spate

UK
/speɪt/
US
/speɪt/

Translations

spatenoun
spates
pl
UK
/speɪt/
US
/speɪt/
vague deEmploi courant pour exprimer une brusque série d’événements ou d’incidents.
There was a spate of burglaries in the neighborhood last month.
Il y a eu une vague de cambriolages dans le quartier le mois dernier.
cruePour un cours d’eau qui grossit soudainement sous l’effet de fortes pluies ou de la fonte des neiges.
The river was in spate after the heavy rains, overflowing its banks.
La rivière était en crue après les fortes pluies et débordait de son lit.
Additional translations
débordementTerme plus général, acceptable dans le sens de montée soudaine des eaux.
spateverb
spated
Past Simple
spated
Past Participle
spating
Gerund
UK
/speɪt/
US
/speɪt/
Dial. / chiefly Scottish & Northern English; used of rivers.
déborderS’emploie surtout pour une rivière ou un cours d’eau, notamment en anglais britannique.
After two days of torrential downpours, the Tweed spated and covered the fields.
Après deux jours de pluies diluviennes, la Tweed a débordé et a recouvert les champs.
Additional translations
faire déborderSens transitif dialectal.

Definitions

spatenoun
A large number or amount of something, especially in a brief time.
There was a spate of burglaries in the neighborhood last month.
A sudden flood in a river, especially one caused by heavy rains or melting snow.
The river was in spate after the heavy rains, overflowing its banks.
spateverb
(intransitive, chiefly British) Of a river: to overflow or flood suddenly, especially after heavy rain.
After two days of torrential downpours, the Tweed spated and covered the fields.
(transitive, dialectal) To cause (a river or stream) to overflow its banks.
Spring thaws regularly spated the narrow tributaries feeding the main river.