spade /speɪd/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1,3: Language: Old English ; Origin: spadu ]
[ Sense 2, 4-5: Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Italian ; Origin: spada or Spanish espada 'broad sword' (used as a mark on cards), from Latin spatha ; ⇨ ↑ spatula ]
1 . a tool for digging that has a long handle and a broad metal blade that you push into the ground ⇨ shovel
2 . ( also spades [plural] ) a ↑ playing card belonging to the set of cards that have one or more black shapes that look like pointed leaves printed on them:
the queen of spades
3 . call a spade a spade to speak about things in a direct and honest way, even though it may be impolite to do this
4 . in spades to a great degree, or in large amounts:
Beauty, intelligence, wealth – my mother had all of them in spades.
5 . [countable] taboo old-fashioned a very offensive word for a black person. Do not use this word.