Collocations for "spades"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "spades" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
spade
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- spade [earth, soil, sand]
- spade [earth] into the [grave, pit, bucket]
- cards: the [six] of spades
- cards: spades are trump
- cards: have [three] spades (in my hand)
- cards: a flush of spades
- cards: [played, discarded] a spade
- in the shape of a spade
- was digging with a spade
- broke the ground with a spade
- [plunged, stuck] the spade into the ground
- was leaning on his spade
- using a garden spade
- turn the [ground, soil] over with a spade
- took the bucket and spade to the beach
- idiom: call a spade a spade
'spades' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):