Specimen – Spiritful

Specimen

SPEC'IMEN, noun [Latin from species, with the termination men, which corresponds in sense to the English hood or ness.] A sample; a part or small portion of any thing, intended to exhibit the kind and quality of the whole, or of something not exhibited; as a specimen of a man's handwriting; a specimen of painting or composition; specimen of one's art or skill.

Specious

SPE'CIOUS, adjective [Latin speciosus.]

1. Showy; pleasing to the view. The rest, far greater part will deem in outward rites and specious form religion satisfied.

2. Apparently right; superficially fair, just or correct' plausible; appearing well at first view; as specious reasoning; a specious argument; a specious objection; specious deeds. Temptation is of greater danger, because it is covered with the specious names of good nature, good manners, nobleness of mind, etc.

Speciously

SPE'CIOUSLY, adverb With a fair appearance; with show of right; as, to reason speciously

Speck

SPECK, noun [This word may be formed from peck, for peckled has been used for speckled, spotted as though pecked.]

1. A spot; a stain; a small place in any thing that is discolored by foreign matter, or is of a color different from that of the main substance; as a speck on paper or cloth.

2. A very small thing.

SPECK, verb transitive To spot; to stain in spots or drops.

Speckle

SPECK'LE, noun A little spot in any thing, of a different substance or color from that of the thing itself.

SPECK'LE, verb transitive To mark with small spots of a different color; used chiefly in the participle passive, which see.

Speckled

SPECK'LED, participle passive or adjective Marked with specks; variegated with spots of a different color from the ground or surface of the object; as the speckled breast of a bird; a speckled serpent.

SPECKLED BIRD, a denomination given to a person of doubtful character or principles.

Speckledness

SPECK'LEDNESS, noun The state of being speckled.

Speckling

SPECK'LING, participle present tense Marking with small spots.

Specktacle

SPECK'TACLE, noun [Latin spectaculum, from specto, to behold; specio, to see.]

1. A show; something exhibited to view; usually, something presented to view as extraordinary, or something that is beheld as unusual and worthy of special notice. Thus we call things exhibited for amusement, public spectacles, as the combats of gladiators in ancient Rome. We are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men. I Cor. 4.

2. Any thing seen ; a sight. A drunkard is a shocking spectacle.

3. Spectacles, in the plural, glasses to assist the sight.

4. Figuratively, something that aids the intellectual sight. Shakespeare needed not the spectacles of books to read nature.

Spectacled

SPEC'TACLED, adjective Furnished with spectacles.

Spectacular

SPECTAC'ULAR, adjective Pertaining to shows.

Spectation

SPECTA'TION, noun [Latin spectatio.] Regard; respect. [Little used.]

Spectator

SPECTA'TOR, noun [Latin whence]

1. One that looks on; one that sees or beholds; a beholder; as the spectators of the show.

2. One personally present. The spectators were numerous.

Spectatorial

SPECTATO'RIAL, adjective Pertaining to the Spectator.

Spectatorship

SPECTA'TORSHIP, noun

1. The act of beholding.

2. The office or quality of a spectator.

Spectatress

SPECTA'TRESS, SPECTA'TRIX, noun [Latin spectatrix.] A female beholder or looker on.

Spectatrix

SPECTA'TRESS, SPECTA'TRIX, noun [Latin SPECTATRIX ] A female beholder or looker on.

Specter

SPEC'TER, noun [Latin spectrum, from specto, to behold.]

1. An apparition; the appearance of a person who is dead; a ghost. The ghosts of traitors from the bridge descend, With bold fanatic specters to rejoice.

