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1. (often followed by 'of') a large number, amount or extent
   "a spate of letters";
   - batch, deal, flock, good deal, great deal, hatful, heap, lot, mass, mess, mickle [archaic], mint, mountain, muckle, passel [US], peck, pile [informal], plenty, pot, quite a little, raft, sight, slew, stack, tidy sum, wad, bunch [informal]
    
2. A sudden forceful flow
   - rush, surge, upsurge, upswell
    
3. The occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow
   - freshet

Derived forms: spates

Type of: flow, flowing, large indefinite amount, large indefinite quantity

Encyclopedia: Spate