spade Hear it!

spade¹ Definition

spade (spād)

noun

  1. a heavy, flat-bladed, long-handled tool used for digging by pressing the metal blade into the ground with the foot
  2. any of several tools resembling a spade
  3. a part of the trail of a gun carriage which digs into the ground, so as to brace the gun during recoil

Etymology: ME < OE spadu, akin to Ger spaten < IE base *spē-, long flat piece of wood > spoon, Gr spathē

transitive verb, intransitive verb spad′ed, spad′·ing

to dig or cut with or as with a spade

spade¹ Related Forms
spade′·ful noun spad′er noun
spade¹ Idioms

call a spade a spade

to call something by its right name; use plain, blunt words

spade² Definition

spade (spād)

noun

  1. any of a suit of playing cards marked with black figures shaped like this: ♠
  2. this suit of cards
  3. Slang black (): term of contempt and prejudice

Etymology: Sp espada, sword (the sign used on Spanish cards) < L spatha, flat blade < Gr spathē: see spade

spade² Idioms

in spades

☆

Etymology: from the fact that spades are the highest suit in bridge, etc.

Informal in an extreme or emphatic way

spade³ Definition

spade (spād)

transitive verb spad′ed, spad′·ing

Dialectal spay

spade Synonyms

spade

n.

implement, trowel, garden tool, digging tool; see shovel.

spade Usage Examples

Possessives

  • depth: I suggest digging down a spade's depth & width at least.

Converse of object

  • ruff: However, after winning A, East can cash A and force dummy to ruff the third spade.
  • throw: Yes of course, I just throw a spade on the 4th club.
  • call: Andrew, married in 1965: ' Call a spade a spade.
  • deny: Perhaps a quick pass would have been best, but I opted for a responsive double, showing values and denying 4 spades.
  • lead: Suppose we lead a spade at trick 2. North can ruff a loser with a natural trump trick.
  • carry: It worked, of course, and the following day Eric appeared in overalls, carrying a spade - Bless ' im!

Adjective modifier

  • wooden: It was wrapped around the end of the wooden spade to make it easier to dig through soil.
  • sharp: Then cut a large circle around the tree with a sharp spade.
  • silver: The first sod of earth on the route was cut with a silver spade in October 1889.

Modifies a noun

  • ruff: Obviously you need to find partner's entry to get your spade ruff.
  • finesse: West led the 7. There are indeed 12 top tricks and there's the easy shot of the spade finesse for 13.
  • connector: Connect the male spade connector to the brown wires you have just removed.
  • terminal: Cut this and replace it with one of the spade terminals provided in the kit.
  • depth: Preparation is simple - dig over ( 1.5 to 2 spades depth ) a square meter where the shrub is to be planted.
  • suit: At the Leeds Swiss teams after this auction with a similar holding I decided not to lead fourth highest from a broken spade suit.

Noun used with modifier

  • border: Lesley was first and chose a border spade, left handed secateurs and as she attracts rain her purple waterproof.
  • steel: Many comments were given after the area of ground had been dug over but the stainless steel spades came up trumps every time.
  • garden: A garden spade can be used to lever open doors.
  • metal: I started to dig again and my metal spade hit something else metal a big clang went thorough everybody's ears.
spade Quotes

A loose, plain, rude writer†I call a spade a spade.

—Burton, Robert pseudonym DemocritusJunior

: When I see a spade I call it a spade. : I am glad to say that I have never seen a spade.

—Wilde, Oscar Fingal O'FlahertieWills

The glories of our blood and state Are shadows, not substantial things; There is no armour against fate; Death lays his icy hand on kings: Scepter and crown Must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made With the poor crooked scythe and spade.

—Shirley,James

First, sturdy March with brows full sternly bent, And arme'  d strongly, rode upon a ram, The same which over Hellespontus swam: Yet in his hand a spade he also hent, And in a bag all sorts of seeds ysame, Which on the earth he strowe'  d as he went, And filled her womb with fruitful hope of nourishment.

—Spenser, Edmund

I hope I've done nothing so monosyllabic as to cheat. A spade is never so merelya spade as the word Spade would imply.

—Fry, C(harles) B(urgess)

But, thanks to wine-less and democracy, We've still our stage where truth calls spade a spade!

—Browning, Robert

Write with your spade, and garden with your pen, Shove your couplets to their long repose. And type your turnips down the field in rows.

—Campbell, (Ignatius) Roy Dunnachie