spate-bone irregular variant of spade-bone. 1655Fuller Ch.Hist. v. 169 To humble the Cardinals pride, some afterwards set up on a window, a painted Mastiff-dog, gnawing the spate-bone of a shoulder of Mutton.a1825Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Spate-bone, Spaut-bone, the shoulder-bone of an animal slain for food.