spate Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. noun (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
   plenty; great deal; pot; sight; flock; mint; slew; mountain; deal; wad; muckle; pile; lot; mickle; raft; quite a little; passel; hatful; mess; heap; peck; stack; good deal; batch; tidy sum; mass.
   
   • a batch of letters
   • a deal of trouble
   • a lot of money
   • he made a mint on the stock market
   • see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos
   • it must have cost plenty
   • a slew of journalists
   • a wad of money
2. noun a sudden forceful flow
   rush; upsurge; surge.
   
3. noun the occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow
   freshet.
   

WordNet