Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: CARDS

Sense: 1,3
Origin: Old English spadu
Sense: 2, 4-5
Date: 1500-1600
Language: Italian
Origin: spada or Spanish espada 'broad sword' (used as a mark on cards), from Latin spatha; SPATULA

spade

 noun
     
spade
spade
1 [countable]DLG a tool for digging that has a long handle and a broad metal blade that you push into the ground [↪ shovel]
2 also spades [uncountable]DGC a playing card belonging to the set of cards that have one or more black shapes that look like pointed leaves printed on them:
the queen of spades
3

call a spade a spade

to speak about things in a direct and honest way, even though it may be impolite to do this
4

in spades

to a great degree, or in large amounts:
Beauty, intelligence, wealth - my mother had all of them in spades.
5 [countable] taboo old-fashioned a very offensive word for a black person. Do not use this word.
Definition of spade from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
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