spade

name

1. A surname.

noun

Etymology: Probably from Italian spade, plural of spada (“the ace of spades”, literally “sword, spade”), from earlier *spata, from Latin spatha, from Ancient Greek σπᾰ́θη (spắthē). Cognate with Etymology 1. So called for the shape, though what the shape was exactly meant to represent has been debated.

1. A playing card marked with the symbol ♠.

   “I've got only one spade in my hand.”

2. A black person.

   “And as for a divorce, I know plenty spades right here in Harlem get married any time they want to.”

   “Example: Max was in a hospital in New York and "the night nurse was a groovy spade, and in the afternoon for therapy there was a chick from Israel who was interesting, but there was nothing much to do in the morning, so I left".”

verb

1. simple past and past participle of spay