2. Something made preternaturally visible.

3. In conchology, a species of voluta, marked with reddish broad bands.

Spectrum

SPEC'TRUM, noun [Latin] A visible form; an image of something seen, continuing after image of something seen, continuing after the eyes are closed, covered or turned away. This is called an ocular spectrum

Specuation

SPECUA'TION, noun

1. Examination by the eye; view [Little used.]

2. Mental view of any thing in its various aspects and relations; contemplation; intellectual examination. The events of the day afford matter of serious speculation to the friends of christianity. Thenceforth to speculations high or deep. I turn'd my thoughts-

3. Train of thoughts formed by meditation. From him Socrates derived the principles of morality and most part of his natural speculations.

4. Mental scheme; theory; views of a subject not verified by fact or practice. This globe, which was formerly round only in speculation, has been circumnavigated. The application of steam to navigation is no longer a matter of mere speculation. Speculations which originate in guilt, must end in ruin.

5. Power of sight. Thou hast no speculation in those eyes. [Not in use.]

6. In commerce, the act or practice of buying land or goods, etc. in expectation of a rise as distinguished from a regular trade, in which the profit expected is the difference between the retail and wholesale prices, or the difference of price in the place where the good are purchased, and the place to which they are to be carried for market. In England, France and America, public stock is the subject of continual speculation. In the United States, a few men have been enriched, but many have been ruined by speculation.

Specular

SPEC'ULAR, adjective [Latin specularis, from speculum, a mirror, from specio, to see.]

1. Having the qualities of a mirror or looking glass; having a smooth reflecting surface; as a specular metal; a specular surface.

2. Assisting sight. [Improper and not used.]

3. Affording view.

Speculate

SPEC'ULATE, verb intransitive [Latin speculor, to view, to contemplate, from specio, to see.]

1. To meditate; to contemplate; to consider a subject by turning it in the mind and viewing it in its different aspects and relations; as, to speculate on political events; to speculate on the probable results of a discovery.

2. In commerce, to purchase land, goods, stock or other things, with the expectation of an advance in price, and of selling the articles with a profit by means of such advance; as, to speculate in coffee, or in sugar, or in six percent stock, or in bank stock.

SPEC'ULATE, verb transitive To consider attentively; as, to speculate the nature of a thing. [Not in use.]

Speculatist

SPEC'ULATIST, noun One who speculates or forms theories; a speculator.

Speculative

SPEC'ULATIVE, adjective

1. Given to speculation; contemplative; applied to persons. The min of man being by nature speculative-

2. Formed by speculation; theoretical; ideal; not verified by fact, experiment or practice; as a scheme merely speculative

3. Pertaining to view; also, prying.

Speculatively

SPEC'ULATIVELY, adverb

1. In contemplation; with meditation.

2. Ideally; theoretically; in theory only, not in practice. Propositions seem often to be speculatively true, which experience does not verify.

Speculativeness

SPEC'ULATIVENESS, noun The state of being speculative, or of consisting in speculation only.

Speculator

SPEC'ULATOR, noun

1. One who speculates or forms theories.

2. An observer; a contemplator.

3. A spy; a watcher.

4. In commerce, one who buys goods, land or other thing, with the expectation of a rise of price, and of deriving profit from such advance.

Speculatory

SPEC'ULATORY, adjective

1. Exercising speculation.

2. Intended or adapted for viewing or espying.

Speculm

SPEC'ULM, noun [Latin]

1. A mirror or looking glass.

2. A glass that reflects the images of objects.

3. A metallic reflector used in catadioptric telescopes.

4. In surgery, an instrument for dilating and keeping open certain parts of the body.

Sped

SPED, preterit tense and participle passive of speed.

Speech

SPEECH, noun

1. The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words, as in human beings; the faculty of expressing thoughts by words or articulate sounds. speech was given to man by his Creator for the noblest purposes.

2. Language; words as expressing ideas. The acts of God to human ears cannot without process of speech be told.

3. A particular language, as distinct form others. Psalms 19:2.

4. That which is spoken; words uttered in connection and expressing thoughts. You smile at my speech

5. Talk; mention; common saying. The duke did of me demand, what was the speech among the londoners concerning the French journey.

