spade
spade Lexical Profile
spade Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A sturdy tool primarily for digging or cutting ground, typically having a thick handle and a heavy, flat, relatively straight-edged metal blade that can be pressed into the soil with the foot.
"The gardener used a sharp spade to cut cleanly through the dense turf before planting the new shrubs."
One of the four suits in a standard deck of playing cards, denoted by a black, inverted heart-shaped figure with a small stalk.
"She held a strong hand consisting primarily of spades and was confident she could win the trick."
A playing card belonging to the suit of spades.
"He played a high spade to trump the ace of hearts."
• verb
To dig, turn over, or cut (ground or soil) with a spade.
"He spent the entire afternoon spading the vegetable patch to prepare it for spring planting."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with a shovel; while a shovel typically has a broad, scooped blade designed for lifting and moving loose material, a spade generally has a flat, relatively straight-edged blade designed for digging and cutting through roots or hard soil.
• Rhymes for spade
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'spadu' or 'spada', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'spade' and German 'Spaten', tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*speh₂-' (to draw or stretch out), which also yielded the Greek 'spathe' (broad blade). The card suit meaning comes from Italian 'spade' (swords), which was visually adapted to a leaf/pike shape in French decks.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.