Spinifex, spin′i-feks,n.porcupine-grass, a very coarse, hard, and spiny grass which grows in tussocks, and in some interior parts of Australia covers hundreds of square miles together.
Spink, spingk,n.the chaffinch.
Spink, spingk,n.the primrose, the lady's-smock.
Spinnaker, spin′ā-kėr,n.a jib-headed sail sometimes carried on the side opposite the mainsail by racing yachts. [Prob. formed fromspin.]
Spinney. See underSpine.
Spinode, spī′nōd,n.(geom.) a cusp or stationary point of a curve.
Spinozism, spi-nōz′izm,n.the doctrine of BenedictSpinoza(1632-1677), who taught that God is not only the creator, but also the original matter of the universe, which consists of and is a development of Himself.—n.Spinō′zist, a follower of Spinoza.—adj.Spinōzis′tic.
Spinster, spin′stėr,n.an unmarried female: an old maid: (obs.) a woman of loose character, fit for the spinning-house.—ns.Spin′sterdom, the world of old maids collectively;Spin′sterhood,Spin′stership, the state of being a spinster;Spin′stress, one who spins. [Orig. one whospins.]
Spintext, spin′tekst,n.a lengthy preacher.
Spiracle, spir′a-kl,n.a breathing-hole: any minute passage.—adjs.Spirac′ular;Spirac′ulate;Spiraculif′erous;Spirac′uliform.—n.Spirac′ulum:—pl.Spirac′ula. [L.spiraculum, formed as a double dim. fromspirāre, to breathe.]
Spiræa, spī-rē′a,n.a genus of plants of the natural orderRosaceæ, containing many species of herbaceous plants and low deciduous shrubs—Dropwort,Meadow-sweet, &c. [L.,—Gr.speiraia, meadow-sweet—speira, a coil.]
Spiral, spī′ral,adj.pertaining to, or like, a spire: winding like the thread of a screw.—n.a spiral line: a curve which continually recedes from a centre about which it revolves: a screw.—n.Spiral′ity.—adv.Spī′rally, in a spiral form or direction.—adj.Spirā′ted, spiral, whorled.
Spirant, spī′rant,n.a consonant which is fricative or continuable—opp. to explosive, esp.vandf,th,dh; by others made to include the sibilants, and the semi-vowelswandy.
Spiranthy, spī-ranth′i,n.the spiral distortion sometimes occurring in the parts of a flower.—adj.Spiranth′ic. [Gr.speira, a spire,anthos, a flower.]
Spiraster, spī-ras′tėr,n.in sponges, a short curved axial rod-like spicule with thick spines. [Gr.speira, spire,astēr, star.]
Spiration, spī-rā′shun,n.a breathing: (theol.) the procession of the Holy Ghost.
Spire, spīr,n.a winding line like the threads of a screw: a curl: a wreath: a tapering body, a slender stalk, a shoot or sprout: any one of various tall grasses, rushes, or sedges—theMarram,Reed canary-grass, &c.: the top or summit of anything: a very acute pyramidal roof in common use over the towers of churches.—v.i.to sprout, shoot up.—v.t.to furnish with a spire.—adjs.Spīred, having a spire;Spir′ulate, spiral in form or arrangement;Spī′ry, of a spiral form: wreathed: tapering like a spire or a pyramid: abounding in spires. [Fr.,—L.spira; Gr.speira, anything wound round or upon a thing; akin toeirein, to fasten together in rows.]
Spiric, spī′rik,adj.like a tore or anchor-ring.—n.a curve, the plane section of a tore.—n.Spir′icle, one of those threads in the hairs on the surface of certain seeds and achenes which uncoil when wet.
Spirifer, spir′i-fėr,n.a brachiopod of the Carboniferous system.—adjs.Spīrif′erine;Spīrif′eroid;Spīrif′erous. [L.spira, a spire,ferre, to bear.]
Spirillum, spī-ril′um,n.a genus of bacteria with cylindrical spirally twisted cells:—pl.Spirill′a.