6. Formal discourse in public; oration; harangue. The member has made his first speech in the legislature.

7. Any declaration of thoughts. I, with leave of speech implor'd, repli'd.

SPEECH, verb intransitive To make a speech; to harangue. [Little used.]

Speech-Maker

SPEE'CH-MAKER, noun One who makes speeches; one who speaks much in a public assembly.

Speechless

SPEE'CHLESS, adjective

1. Destitute or deprived of the faculty of speech. More generally,

2. Mute; silent; not speaking for a time. speechless with wonder, and half dead with fear.

Speechlessness

SPEE'CHLESSNESS, noun The state of being speechless; muteness.

Speed

SPEED, verb intransitive preterit tense and participle passive sped, speeded. [The Latin expedio may be from the same root, which signifies to drive, to hurry, of the family of Latin peto.]

1. To make haste; to move with celerity.

2. To have success; to prosper; to succeed; that is, to advance in one's enterprise. He that's once demi'd will hardly speed Those that profaned and abused the second temple, sped no better.

3. To have any condition good or ill; to fare. Ships heretofore in seas like fishes sped, The mightiest still upon the smallest fed.

SPEED, verb transitive

1. TO dispatch; to send away in haste. He sped him thence home to his habitation.

2. To hasten; to hurry; to put in quick motion. -But sped his steps along the hoarse resounding shore.

3. TO hasten to a conclusion; to execute; to dispatch; as, to speed judicial acts.

4. To assist; to help forward; to hasten. -With rising gales that sped their happy flight.

5. To prosper; to cause to succeed. May heaven speed this undertaking.

6. To furnish in haste.

7. To dispatch; to kill; to ruin; to destroy. With a speeding thrust his heart he found. A dire dilemma! either way I'm sped; If foes, they write if friends they read me dead.

Note In the phrase, 'God speed ' there is probably a gross mistake in considering it as equivalent to 'may God give you success.' The true phrase is probably 'good speed; good, in Saxon, being written god. I bid you or wish you good speed that is, good success.

SPEED, noun

1. Swiftness; quickness; celerity; applied to animals. We say, a man or a horse runs or travels with speed; a fowl flies with speed We speak of the speed of a fish in the water, but we do not speak of the speed of a river, or of wind, or of a falling body. I think however I have seen the word applied to the lapse of time and the motion of lightning, but in poetry only.

2. Haste; dispatch; as, to perform a journey with speed; to execute an order with speed

3. Rapid pace; as a horse of speed We say also, high speed full speed

4. Success; prosperity in an undertaking; favorable issue; that is, advance to the desired end. O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day. Genesis 24:12. This use is retained in the proverb, 'to make more haste than good speed ' and in the Scriptural phrase, 'to bid one good speed ' [Not God speed as erroneously written.]

Speedily

SPEEDILY, adverb Quickly; with haste; in a short time. Send speedily to Bertram.

Speediness

SPEE'DINESS, noun The quality of being speedy; quickness; celerity; haste; dispatch.

Speedwell

SPEE'DWELL, noun A plant of the genus Veronica.

Speedy

SPEE'DY, adjective

1. Quick; swift; nimble; hasty; rapid in motion; as a speedy flight; on speedy foot.

2. Quick in performance; not dilatory or slow; as a speedy dispatch of business.

Speet

SPEET, verb transitive [from the root of spit.] To stab. [Not in use.]

Speight

SPEIGHT, noun A wood pecker. [Not in use.]

Spelk

SPELK, noun A splinter; a small stick or rod used in thatching.

Spell

SPELL, noun [The verb primarily signifies to throw or drive, and is probably formed on the root of Latin pello. In some of the application of spell we observe the sense of turn. We observe the same in throw, warp, cant, etc.]

1. A story; a tale.

2. A charm consisting of some words of occult power. Start not; her actions shall be holy; you hear my speel is lawful. Begin, begin; the mystic spell prepare.

