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spate

noun
🔊/speɪt/
🔊/speɪt/
[usually singular]Idioms
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  1. spate of something a large number of things, which are usually unpleasant, that happen suddenly within a short period of time一连串，接二连三（通常指不愉快的事物）
    • The bombing was the latest in a spate of terrorist attacks.这次炸弹爆炸事件是一连串恐怖主义袭击中最近的一起。🔊🔊
    • a recent spate of killings/thefts最近发生的一系列谋杀/盗窃案
    Word Originlate Middle English (originally Scots and northern English in the sense ‘flood, inundation’): of unknown origin.
Idioms
in (full) spate
  1. (especially British English) (of a river河流) containing more water and flowing more strongly than usual暴涨；发洪水
    • After heavy rain, the river was in spate.大雨过后，河水暴涨。🔊🔊
    • (figurative) Celia was in full spate (= completely involved in talking and not likely to stop or able to be interrupted).西莉亚口若悬河，滔滔不绝。🔊🔊