Spirit, spir′it,n.vital force: the soul: a ghost: mental disposition: enthusiasm, animation, courage, mettle: real meaning: essence, chief quality: a very lively person: any volatile, inflammable liquid obtained by distillation, as brandy: (pl.) intellectual activity: liveliness: persons with particular qualities of mind: mental excitement: spirituous liquors.—v.t.to inspirit, encourage, cheer: to convey away secretly, to kidnap.—ns.Spir′it-blue, an aniline blue obtained from coal-tar;Spir′it-duck, the buffle-head, from its rapid diving.—adj.Spir′ited, full of spirit, life, or fire: animated.—adv.Spir′itedly.—n.Spir′itedness.—adj.Spir′itful.—n.Spir′iting, the office of a spirit or sprite;Spir′itism=Spiritualism;Spir′itist=Spiritualist;Spir′it-lamp, a lamp in which alcohol is burned, generally used for heating.—adj.Spir′itless, without spirit, cheerfulness, or courage: dejected: dead.—adv.Spir′itlessly.—ns.Spir′itlessness, the state of being spiritless: want of animation or energy;Spir′it-lev′el, in surveying, a cylindrical glass tube, slightly convex on one side, and so nearly filled with alcohol that only a small bubble of air remains inside—from the position of the bubble the amount of variation from perfect levelness is determined.—adj.Spir′itous, of the nature of spirit, pure: ardent, spirituous.—ns.Spir′itousness;Spir′it-rap′per, one to whom spirits convey intelligence by raps or knocks;Spir′it-rap′ping.—adjs.Spir′it-stir′ring, rousing the spirit;Spir′itūal, consisting of spirit: having the nature of a spirit: immaterial: relating to the mind: intellectual: pertaining to the soul: holy: divine: relating to sacred things: not lay or temporal.—n.Spiritualisā′tion.—v.t.Spir′itūalise, to make spiritual: to imbue with spirituality: to refine: to free from sensuality: to give a spiritual meaning to.—ns.Spir′itualiser;Spir′itualism, a being spiritual: the philosophical doctrine that nothing is real but soul or spirit: the doctrine that spirit has a real existence apart from matter: the name applied to a varied series of abnormal phenomena purporting to be for the most part caused by spiritual beings acting upon specially sensitive persons or mediums;Spir′itūalist, one who has a regard only to spiritual things: one who holds the doctrine of spiritualism or spiritism.—adj.Spiritūalist′ic, relating to, or connected with, spiritualism.—n.Spiritūal′ity, state of being spiritual: essence distinct from matter.—adv.Spir′itūally.—ns.Spir′itūal-mind′edness, the state of having holy affections;Spir′itūalness, the state or quality of being spiritual.—adj.Spi′ritūelle, showing great grace and delicacy.—n.Spiritūos′ity, spirituous character: immateriality.—advs.Spirit-uō′so,Spiritō′so(mus.), with spirit or animation.—adj.Spir′itūous, possessing the qualities of spirit: containing much alcohol: volatile.—ns.Spir′itūousness, the quality of being spirituous: stimulating quality: ardour: activity;Spir′itus, a breathing, an aspirate: any spirituous preparation;Spir′itworld, the world of disembodied spirits.—adj.Spir′ity(Scot.), full of spirit, spirited.—Spirit of wine, alcohol;Spiritual court, an ecclesiastical court;Spiritus asper, a rough breathing;Spiritus lenis, a soft or smooth breathing.—Animal spirits, constitutional liveliness of spirits;Holy Spirit(see underHoly);The Spirit, the Holy Spirit: the human spirit under the influence of the Holy Spirit. [L.spiritus, a breath—spirāre, to breathe.]
Spirket, spir′ket,n.a space forward and aft between floor-timbers.—n.Spir′ketting, quick-work.
Spirometer, spī-rom′e-tėr,n.an instrument for measuring the capacity of the lungs, or the quantity of air that one can breathe out after a forced inspiration.—n.Spī′rograph, an instrument for marking down the breathing movement.—adj.Spīromet′ric.—ns.Spīrom′etry;Spī′rophore, an apparatus for inducing artificial respiration by means of an air-tight case for the body and an air-pump;Spīroph′yton, a genus of fossil algæ found in the Devonian in New York state;Spīrozō′oid, the filamentous defensive zooid of certain hydroids, coiled spirally when not in action. [L.spirāre, to breathe, Gr.metron, a measure.]
Spirt, spėrt. Same asSpurt.
Spirtle=Spurtle(q.v.).
Spirula, spir′ū-la,n.a genus of sepioid cuttle-fishes. [L.spīra, a spire.]
Spirulate,Spiry. See underSpire.
Spissated, spis′ā-ted,adj.inspissated, thickened.—n.Spiss′itūde, density. [L.spissāre,-ātum, thicken.]
Spit, spit,n.an iron prong on which meat is roasted: a long piece of land or a narrow shoal running into the sea: a wire or spindle holding a spool in a shuttle.—v.t.to pierce with a spit: to string on a stick and hang up to dry:—pr.p.spit′ting;pa.t.andpa.p.spit′ted.—p.adj.Spit′ted, put upon a spit, impaled: shot out to a point.—n.Spit′ter, one who puts meat on a spit: a young deer whose antlers have shot out but not branched. [A.S.spitu; Dut.spit, Ger.spitze.]
Spit, spit,v.t.to throw out from the mouth: to eject with violence.—v.i.to throw out saliva from the mouth: to fall in scattered drops, as rain at the beginning of a shower: to make a spitting sound, like an angry cat:—pr.p.spit′ting;pa.t.spit, spat;pa.p.spit.—n.saliva, spume: a light fall of rain or snow.—ns.Spit′-box, a spittoon;Spit′-curl(coll.), a soap-lock;Spit′fire, a hot-tempered person;Spit′poison, a venomous calumniator.—pa.p.Spit′ted(B.), thrown out from the mouth.—ns.Spit′ter, one who spits;Spit′ting, the act of one who or that which spits: an appearance on the surface of melted silver or platinum allowed to cool slowly, jets of oxygen forming small cones and sometimes throwing up drops of molten metal—also calledSprout′ing;Spit′tle, the moist matter thrown from the mouth: saliva;Spittoon′, a vessel for the convenience of such smokers as spit. [A.S.spittan, alsospǽtan; Ice.spýta, Ger.spützen.]
Spital, spit′al,n.Same asHospital.
Spitch-cock, spich′-kok,n.an eel split and broiled.—v.t.to split and broil, as an eel. [Spatch-cock.]
Spite, spīt,n.grudge: lasting ill-will: hatred.—v.t.to vex: to thwart: to hate.—adj.Spite′ful, full of spite: desirous to vex or injure: malignant.—adv.Spite′fully.—n.Spite′fulness.—In spite of, in opposition to all efforts of, in defiance of, in contempt of. [Short for despite.]
Spitz, spitz,n.a Pomeranian dog. [Ger.]
Spiza, spī′za,n.a genus of fringilline birds, including the United States dickcissel or black-throated bunting, &c.—adj.Spiz′ine. [Gr., a finch.]
Spizella, spi-zel′a,n.a genus of small American finches or sparrows, the chipping-sparrows.—adj.Spizell′ine.
Splachnum, splak′num,n.a genus of bryaceous mosses. [Gr.]
Splanchnic, splangk′nik,adj.relating to the viscera, intestinal.—ns.Splanch′nocœle, a visceral cavity;Splanchnog′raphy, descriptive splanchnology;Splanchnol′ogy, the knowledge of the viscera;Splanch′no-skel′eton, the visceral skeleton;Splanchnot′omy, the anatomy of the viscera. [Gr.splangchnon(pl.splangchna), bowels.]
Splash, splash,v.t.to spatter with water or mud.—v.i.to dabble in water, to dash about water or any liquid.—n.water or mud thrown on anything: a spot of dirt, a daub: a complexion powder.—ns.Splash′board, a guard to keep those in a vehicle from being splashed with mud;Splash′er, one who, or that which, splashes.—adj.Splash′y, splashing: wet and muddy: full of dirty water. [Plash.]
Splatter, splat′ėr,v.i.to spatter water or the like about.—n.Splatt′er-dash, an uproar, commotion.—adj.Splatt′er-faced, flat-faced. [Spatter.]
Splay, splā,v.t.(archit.) to slope or slant: to dislocate, as the shoulder-bone.—adj.turned outward, as insplay-foot, awkward.—n.Splay′-foot, a flat foot turned outward.—adj.Splay′-footed.—n.Splay′-mouth, a wide mouth, a mouth stretched out in grinning.—adj.Splay′-mouthed. [Display.]
Spleen, splēn,n.a soft, pulpy, blood-modifying gland near the large extremity of the stomach, supposed by the ancients to be the seat of anger and melancholy—hence spite: ill-humour: melancholy.—adj.Spleen′ful, displaying spleen, angry, fretful.—adv.Spleen′fully.—adj.Spleen′ish, affected with spleen, fretful, peevish.—adv.Spleen′ishly, in a spleenish manner.—ns.Spleen′ishness, the state of being spleenish;Spleen′-stone, jade or nephrite;Spleen′wort, any fern of the genusAsplenium.—adj.Spleen′y(Shak.), spleenish.—ns.Splēnal′gia, pain in the region of the spleen;Splen′cule,Splen′cūlus, a supplementary spleen;Splēnec′tomist, one who excises the spleen;Splēnec′tomy, excision of the spleen;Splēnectō′pia, displacement of the spleen;Splēn′etic, a splenetic person.—adjs.Splēnet′ic,-al, affected with spleen: peevish: melancholy.—adv.Splēnet′ically.—adj.Splen′ic, pertaining to the spleen.—n.Splēnisā′tion, a diseased condition of the lung, in which its tissue resembles that of the spleen, in softness, &c.—adj.Splēnit′ic.—n.Splēnī′tis, inflammation of the spleen.—adj.Splen′itive, full of spleen, passionate, irritable.—ns.Splen′ocele, a splenic tumour;Splēnog′raphy, the description of the spleen.—adjs.Splē′noid, like the spleen;Splēnolog′ical.—ns.Splēnol′ogy, knowledge about the spleen;Splēnop′athy, disease of the spleen;Splēnot′omy, splenological anatomy.—Splenic fever(seeAnthrax). [L.splen—Gr.splēn.]
Splendid, splen′did,adj.magnificent: famous: illustrious: heroic.—adj.Splen′dent, splendid, bright.—adv.Splen′didly.—ns.Splen′didness;Splen′dour, the appearance of anything splendid: brilliance: magnificence. [L.splendidus—splendēre, to shine.]
Splenial, splē′ni-al,adj.acting like a splint: pertaining to the splenium or the splenius.—ns.Splē′nium, the round pad-like posterior border of thecorpus callosum;Splē′nius, a large thick muscle on the back of the neck. [Gr.splēnion, bandage.]
Splent=Splint(q.v.).
Spleuchan, splōōh′an,n.a pouch, a tobacco-pouch.—AlsoSpleugh′an. [Gael.spliuchan.]
Splice.
Splice, splīs,v.t.to unite two ends of a rope by interweaving the strands: to join together two pieces of timber by overlapping.—n.act of splicing: joint made by splicing.—Splice the mainbrace(nautical slang), to serve out an allowance of spirits, to fall to drinking. [Old Dut.splissen—splitsen,splijten; cf.Split, and Ger.splissen.]
Spline, splīn,n.in machines, the slot to receive a feather, the feather itself: a long flexible strip of wood or rubber used by draftsmen in laying out railway-curves, &c.—v.t.to fit with a spline.
Splint, splint,n.a small piece of wood split off: a thin piece of padded wood, &c., for keeping a fractured limb in its proper position: a bony enlargement on the horse's leg, between the knee and the fetlock, usually appearing on the inside of one or both forelegs, frequently situated between the large and small canon bones, depending upon concussion—alsoSplent.—v.t.to confine with splints.—ns.Splint′age, use of splints;Splint′-arm′our, armour made of splints or narrow overlapping plates;Splint′-coal, cannel-coal of slaty structure;Splint′er, a piece of wood, &c., split off.—v.t.andv.i.to split into splinters.—ns.Splint′er-bar, the cross-bar of a coach, supporting the springs;Splint′er-bone, the fibula.—adjs.Splint′er-proof, proof against the splinters of bursting shells;Splint′ery, made of, or like, splinters: apt to splinter. [Sw.splint—splinta, to splinter; cf.Split.]
Split, split,v.t.to cleave lengthwise: to tear asunder violently: to divide: to throw into discord.—v.i.to divide or part asunder: to be dashed to pieces: to divulge secrets: to vote for candidates of opposite parties: to burst with laughter:—pr.p.split′ting;pa.t.andpa.p.split.—n.a crack or rent lengthwise: a schism: a half-bottle of aerated water, a half-glass of spirits: (pl.) the acrobatic feat of going down to the floor with the legs spread out laterally.—adj.Split′-new(Scot.), brand-new.—n.pl.Split′-pease, husked pease split for making pea-soup, &c.—n.Split′ter, one who, or that which, splits: one who splits hairs in argument, &c.: (U.S.) a wheaten cake split and buttered when hot.—adj.Split′ting, very severe: very rapid.—Split on a rock, to meet some unforeseen and disastrous difficulty, to go to ruin;Split one's sides, to laugh immoderately;Split the difference, to divide equally the sum or matter in dispute, to take the mean. [Scand., Dan.splitte, to split; Dut.splijten; Ger.spleissen.]
Splore, splōr,n.(Scot.) a frolic, a spree.
Splotch, sploch,n.a large spot, a stain.—adj.Splotch′y.
Splurge, splurj,n.any boisterous display.—v.i.to make such a display.—adj.Splur′gy, given to such.
Splutter, splut′ėr,v.i.to eject drops of saliva while speaking: to scatter ink upon a paper, as a bad pen.—n.bustle.—n.Splutt′erer, one who splutters. [Forsprutter, a freq. ofsprout, orig. form ofspout.]
Spodium, spō′di-um,n.a powder obtained from calcination, as ivory-black, &c.—n.Spode, animal or bone charcoal, of which ornaments may be made.
Spodogenous, spō-doj′e-nus,adj.caused by waste-products, applied esp. to an enlargement of the spleen caused by waste red blood-corpuscles. [Gr.spodos, ashes,genēs, producing.]
Spodomancy, spod′ō-man-si,n.divination by means of ashes.—adj.Spodoman′tic. [Gr.spodos, ashes,manteia, divination.]
Spodumene, spod′ū-mēn,n.a silicate of aluminium and lithium. [Gr.spodoun, to burn to ashes,spodos, ashes.]
Spoffish, spof′ish,adj.fussy, officious—alsoSpoff′y.—v.i.Spoff′le, to fuss or bustle.
Spoil, spoil,v.t.to take by force: to plunder.—v.i.to practise robbery.—n.prey, plunder: pillage: robbery.—n.Spoil′er, one who spoils, a plunderer.—n.pl.Spō′liaopī′ma, the most valued spoils—taken by a Roman commander from the enemy's commander in single combat; hence supreme rewards or honours generally. [O. Fr.espoille—L.spolium, spoil.]
Spoil, spoil,v.t.to corrupt: to mar: to make useless.—v.i.to decay: to become useless.—ns.Spoil′er, a corrupter;Spoil′-five, a round game of cards played with the whole pack, each one of the three to ten players receiving five cards.—adj.Spoil′ful(Spens.), wasteful, rapacious.—n.Spoils′man, one who looks for profit out of politics. [Same as above word.]
Spoke, spōk,pa.t.ofspeak.
Spoke, spōk,n.one of the bars from the nave to the rim of a wheel.—Put a spoke in one's wheel, to thwart a person by some impediment. [A.S.spáca; Dut.speek, Ger.speiche.]
Spoken, spōk′n,pa.p.ofspeak, used asadj.in 'civil-spoken,' &c.
Spokeshave.
Spokeshave, spōk′shāv,n.a carpenter's tool having a plane-bit between two bandies for curved work, &c.
Spokesman, spōks′man,n.one who speaks for another, or for others, an advocate.
Spole, spōl,n.the small wheel near the distaff in the spinning-wheel. [A variant ofspool.]
Spoliate, spō′li-āt,v.t.to spoil, to plunder, to pillage.—v.i.to practise robbery.—ns.Spō′liary, the place in a Roman amphitheatre where the bodies of slaughtered gladiators were dragged to be stripped;Spoliā′tion, act of spoiling: robbery.—adj.Spō′liātive, serving to take away or diminish.—n.Spō′liātor, one who spoliates.—adj.Spō′liātory, tending to spoil: destructive.—n.Spō′lium, the property of a beneficed ecclesiastic not transmissible by will. [L.spoliatus,pa.p.ofspoliāre—spolium, spoil.]
Spondee, spon′dē,n.in classical poetry, a foot of two long syllables, asfātō.—adjs.Spondā′ic,-al, pertaining to, or consisting of, spondees. [Fr.,—L.spondēus(pes)—Gr.spondeios(pous), (a foot) of two syllables, so called because much used in the slow solemn hymns sung at aspondēor drink-offering—spendein, to pour out, make a libation.]
Spondyl,-e, spon′dil,n.a joint, joining.—ns.Spondylal′gia, pain in the spine;Spondylī′tis, arthritis of a vertebra.—adj.Spon′dylous, vertebral. [Gr.spondylos, a joint.]
