spate

/speɪt/
noun
  1. A large number of similar things or events happening in a short period of time, often in an unexpected or overwhelming way.
    • There was a spate of complaints after the new policy was announced.
    • The city has seen a spate of burglaries this month.
    • A spate of hot weather caused the ice cream shop to run out of stock.
  2. A sudden flood or rush of water, especially in a river or stream after heavy rain.
    • The hikers had to wait for the spate to subside before crossing the stream.
    • A spate of water rushed down the mountain after the snow melted.
    • The river was in spate after three days of rain.
What does "spate" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean