Coming Soon 👀 At the beginning of April, you’ll be
introduced to a brand-new GoComics! See more information here. Subscribers, check your
email for more details.
The OED lists the first written appearance of “spate” in English as “originally Scottish and northern” but also says “Of unknown origin”. And if the OED don’t know its source, ain’t nobody do.
If this happens to be a vocab lesson, and spate is one of the words, the teacher should be delighted. She should be reasonably happy anyhow. Cynthia has the whole class thinking creatively.
Of course, her initial premise was flawed. You can have a spate of donations or a spate of well-wishers.Well, not in America, land of the 50 word vocabulary.
First of all, her premise was wrong, Dictionary defines “spate” as “a large number of similar things or events appearing or occurring in quick succession.” It doesn’t say anything about them being bad things.
Jesy Bertz Premium Member almost 2 years ago
A spate of floods.
pschearer Premium Member almost 2 years ago
The OED lists the first written appearance of “spate” in English as “originally Scottish and northern” but also says “Of unknown origin”. And if the OED don’t know its source, ain’t nobody do.
darcyandsimon almost 2 years ago
I’m impressed that her classmates came up with answers!
uniquename almost 2 years ago
If this happens to be a vocab lesson, and spate is one of the words, the teacher should be delighted. She should be reasonably happy anyhow. Cynthia has the whole class thinking creatively.
ChessPirate almost 2 years ago
Curt Flood was an excellent Center-Fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, but is probably more well known for his suit to fight being traded in 1969:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Flood
Ishka Bibel almost 2 years ago
Of course, her initial premise was flawed. You can have a spate of donations or a spate of well-wishers.Well, not in America, land of the 50 word vocabulary.
stamps almost 2 years ago
Elmer Flood?
Cozmik Cowboy almost 2 years ago
Floods are what made the Nile Valley (and others) arable.
Stephen Gilberg almost 2 years ago
And the album “Flood” by They Might Be Giants sold well.
sobrown51 almost 2 years ago
First of all, her premise was wrong, Dictionary defines “spate” as “a large number of similar things or events appearing or occurring in quick succession.” It doesn’t say anything about them being bad things.
mplsfourth almost 2 years ago
In spite of the definition or even the possibilities for usage, she is correct that you generally only hear spate used in negative situations.