Sponge, spunj,n.a fixed, usually marine, animal with pores in the body-wall and without tentacles: the fibrous framework of such, remarkable for its power of sucking up water: any sponge-like substance, as dough before it is kneaded and formed: any cringing hanger-on or parasite, a drunken fellow: an instrument for cleaning cannon after a discharge: the heel of a horse's shoe.—v.t.to wipe with a sponge: to wipe out, absorb up, with a sponge: to wipe out completely: to destroy.—v.i.to suck in, as a sponge: to gain by mean tricks, to live on others by some mean subterfuge or other.—ns.Sponge′cake, a very light sweet cake of flour, eggs, and sugar;Sponge′let, a little sponge.—adjs.Sponge′ous,Spon′giōse,Spongiolit′ic.—n.Spong′er, one who uses a sponge: a person or vessel engaged in fishing for sponges: an apparatus for sponging cloth by means of a perforated adjustable cylinder: a sponge or parasite.—adjs.Spongic′olous, inhabiting sponges;Spong′iform, resembling a sponge: porous.—ns.Spong′iness, porous quality;Spong′ing-house, a bailiff's lodging-house for debtors in his custody before their committal to prison;Spon′giōle, the spongy tissue of a root-tip;Spon′giolite, a fossil sponge spicule.—adj.Spongoid(spong′goid).—ns.Spongologist(spong-gol′ō-jist),one devoted to the study of sponges;Spongology(spong-gol′ō-ji),the knowledge about sponges.—adj.Spong′y, like a sponge, absorptive: of open texture, porous: wet and soft: drunken.—Set a sponge, to leaven a small mass of dough with which to leaven a large quantity;Throw up the sponge, to acknowledge defeat by throwing into the air the sponge with which a boxer is rubbed down between rounds: to give up any contest. [O. Fr.esponge—L.spongia—Gr.sponggia.]
Sponsal, spon′sal,adj.pertaining to a betrothal, a marriage, or a spouse.—n.Spon′sion, the act of becoming surety for another.—adj.Spon′sional. [L.,—spondēre,sponsum, to promise.]
Sponsible, spon′si-bl,adj.(Scot.) reliable: respectable.
Sponson, spon′son,n.the curve of the timbers and planking towards the outer part of the wing, before and abaft each of the paddle-boxes of a steamer.—AlsoSpon′sing. [Ety. dub.]
Sponsor, spon′sur,n.one who promises solemnly for another: a surety: a godfather or godmother.—adj.Sponsō′rial.—n.Spon′sorship. [L.,—spondēre,sponsum, to promise.]
Spontaneous, spon-tā′nē-us,adj.of one's free-will: involuntary: acting by its own impulse or natural law: produced of itself or without interference.—ns.Spontanē′ity,Spontā′neousness, the state or quality of being spontaneous.—adv.Spontā′neously.—Spontaneous combustion, a phenomenon that occasionally manifests itself in mineral and organic substances;Spontaneous generation, a term applied to the real or imaginary development of lowly organisms from non-living matter. [L.spontaneus—sponte, of one's own accord.]
Spontoon, spon-tōōn′,n.a weapon somewhat like a halberd, which used to be carried by certain officers of foot. [Fr.sponton—It.spontone—spuntare, to break off the point—puntone—punto, a point—L.pungĕre,punctum, to point.]
Spook, spōōk,n.a ghost.—v.i.to play the spook.—adjs.Spook′ish,Spook′y, like a ghost, haunted by ghosts: sensitive to the dread of ghosts, suggesting the presence of ghosts. [Dut.spook; Ger. (obs.)spuch, Sw.spöke; not related topuck.]
Spool, spōōl,n.a hollow cylinder for winding yarn, &c., upon.—v.t.to wind on spools. [Low Ger.spole, Dut.spoel; Ger.spule.]
Spoom, spōōm,v.i.to scud before the wind.—adj.Spoom′ing(Keats), foaming.
Spoon, spōōn,n.an instrument with a shallow bowl and handle for use in preparing, serving, or in eating food: anything like a spoon or its bowl, as an oar: in golf, a wooden-headed club of varying length, having the face more or less spooned, used in approaching the holes from varying distances.—v.t.to use a spoon upon: to lie spoon fashion with.—v.i.to fish with a spoon-hook: in croquet, to shove or scoop with the mallet: to be foolishly fond, to indulge in endearments openly.—ns.Spoon′-bait, a revolving metallic lure attached to a fishing-line by a swivel, used in trolling for fish;Spoon′bill, a family of birds (Plataleidæ) allied to theIbididæ, and more distantly to the storks, with a bill long, flat, and broad throughout, and much dilated in a spoon form at the tip;Spoon′-drift, light spray borne on a gale;Spoon′ful, as much as fills a spoon: a small quantity:—pl.Spoon′fuls.—adv.Spoon′ily, in a spoony or silly way.—n.Spoon′meat, food taken with a spoon, such as is given to young children.—adv.Spoon′ways, applied to a way of packing slaves in ships very closely together.—adjs.Spoon′y,Spoon′ey, silly, weakly affectionate, foolishly fond.—n.a simple fellow: one foolishly fond of a sweetheart.—Apostle spoon(seeApostle);Dessert-spoon(seeDessert);Eucharistic spoon, the cochlear or labis;Tablespoon(seeTable).—Be spoons on, to be silly in the manifestation of one's love for a woman. [A.S.spón; Ger.span, a chip, Ice.spánn, a chip, a spoon.]
Spoor, spōōr,n.track or trail of an animal, esp. when hunted as game.—n.Spoor′er, one who tracks game by the spoor. [Dut.spoor, a track; cf. Ger.spur, Ice.spor, a track, Scot.speir, to ask.]
Sporadic,-al, spō-rad′ik, -al,adj.scattered—a term specially applied to any disease usually epidemic or contagious, when it attacks only a few persons in a district and does not spread in its ordinary manner.—adv.Sporad′ically.—n.Sporad′icalness. [Gr.sporadikos—sporas,sporados, scattered—speirein, to sow.]
