spade

spade

spade¹ [spād]

n.

[ME < OE spadu, akin to Ger spaten < IE base * spē-, long flat piece of wood > SPOON, Gr spathē]

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

vt., vi.

spaded, spading

to dig or cut with or as with a spade

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call a spade a spade

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

spadeful

n.

spader

n.

spade² [spād]

n.

[Sp espada, sword (the sign used on Spanish cards) < L spatha, flat blade < Gr spathē: see SPADE¹]

1. any of a suit of playing cards marked with black figures shaped like this: ♠

2. [pl., with sing. or pl. v.] this suit of cards

3. Slang BLACK (n. 5): term of contempt and prejudice

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☆ in spades [from the fact that spades are the highest suit in bridge, etc.]

Informal in an extreme or emphatic way

spade³ [spād]

vt.

spaded, spading

dial. var. of SPAY