Word
spade
US/ˈspeɪd/
UK/spˈeɪd/
Definitions
01digging tool
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Cooking
n. a tool for digging with a flat metal blade and a long handle.
n. a tool for digging or cutting the ground, consisting of a flat metal blade and a handle; distinguished from a shovel by its flat edge.
日本語:スコップ、スペード※
“He used a sharp spade to dig a hole for the new rose bush.”
“The gardener drove the spade into the compacted clay, turning the soil over to prepare the bed for spring planting.”
Synonyms
02playing cards
B1 · Intermediate Plural noun
n. one of the four suits in a deck of cards, shown by a black leaf shape.
n. one of the four suits in a standard deck of playing cards, represented by a black inverted heart-shaped leaf with a small stem.
Español:pica
“The ace of spades is often the highest card in many games.”
“He realized he had lost the hand when his opponent led with a high spade, forcing him to play his last trump card.”
03to dig
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to dig or turn over soil using a spade.
v. to dig, turn over, or remove soil with a spade, typically for horticultural preparation.
“You should spade the garden in late autumn to help the soil breathe.”
“The workers spent the afternoon spading the narrow trench where the new irrigation pipes were to be laid.”
Usage
Commonly used in the idiom 'to call a spade a spade', meaning to speak plainly and directly about something.
Pitfall
I used a spade to move the pile of sand.
I used a shovel to move the pile of sand.
Use a spade for digging into hard ground; use a shovel for moving loose materials like sand or snow.
Real-World Examples
“From novices to experts, all gardeners need a trusty spade, and they're often the first tool that gardeners will buy when starting out.” “The wooden spade, that dates back to the Bronze Age, has been described as "really unique".” “Spades, forks and hoes, whose basic design hasn't changed since their invention.” Etymology
From Middle English spade, from Old English spada, spade, spadu (“spade”), from Proto-Germanic *spadô. Doublet of spatha, spathe, and épée.
Probably from Italian spade, plural of spada (“the ace of spades”, literally “sword, spade”), from earlier *spata, from Latin spatha, from Ancient Greek σπᾰ́θη (spắthē). Cognate with Etymology 1. So called for the shape, though what the shape was exactly meant to represent has been debated.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/spade
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0