Spore, spōr,n.the reproductive body in flowerless plants like the fern, analogous to the seeds of ordinary flowering plants, but containing no embryo: a germ, a seed, a source of being generally.—adjs.Sporan′gial;Sporangif′erous;Sporan′giform;Sporan′gioid, like a sporangium.—ns.Sporangī′olum, a small sporangium;Sporan′giophōre, the receptacle which bears the sporangia;Sporan′giospōre, one of the peculiar spores of theMyxomycetes;Sporan′gium(pl.Sporan′gia), a spore-case, the sac in which the spores are produced endogenously—alsoSpore′-case;Spō′ridesm(bot.), a pluricellular body which becomes free like a simple spore, and in which every cell is capable of germinating;Sporidī′olum, a secondary sporidium;Sporid′ium, a secondary spore borne on a promycelium: an ascospore;Sporificā′tion, spore-production;Sporipar′ity, reproduction by means of spores.—adj.Sporip′arous.—ns.Spō′rocarp, a many-celled form of fruit produced in certain lower cryptogams in consequence of a sexual act;Spō′rocyst, the cyst or capsule developed in the process of sporular encystment.—adj.Sporocyst′ic.—ns.Spō′roderm, the wall or covering of a spore;Sporogen′esis, reproduction by means of spores—alsoSporog′eny.—adj.Sporog′enous.—n.Sporogō′nium, the sporocarp, capsule or so-called 'moss-fruit' in mosses.—adj.Spō′roid, like a spore.—ns.Sporol′ogist, a botanist who emphasises the spores in classification;Spō′rophore, the part of the thallus which bears spores: the placenta in flowering plants: a sporophyte.—adjs.Sporophor′ic,Sporoph′orous.—ns.Spō′rophyl, the leaf bearing the spores or spore receptacles;Spō′rophyte, the spore-bearing stage in the life-cycle of a plant.—adj.Sporophyt′ic.—ns.Spō′rosac, one of the gonophores of certain hydrozoans in which the medusoid structure is not developed: a redia or spiro-cyst, in Vermes;Sporostē′gium, the so-called fruit of plants in theCharaceæ, consisting of the hard brownish spirally-twisted shell or covering of the spore.—adjs.Spō′rous;Spō′rular.—ns.Sporulā′tion, conversion into spores or sporules—alsoSporā′tion;Spō′rule, a small spore.—adjs.Sporulif′erous,Spor′uloid. [Gr.sporos, a sowing, seed—speirein, to sow.]
Sporran.
Sporran, spor′an,n.an ornamental pouch worn in front of the kilt by the Highlanders of Scotland. [Gael,sporan.]
Sport, spōrt,v.i.to play: to frolic: to practise field diversions: to trifle.—v.t.to amuse: to make merry: to represent playfully: to spend in sport or display.—n.that which amuses or makes merry: play: mirth: jest: contemptuous mirth: anything for playing with: a toy: idle jingle: field diversion: an animal or plant, or one of its organs, that varies singularly and spontaneously from the normal type.—n.Sport′er, one who sports: a sportsman.—adj.Sport′ful, full of sport: merry: full of jesting.—adv.Sport′fully.—n.Sport′fulness.—adj.Sport′ing, relating to, or engaging in, sports.—adv.Sport′ingly.—adj.Sport′ive, inclined to sport: playful: merry: amorous, wanton.—adv.Sport′ively.—n.Sport′iveness.—adj.Sport′less, without sport or mirth: sad.—n.Sports′man, one who practises, or one skilled in, field-sports.—adj.Sports′man-like.—ns.Sports′manship, practice or skill of a sportsman;Sports′woman, a she-sportsman.—Sport one's oak(seeOak). [Formed by aphæresis fromdisport.]
Sposh, sposh,n.slush.—adj.Sposh′y.
Spot, spot,n.a mark made by a drop of wet matter: a blot: a discoloured place: a small part of a different colour: a small extent of space: any particular place: one of the marked points on a billiard-table, from which balls are played (forCentre-spot,Pyramid-spot, &c., seeBilliards): one of the dark places on the surface of the sun, &c.: something that soils: a stain on character or reputation.—v.t.to mark with drops of wet: to stain: to discolour: to taint: to tarnish, as reputation: to note or recognise by some point, to detect: to indicate, name:—pr.p.spot′ting;pa.t.andpa.p.spot′ted.—adj.Spot′less, without a spot: untainted: pure.—adv.Spot′lessly.—ns.Spot′lessness;Spot′-stroke, a stroke in billiards when the player pockets the red ball from the 'spot,' leaving his own ball in position to repeat the stroke.—adjs.Spot′ted,Spot′ty, marked with spots or discoloured places.—ns.Spot′tedness, the state of being spotted;Spot′ter, one who spots or detects;Spot′tiness, state of being spotty.—Spot-barred game, a game at billiards when the spot-stroke is forbidden to be played more than twice consecutively. [Cf. Dut.spat, Dan.spætte; prob. conn. withspit.]
Spouse, spowz,n.a husband or wife.—adj.Spous′al, pertaining to a spouse, or to marriage: nuptial: matrimonial.—n.usually inpl.nuptials: marriage.—adj.Spouse′less, destitute of a spouse: unmarried. [O. Fr.espouse(Fr.époux, fem.épouse)—L.sponsus, pa.p. ofspondēre, to promise in marriage.]
Spout, spowt,v.t.to throw out, as from a pipe: to utter volubly: to pawn, pledge.—v.i.to issue with violence, as from a pipe: to speak volubly, to speechify.—n.the projecting mouth of a vessel from which a stream issues: a pipe for conducting a liquid: a term applied to the blowing or breathing of whales and other cetaceans.—ns.Spout′er, one who, or that which, spouts: a speechifier: a South Sea whale, a skilful whaler;Spout′-hole, an orifice for discharging a liquid, a whale's spiracle.—adj.Spout′less, wanting a spout. [Skeat explains thatspout, likespeak, has lost anr, thus standing forsprout, therbeing preserved inspurt, with nearly the same sense asspout. Sw.sputaforspruta, to squirt; Dut.spuiten.]
