PhrasesHub

In spades

    Definitions

      • to a high degree
        To emphasize that something exists or occurs in abundance or to an extreme degree

      • with certainty
        To express absolute certainty or confidence in a statement or situation

    Examples of In spades

    • The comedian's wit was in spades during the show.

      In this example, "in spades" is used to express the comedian's exceptional level of humor and comic skill, suggesting that his wit was abundant and overwhelming, just like the traditional card game of spades involves a large number of cards.

    • The team has been working hard and the results are in spades.

      Here, "in spades" is used to indicate that the efforts of the team have produced notably good outcomes, again in the same way that a large number of high-value cards is considered favorable in the game of spades.

    • The surgeons' skills were in spades during the complicated operation.

      This example uses "in spades" to convey the exceptional medical abilities of the surgeons, implying that their skills were vast and abundant, similar to the way that a large number of cards in spades is considered advantageous in a card game.

    • The company's profits have been soaring and they're in spades this year.

      In this final example, "in spades" is used to signify an extremely high level of profits, akin to the way that a large number of cards in spades is considered favorable in the card game.

    • Sarah's cooking skills are in spades tonight. She's really outdone herself.

      This idiom is used to express that Sarah is doing exceptionally well in her cooking tonight. "In spades" means in great abundance or quantity. So, Sarah's cooking skills are far exceeding what is normally expected of her.

    • I've never seen John study this hard for an exam. He's got it in spades.

      This idiom is used to explain that John's level of studiousness for this particular exam is significantly higher than usual. It signifies the fact that John is preparing well and with great focus.

    • The artist's talent is in spades. Every piece she's ever produced has been a masterpiece.

      This idiom indicates that the artist's talent is truly remarkable. It signifies that every artwork created by her is flawless and of exceptional quality.

    • The applicant's answers to the interview questions were in spades. She'd obviously done her research.

      This idiom means that the applicant provided excellent and well-thought-out answers to every question during the interview. It implies that the applicant was very well-prepared and had done thorough research beforehand.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "in spades" is used to convey the idea of something being present in abundance or to emphasize a high degree of certainty. It can be used to describe the abundance of something or to express complete confidence in a statement.

    Origin of "In spades"

    The origin of the idiom "in spades" can be traced back to the card game of bridge, where spades are the highest-ranking suit. When a player has a strong hand with many spade cards, they are likely to win the game. Over time, the term "in spades" came to be used more broadly to convey the idea of having something in abundance or to emphasize a high degree of certainty. The idiom has become a common part of the English language, used in various contexts to emphasize abundance or certainty. For example, "She has talent in spades" emphasizes the abundance of talent, while "I trust him in spades" expresses complete confidence in someone.