in full spate—
1. (of a current of water) at abnormally high level:
- This stream cannot be crossed when it is in full spate.
2. said of some intense activity:
- A migration into the valley continued in full spate beyond the middle of the century.
3. said of an outpouring of unrestrained speech:
- He was in full spate…. What he was talking about was that they would send off one of these surface-to-air missiles.
in spate — = in full spate 1:
- The worm fisher has his opportunity when the streams are in spate.