Sprack, sprak,adj.vigorous, sprightly.—AlsoSprag. [Ice.sprækr,sparkr, sprightly.]
Sprackle, sprak′l,v.i.(Scot.) to clamber up with difficulty.—AlsoSprach′le,Sprauch′le. [Ice.spraukla, to sprawl.]
Sprad, sprad (Spens.). Same asSpread.
Sprag, sprag,n.a piece of wood used to lock a wheel: a punch-prop in mining.—v.t.to prop, or to stop, by a sprag.
Sprag, sprag,n.(prov.) a young salmon.
Spraich, sprāh,n.(Scot.) a shriek, cry.—v.i.to shriek.
Spraid, sprād,adj.(prov.) chapped with cold.—AlsoSprayed.
Sprain, sprān,v.t.to overstrain the muscles of a joint.—n.a term employed in surgery to designate a violent stretching of tendinous or ligamentous parts with or without rupture of some of their fibres. [O. Fr.espreindre(Fr.épreindre), to press—L.exprimĕre, to press out.]
Spraint, sprānt,n.the dung of an otter.
Sprang,pa.t.ofspring.
Sprangle, sprang′gl,v.i.to sprawl, struggle.
Sprat, sprat,n.a fish of the familyClupeidæ, like the herring, but much smaller.—n.Sprat′-weath′er, the dark days of November and December. [Dut.sprot; Ger.sprotte.]
Sprattle, sprat′l,v.i.(Scot.) to scramble.
Sprawl, sprawl,v.i.to toss or kick about the limbs: to stretch the body carelessly when lying: to spread ungracefully.—n.a sprawling posture.—n.Sprawl′er. [There is an A.S.spréawlian, to move convulsively; but the word is most probably forsprattleorsprottle—Sw.sprattla, to sprawl; cf. Dan.sprælle, to toss about the limbs.]
Spray, sprā,n.small particles of water driven by the wind, as from the top of waves, &c.—adj.Spray′ey, consisting of spray. [Skeat suggests that the word is from Dut.spreiden, to spread, scatter.]
Spray, sprā,n.a small shoot of a tree.—adj.Spray′ey, branching. [Akin to Ice.sprek, a twig, Dan.sprag; Doubletsprig.]
Spread, spred,v.t.to scatter abroad or in all directions: to stretch: to extend: to overlay: to shoot out, as branches: to circulate, as news: to cause to affect numbers, as a disease: to diffuse: to set with provisions, as a table.—v.i.to extend or expand in all directions: to be extended or stretched: to be propagated or circulated:—pa.t.andpa.p.spread.—n.extent: compass: expansion of parts: that which is spread out, a feast: a cover for a bed or a table.—adj.having a broad surface: shallower than the standard.—adj.Spread′-ea′gle, like an eagle with the wings stretched out, bombastic, boastful.—n.(naut.) a person seized in the rigging, a passenger thus made to pay his entrance forfeit.—ns.Spread′-ea′gleism, a bombastic and frothy patriotism;Spread′er, one who, or that which, spreads, one who publishes or extends: any machine or implement for helping to scatter.—p.adj.Spread′ing.—adv.Spread′ingly, increasingly.—Spread a fleet, to keep more open order. [A.S.sprǽdan; Dut.spreiden, Ger.spreiten.]
Spreagh, spreh,n.plunder.—n.Spreagh′ery, cattle-lifting. [Gael.spreidh, cattle.]
Spreckled, sprek′ld,adj.speckled.
Spred, spred,pa.p.andn.an obsolete form ofspread.—AlsoSpred′den.
Spree, sprē,n.a merry frolic: a drunken bout.—v.i.to carouse. [Prob. Ir.spre, a spark,spraic, vigour.]
Sprent, sprent,adj.sprinkled. [M. E.sprengen(pa.t.sprente)—A.S.sprengan, to cause to spring.]
Sprig, sprig,n.a small shoot or twig: a scion, a young person: an ornament like a spray: one of various small pointed implements, a headless nail: one of the separate pieces of lace fastened on a ground in appliqué lace.—v.t.to embroider with representations of twigs:—pr.p.sprig′ging;pa.t.andpa.p.sprigged.—adj.Sprig′gy, full of sprigs or young branches. [Cf. Ice.sprek, a stick.]
Spright, sprīt,n.the same asSprite(q.v.).—adj.Spright′ful(Shak.), full of spirit: brisk, gay.—adv.Spright′fully, in a sprightful manner, briskly, vigorously.—n.Spright′fulness, the quality of being sprightful, briskness, liveliness.—adj.Spright′less, destitute of spirit or life: dull: sluggish.—n.Spright′liness.—adj.Spright′ly, airy: full of life: lively: brisk. [Spright=sprite.]
