spate

/speɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /speɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈspāt/ (ame, mw)

spate — noun

  • spatesingular
  • spatesplural

1. a sudden, unusually large number of bad or unwanted things that happen within a

1.名詞B2
釋義

a sudden, unusually large number of bad or unwanted things that happen within a short period of time, such as crimes, accidents, or complaints

例句

A spate of burglaries hit the Westwood neighborhood last winter, leaving many older residents afraid to stay home alone.

spate of [crime] + hit [place/people]

The city experienced a spate of road accidents after heavy fog rolled in and reduced visibility on the highway.

同義詞
  • wave

    suggests a rising and falling pattern, slightly less negative than spate

  • rash

    specifically of something bad that spreads quickly, like a rash on the skin

  • outbreak

    of something sudden and unwelcome, especially disease or violence

反義詞
  • dearth

    a situation where there is very little of something

文法句型

a spate of [bad events]

there has been a spate of [bad events]

用法筆記

Almost always used with negative events — crimes, accidents, natural disasters, or other unpleasant occurrences. The noun following 'of' is typically plural.

常見錯誤

❌We had a spate of good exam results this year.
✅We had a spate of car thefts this year.
💡Spate is used for negative or unwanted events, not for positive ones.
❌A spate burglary happened.
✅A spate of burglaries happened.
💡Spate is a noun and must be followed by 'of' + a plural noun.

2. the condition of a river or stream when it contains a much larger amount of wate

2.名詞B2
釋義

the condition of a river or stream when it contains a much larger amount of water than normal and flows very fast, usually after heavy rain or melting snow

例句

After three days of continuous rain, the river was in full spate and the old wooden bridge was closed for safety.

river + be + in full spate

The River Tweed was in spate, carrying huge volumes of muddy water downstream toward the sea.

同義詞
  • flood

    more general term for water covering land; spate specifically describes the fast, swollen flow of a watercourse

  • torrent

    suggests a violent, fast-flowing stream of water

文法句型

[river/stream/waterway] + be + in (full) spate

[river] + swell to a spate

用法筆記

In British English the most common form is 'in full spate' or 'in spate'. The word cannot be used as a simple noun in this sense (❌ 'There was a spate') — it requires the prepositional phrase.

常見錯誤

❌The river had a spate.
✅The river was in spate.
💡This sense requires the phrase 'in (full) spate'; spate cannot be used alone to describe a river.

3. a sudden, strong burst of something continuous such as sound, emotion, or activi

3.名詞C1
釋義

a sudden, strong burst of something continuous such as sound, emotion, or activity, continuing without a break for a short time

例句

A sudden spate of gunfire echoed through the narrow streets, and people ran for cover.

a spate of [continuous sound]

The mayor's speech was interrupted by a spate of angry shouts from protesters at the back of the hall.

同義詞
  • outburst

    more personal and emotional; spate can describe impersonal phenomena like gunfire

  • burst

    shorter in duration; spate implies a slightly longer period

  • rush

    often describes a sudden movement or flow rather than sound

文法句型

a spate of [sound/feeling/activity]

用法筆記

Different from sense 1 (SERIES OF BAD EVENTS): sense 3 describes a single continuous burst (e.g. a spate of gunfire = one uninterrupted burst), whereas sense 1 describes multiple separate events (e.g. a spate of burglaries = several individual burglaries).

常見錯誤

❌There was a spate of laughing.
✅There was a spate of laughter.
💡Use the uncountable noun form of the activity (laughter, gunfire, criticism), not the continuous verb form.