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1 N‑UNCOUNT Spacing refers to the way that typing or printing is arranged on a page, especially in relation to the amount of space that is left between words or lines. □  Please type or write clearly in double spacing on one side of A4 paper only.

2 → see also space

spa|cious /spe I ʃəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A spacious room or other place is large in size or area, so that you can move around freely in it. □  The house has a spacious kitchen and dining area.

spacy /spe I si/ → see spacey

spade /spe I d/ (spades )

1 N‑COUNT A spade is a tool used for digging, with a flat metal blade and a long handle. □  … a garden spade. □  The girls happily played in the sand with buckets and spades.

2 N‑UNCOUNT [with sing or pl verb] Spades is one of the four suits in a pack of playing cards. Each card in the suit is marked with one or more black symbols: ♠. □  …the ace of spades. ● N‑COUNT A spade is a playing card of this suit.

3 PHRASE If you say that someone calls a spade a spade , you mean that they speak clearly and directly about things, even embarrassing or unpleasant things. [APPROVAL ] □  I'm not at all secretive, and I'm pretty good at calling a spade a spade.

spade|work /spe I dwɜː ^r k/ N‑SING The spadework is the uninteresting work that has to be done as preparation before you can start a project or activity. □  It is now that the spadework has to be done to lay firm foundations for later success.

spa|ghet|ti /spəge ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Spaghetti is a type of pasta. It looks like long pieces of string and is usually served with a sauce.

spa|ghe t|ti we st|ern (spaghetti westerns ) N‑COUNT A spaghetti western is a film made in Europe, usually by an Italian director, about life in the American Wild West.

spake /spe I k/ Spake is the very old-fashioned form of the past tense of speak .

spam /spæ m/ (spams , spamming , spammed ) The form Spam can also be used for meaning 1 . 1 N‑UNCOUNT Spam is a cooked meat product made from pork and ham. [TRADEMARK ]

2 VERB In computing, to spam people or organizations means to send unwanted emails to a large number of them, usually as advertising. [COMPUTING ] □ [V n] …programs that let you spam the newspapers. ● N‑VAR Spam is also a noun. □  …a small group of people fighting the spam plague. ●  spam|ming N‑UNCOUNT □  The consultant who suggested using spamming to raise the company's profile has been fired. ●  spam|mer (spammers ) N‑COUNT □  The real culprits are the spammers.

span /spæ n/ (spans , spanning , spanned )

1 N‑COUNT A span is the period of time between two dates or events during which something exists, functions, or happens. □ [+ of ] The batteries had a life span of six hours. □  Gradually the time span between sessions will increase.

2 N‑COUNT Your concentration span or your attention span is the length of time you are able to concentrate on something or be interested in it. □  His ability to absorb information was astonishing, but his concentration span was short.

3 VERB [no passive] If something spans a long period of time, it lasts throughout that period of time or relates to that whole period of time. □ [V n] His professional career spanned 16 years. □ [V n] The film spans almost a quarter-century.

4 VERB [no passive] If something spans a range of things, all those things are included in it. □ [V n] Bernstein's compositions spanned all aspects of music, from symphonies to musicals.

5 N‑COUNT The span of something that extends or is spread out sideways is the total width of it from one end to the other. □  It is a very pretty butterfly, with a 2 inch wing span.