early 15c., originally Scottish and northern English, "a sudden flood, especially one caused by heavy rains or a snowmelt," of unknown origin. Perhaps from Old French espoit "flood," from Dutch spuiten "to flow, spout;" related to spout (v.). Figurative sense of "unusual quantity" is attested from 1610s.
中文解释
一堆唾沫口水，能淹死你。1. perhaps from spout => "flood".2. 喷流、喷射、喷落而出的大水 => 洪水。
实用例句
1. The Thames was in spate, with flocks of Canada geese speeding downriver.
泰晤士河河水暴涨，成群的加拿大雁迅速游向下游。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The bombing was the latest in a spate of terrorist attacks.
这次的爆炸事件是近期一连串恐怖主义袭击中最新的一起。
来自《权威词典》
3. Doctors have suffered a loss of prestige following a spate of scandals.
接二连三的丑闻使医生名誉扫地.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. The river is in spate.
河水猛涨.
来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
5. The spate of storms and hurricanes in recent years could be a statistical quirk.