Spring, spring,v.i.to bound: to leap: to rush hastily: to move suddenly by elastic force: to start up suddenly: to break forth: to appear: to issue: to come into existence: (B.) to rise, as the sun.—v.t.to cause to spring up: to start: to produce quickly, cause to act suddenly: to leap over: to explode, as a mine: to open, as a leak: to crack, as a mast: to bend by force, strain: (archit.) to start from an abutment, &c.: to set together with bevel-joints:—pa.t.sprang, sprung;pa.p.sprung.—n.a leap: a flying back with elastic force: elastic power: an elastic body: any active power: that by which action is produced: cause or origin: a source: an outflow of water from the earth: (B.) the dawn: the time when plants begin to spring up and grow, the vernal season—March, April, May: a starting of a plank in a vessel: a crack in a mast.—ns.Spring′al,Spring′ald, an active springy young man, a youth;Spring′-back, an inner false joint on a bound book, springing upward from the true or outer back when the book is opened flat;Spring′-bal′ance, an instrument for determining the weight of a body by the elasticity of a spiral spring;Spring′-beam, a beam of considerable span, without central support, the tie-beam of a truss; in a steamer, a fore-and-aft beam for connecting the two paddle-beams: an elastic bar at the top of a tilt-hammer, jig-saw, &c.;Spring′-beau′ty, theClaytonia Virginica;Spring′-bed, a mattress formed of spiral springs set in a wooden frame;Spring′-bee′tle, an elater;Spring′-board, a board fastened on elastic supports, used to spring from in performing feats of agility;Spring′bok, a beautiful South African antelope, larger than a roebuck [Dut.];Spring′-box, a box or barrel in which a spring is coiled: the frame of a sofa, &c., in which the springs are set;Spring′-carr′iage, a wheel-carriage mounted on springs;Spring′-cart, a light cart mounted upon springs;Spring′er, a kind of dog of the spaniel class, useful for springing game in copses: one who springs: the bottom stone of an arch;Spring′-gun, a gun having wires connected with its trigger, and so fixed and planted as to be discharged when trespassers stumble against the wire;Spring′-halt, a jerking lameness in which a horse suddenly twitches up his leg or legs;Spring′-hamm′er, a machine-hammer in which the blow is delivered or augmented by the force of a spring;Spring′-head, a fountain-head, source: a head or end-piece for a carriage-spring.—adj.Spring′-head′ed(Spens.), having heads springing afresh.—ns.Spring′-heeledJack, one supposed capable of leaping a great height or distance in carrying out mischievous or frolicsome tricks;Spring′-hook, an angler's snap-hook or spear-hook: a latch or door-hook with a spring-catch for keeping it fast in the staple: in a locomotive, a hook fixing the driving-wheel spring to the frame;Spring′-house, a house for keeping meat in, or a dairy, built for coolness over a spring or brook;Spring′iness;Spring′ing, the act of springing, leaping, arising, or issuing: (B.) growth, increase: (archit.) the lowest part of an arch on both sides;Spring′-jack, a device for inserting a loop in a main electric line-circuit, a plug being forced between two spring contacts;Spring′-latch, a latch that snaps into the keeper whenever the door is shut;Spring′let, a little spring: a small stream;Spring′-lig′ament, the inferior calcaneoscaphoid ligament of the sole of the foot;Spring′-lock, a lock which fastens by a spring;Spring′-mat′tress=Spring-bed;Spring′-net, a net that closes with a spring;Spring′-pad′lock, a padlock that snaps itself shut;Spring′-pole, a pole whose elasticity serves as a spring;Spring′-sad′dle, a bent iron bar ofSpring-saddleform on the top of a railway carriage journal-box, surrounding the arch-bar and supporting the spring;Spring′-search′er, a steel-pronged tool to search for defects in the bore of a gun;Spring′-shack′le, a shackle closed by a spring: a shackle joining one spring of a vehicle with another or with a rigid piece;Spring′-stay(naut.), a smaller stay, placed above the stays as a duplicate if needed;Spring′-stud, a rod passed through the axis of a coil-spring to keep it in place;Spring′-tail, one of an order of primitive wingless insects (Collembola), so called popularly from a peculiar springing fork usually present on the abdomen;Spring′-tide, the periodical excess of the elevation and depression of the tide, after new and full moon, when both sun and moon act in the same direction;Spring′-tide,-time, the season of spring;Spring′-tool, any tool bearing a spring, as a glass-blower's tongs;Spring′-trap, a trap worked by a spring, a mouse-trap, &c.;Spring′-valve, a valve fitted with a spring: a safety-valve connected with a spring-balance;Spring′-wa′ter, water issuing from a spring;Spring′-wheat, wheat sown in the spring, rather than autumn or winter;Spring′-wort, a plant which draws down lightning—perh. the caperspurge.—adj.Spring′y, pertaining to, or like, a spring, elastic, nimble: abounding with springs.—Spring a leak, to commence leaking;Spring a mine, to cause it to explode—often used figuratively;Spring a rattle, to cause a rattle to sound;Spring at, to leap at;Spring forth, to come forward with a leap: to shoot up rapidly;Spring on, orupon, to attack with violence. [A.S.springan; Ger.springen.]
Springe, sprinj,n.a snare with a spring-noose: a gin.—v.t.to catch in a springe. [Prov. Eng.springle—spring; cf. Ger.sprenkel—springen.]
Sprinkle, spring′kl,v.t.to scatter in small drops or particles: to scatter on: to baptise with a few drops of water: to purify.—v.i.to scatter in drops.—n.an aspersorium or utensil for sprinkling.—ns.Sprin′kle,Sprin′kling, a small quantity sprinkled: in book-binding, the mottling of the edges of trimmed leaves by scattering a few drops of colour on them;Sprin′kler. [Freq. formed from A.S.sprengan, the causal ofspringan, to spring; cf. Ger.sprenkeln.]
Sprint, sprint,n.a short-distance race at full speed.—v.i.to run at full speed—alsoSprent.—ns.Sprin′ter, a short-distance runner in races;Sprin′ting;Sprint′-race;Sprint′-run′ner. [Cf.Spurt.]