade that is comparatively broad and short. Compare spoon6
5. (Tools) a cutting tool for stripping the blubber from a whale or skin from a carcass
6. call a spade a spade to speak plainly and frankly
vb
(tr) to use a spade on
[Old English spadu; related to Old Norse spathi, Old High German spato, Greek spathē blade]
ˈspader n
spade
(speɪd)n
1. (Card Games)
a. the black symbol on a playing card resembling a heart-shaped leaf with a stem
b. a card with one or more of these symbols or (when pl) the suit of cards so marked, usually the highest ranking of the four
2. (Peoples) a derogatory word for Black
3. in spades informal in an extreme or emphatic way
[C16: from Italian spada sword, used as an emblem on playing cards, from Latin spatha, from Greek spathē blade, broadsword]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
spade1
(speɪd)n., v. spad•ed, spad•ing. n.
1. a tool for digging, typically having a long handle and a narrow, flat metal blade that can be pressed into the ground with the foot.
2. an implement or part resembling this.
v.t. 3. to dig, cut, or remove with a spade.
Idioms: call a spade a spade, to speak plainly and bluntly.
[before 900; Middle English (n.); Old English spadu, c. Old Frisian spada, Old Saxon spado]
spad′er, n.
spade2
(speɪd)n.
1. a black figure shaped like an inverted heart with a short stem at the cusp opposite the point, used on playing cards.
2. a card of the suit bearing such figures.
3. spades,
a. (used with a sing. or pl. v.) the suit so marked.
b. (used with a pl. v.) (in casino) the winning of seven spades or more.
4. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. (a contemptuous term used to refer to a black person.)
Idioms: in spades, Informal.
a. in the extreme; to the utmost.
b. without restraint.
[1590–1600; < Italian, pl. of spada orig., sword < Latin spatha < Greek spáthē; compare spade1]
usage: Definition 4 is a slur and should be avoided. It is used with disparaging intent and is perceived as highly insulting.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
spade
Past participle: spaded
Gerund: spading
| Imperative |
|---|
| spade |
| spade |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
Spade
Another name for the Bull tongue, a cultivator plow point shaped somewhat like a tongue.
1001 Words and Phrases You Never Knew You Didn’t Know by W.R. Runyan Copyright © 2011 by W.R. Runyan
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  spade - a playing card in the major suit that has one or more black figures on it; "she led a low spade"; "spades were trumps"major suit - (bridge) a suit of superior scoring value, either spades or hearts playing card - one of a pack of cards that are used to play card games |
| 2. | spade - a sturdy hand shovel that can be pushed into the earth with the foot ditch spade, long-handled spade - a spade with a long handle for digging narrow ditches garden spade - a spade used by gardeners hand shovel - a shovel that is operated by hand | |
| 3. | spade - (ethnic slur) extremely offensive name for a Black person ethnic slur - a slur on someone's race or language Black person, blackamoor, Negro, Negroid, Black - a person with dark skin who comes from Africa (or whose ancestors came from Africa) | |
| Verb | 1. | spade - dig (up) with a spade; "I spade compost into the flower beds" cut into, delve, dig, turn over - turn up, loosen, or remove earth; "Dig we must"; "turn over the soil for aeration" ridge - spade into alternate ridges and troughs; "ridge the soil" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
spade
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
spade
[speɪd] N2. spades (Cards) → picas fpl, picos mpl; (in Spanish pack) → espadas fpl
the three of spades → el tres de espadas
to play spades → jugar espadas
to play a spade → jugar una espada
the three of spades → el tres de espadas
to play spades → jugar espadas
to play a spade → jugar una espada
3. (pej) → negro/a m/f
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
spade1
(speid) noun a tool with a broad blade and a handle, used for digging. pala
spade2
(speid) nounspades noun plural (sometimes treated as noun singular) one of the four card suits. the ten of spades.picas, espadas
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
spade
→ palaMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009