What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Rake vs Spade - What's the difference?

rake | spade |

As a noun rake

is a garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil or rake can be slope, divergence from the horizontal or perpendicular or rake can be a man habituated to immoral conduct or rake can be (provincial|northern england) a course; direction; stretch.

As a verb rake

is to use a rake on (leaves, debris, soil, a lawn, etc) in order to loosen, gather together, or remove debris from or rake can be to proceed rapidly; to move swiftly or rake can be (uk|dialect|dated) to walk about; to gad or ramble idly or rake can be (provincial|northern england) to run or rove.

As an adjective spade is

.

rake

English

{, style="float: right; clear:right;" , , , }

Etymology 1

(etyl) raca, from (etyl)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting grass or debris, or for loosening soil.
  • *
  • *:Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out.. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake -handle served as a shaft.
  • A lot, plenty.
  • :
  • (lb) The direction of slip during fault movement. The rake is measured within the fault plane.
  • (lb) The sloped edge of a roof at or adjacent to the first or last rafter.
  • (lb) A set of coupled rail vehicles, normally coaches or wagons.
  • :
  • (lb) A puffer that emits a stream of spaceships rather than a trail of debris.
  • The scaled commission fee taken by a cardroom operating a poker game.
  • A toothed machine drawn by a horse, used for collecting hay or grain; a horserake.
  • (lb) A fissure or mineral vein traversing the strata vertically, or nearly so.
    • Synonyms
    * (rail transport)
    Derived terms
    * thin as a rake

    Verb

    (rak)
  • To use a rake on (leaves, debris, soil, a lawn, etc) in order to loosen, gather together, or remove debris from.
    • We raked all the leaves into a pile
  • To search thoroughly.
    • Detectives appeared, roped the curious people out of the grounds, and raked the place for clews. -- Captain John Blaine
  • * Dryden
    • raking in Chaucer for antiquated words
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • The statesman rakes the town to find a plot.
  • To spray with gunfire.
    • the enemy machine guns raked the roadway
  • To claw at; to scratch.
    • Her sharp fingernails raked the side of my face.
  • * Wordsworth
    • like clouds that rake the mountain summits
  • To gather, especially quickly (often as rake in)
    • The casino is just raking in the cash; it's like a license to print money.
  • To pass with violence or rapidity; to scrape along.
  • * Sir Philip Sidney
    • Pas could not stay, but over him did rake .
    Synonyms
    * (search thoroughly) comb, go over or through with a fine-tooth comb, scour

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) raken, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Slope, divergence from the horizontal or perpendicular

    • Verb

    (rak)
  • To proceed rapidly; to move swiftly.
  • (obsolete) To guide; to direct
  • To incline from a perpendicular direction.
    • A mast rakes aft.

    Etymology 3

    Shortening of rakehell, possibly from

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A man habituated to immoral conduct.
    • We now have rakes in the habit of Roman senators, and grave politicians in the dress of Rakes. — the Spectator
    Synonyms
    *

    Verb

    (rak)
  • (UK, dialect, dated) To walk about; to gad or ramble idly.
  • (UK, dialect, dated) To act the rake; to lead a dissolute, debauched life.
    • (Shenstone)

    Etymology 4

    From (etyl), from (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (provincial, Northern England) a course; direction; stretch.
  • (provincial, Northern England, for animals) a range, stray.
    • a sheep-raik'' = a ''sheep-walk

    Verb

    (rak)
  • (provincial, Northern England) To run or rove.

    • References

    *

    Anagrams

    * English terms with multiple etymologies ----

    spade

    English

    (wikipedia spade)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) spadu, spada, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A garden tool with a handle and a flat blade for digging. Not to be confused with a shovel which is used for moving earth or other materials.
  • * 1898 , , Chapter 4
    • 'Make your mind easy,' Ratsey said; 'I have dug too often in this graveyard for any to wonder if they see me with a spade .'
  • A playing card marked with the symbol .
    • I've got only one spade in my hand.
  • (offensive, ethnic slur) A black person.
  • A cutting instrument used in flensing a whale.
    • Related terms
    * in spades * call a spade a spade

    Verb

    (spad)
  • To turn over soil with a spade to loosen the ground for planting.
  • (videogaming) To collect and statistically analyze data, for the purpose of determining the underlying random number generator structure or numeric formula.

    • Etymology 2

    Compare spay, noun.

    Alternative forms

    * spaid * spayade

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A hart or stag three years old.
  • A castrated man or animal.
    • (Webster 1913)

    Anagrams

    * ----