noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a river is in spate British English (= it is very full and the water is flowing very quickly )
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The snow had just melted and the rivers were in spate.
a series/spate/wave of attacks (= a number of attacks in a row )
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The killing follows a series of brutal attacks on tourists.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
late
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He blamed what he called the painful kick-back of recent economic problems for the latest spate of job losses.
recent
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Earnings from the recent spate of rights issues and flotations will be fat.
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After a recent spate of arrests, Figueroa said publicly that he did not expect more.
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Alliance leader John Alderdice held emergency talks with the security chief at Stormont on the recent spate of murders and sectarian attacks.
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They were casualties of the recent spate of organizational downsizing, restructuring, and reengineering programs.
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Police say extra vigilance has helped to kerb the recent spate of attacks on horses.
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However, our recent spate of hot summers and mild winters seems to be redressing the balance somewhat.
■ VERB
follow
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Read in studio Detectives are hunting for two men following a spate of robberies at the homes of old-age pensioners.
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The A66 has become a cause for deep concern among local residents following a spate of accidents in recent months.
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Police say the arrests follow a spate of crimes in the area.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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Even model Naomi Campbell appeared at the last spate of runway shows in New York with a swinging dark-blond weave.
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Homeowners have reported a spate of vandalism, break- ins, thefts, and other crimes that they attribute to illegal immigrants.
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If a statutory definition were to be promulgated, it would lead to confusion, and a spate of litigation.
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Some of these riverbank cave entrances are submerged when the river is in spate making their underground passages subject to sudden flooding.
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The current spate of reports on the schools criticizes parents for not involving themselves in the education of their children.
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The generosity of the offer had surprised them all and had prompted a whole spate of spontaneous offers.
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The poll results come amid a spate of bad news for tobacco companies.
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These questions have been raised by leading palaeontologists and archaeologists in a spate of articles in newspapers and journals.