spate of rain
- noun
:
aguacero
- The forecast warned of a spate of rain throughout the afternoon, so we packed umbrellas just in case.
Examples
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After a long dry spell, a spate of rain revived the wilted crops in the region.
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Construction was delayed by an unexpected spate of rain that flooded the worksite.
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We experienced a spate of rain last night.
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There was a sudden spate of rain in London.
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After a long dry spell, a spate of rain revived the wilted crops in the region.
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Construction was delayed by an unexpected spate of rain that flooded the worksite.
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The forecast warned of a spate of rain throughout the afternoon, so we packed umbrellas just in case.
Synonyms
162
1.0
A short period of rain or a sudden fall of things like confetti
26
1.0
A short time when a lot of rain falls, often with strong wind
24
2.7
A heavy and sudden fall of rain
5
1.0
A short period of rain that starts suddenly
3
4.4
A very heavy fall of rain that starts suddenly
2
6.3
A sudden very heavy rain that falls for a short time
1
7.9
A sudden large flow of water after heavy rain
1
3.0
A sudden very heavy fall of rain that soaks everything
1
4.2
A short time of very heavy rain
A sudden strong storm with heavy rain and thunder
A short fall of rain that starts without warning
A sudden heavy fall of rain that soaks quickly
Antonyms
How Heavy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'spate' (a sudden surge or outbreak) combined with 'rain' yields 'a sudden/heavy bout of rain'. The noun + of + noun pattern is predictable and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would understand this MWE.
Etymology
Spate of rain comes from the old word spate, meaning a sudden flood, and rain, giving the image of a quick rush of water from the sky. That's why it means 'a sudden or heavy outbreak of rain'.