n. 1 a a playing-card of a suit denoted by black inverted heart-shaped figures with small stalks. b (in pl.) this suit. 2 sl. offens. a Black. in spades sl. to a high degree, with great force. spade guinea hist. a guinea of George III's reign with a spade-shaped shield on the reverse.
[ It. spade pl. of spada sword f. L spatha f. Gk spathe, rel. to SPADE(1): assoc. with the shape of a pointed spade ]