3. A turn of work; relief; turn of duty. Take a spell at the pump. Their toil is so extreme, that they cannot endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeed by spells.

4. In New England, a short time; a little time. [Not elegant.]

5. A turn of gratuitous labor, sometimes accompanied with presents. People give their neighbors a spell

SPELL, verb transitive preterit tense and participle passive spelled or spelt.

1. To tell or name the letters of a word, with a proper division of syllables, for the with a proper division of syllables, for the purpose of learning the pronunciation. In this matter children learn to read by first spelling the words.

2. To write or print with the proper letters; to form words by correct orthography. The word satire ought to be spelled with i, and not with y.

3. To take another's place or turn temporarily in any labor or service. [This is a popular use of the word in New England.]

4. To charm; as spelled with words of power.

5. To read; to discover by characters or marks; with out; as, to speel out the sense of an author. We are not left to spell out a God in the works of creation.

6. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Not in use.]

SPELL, verb intransitive

1. To form words with the proper letters, either in reading or writing. He knows not how to spell Our orthography is so irregular that most persons never learn to spell

2. To read.

Spelled

SPELL'ED, SPELT, preterit tense and participle passive of spell.

Speller

SPELL'ER, noun One that spells; one skilled in spelling.

Spelling

SPELL'ING, participle present tense

1. Naming the letters of a word, or writing them; forming words with their proper letters.

2. Taking another's turn.

SPELL'ING, noun

1. The act of naming the letters of a word, or the act of writing or printing words with their proper letters.

2. Orthography; the manner of forming words with letters. Bad spelling is disreputable to a gentleman.

Spelling-Book

SPELL'ING-BOOK, noun A book for teaching children to spell and read.

Spelt

SPELT, noun A species of grain of the genus Triticum; called also German wheat.

SPELT, verb transitive To split. [Not in use.]

Spelter

SPEL'TER, noun Common zink, which contains a portion of lead, copper, iron, a little arsenic, manganese and plumbago.

Spence

SPENCE, noun spens. A buttery; a larder; a place where provisions are kept.

Spencer

SPEN'CER, noun

1. One who has the care of the spence or buttery.

2. A kind of short coat.

Spend

SPEND, verb transitive preterit tense and participle passive spent. [Latin expendo; from the root of Latin pando, pendeo, the primary sense of which is to strain, to open or spread; allied to span, pane, etc.]

1. To lay out; to dispose of; to part with; as, to spend money for clothing. Why do ye spend money for that which is not bread? Isaiah 55:2.

2. To consume; to waste; to squander; as to spend an estate in gaming or other vices.

3. To consume; to exhaust. The provisions were spent, and the troops were in want.

4. To bestow for any purpose; often with on or upon. It is folly to spend words in debate on trifles.

5. To effuse. [Little used.]

6. To pass, as time; to suffer to pass away. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Job 13:1.

7. To lay out; to exert or to waste; to wear away; as, to spend one's strength.

8. To exhaust of force; to waste; to wear away; as, a ball had spend its force. The violence of the waves was spent. Heaps of spent arrows fall and strew the ground.

9. To exhaust of strength; to harass; to fatigue. Their bodies spent with long labor and thirst-

SPEND, verb intransitive

1. To make expense; to make disposition of money. He spends like a prudent man.

2. To be lost or wasted; to vanish; to be dissipated. The sound spendeth and is dissipated in the open air.

3. To prove in the use. -Butter spent as if it cam from the richer soil.

4. To be consumed. Candles spend fast in a current of air Our provision spend rapidly.

5. To be employed to any use. The vines they use for wine are so often cut, that their sap spendeth into the grapes. [Unusual.]

Spender

SPEND'ER, noun One that spends; also, a prodigal; a lavisher.

Spending

SPEND'ING, participle present tense Laying out; consuming; wasting; exhausting.

Spendthrift

SPEND'THRIFT, noun [spend and thrift.] One who spends money profusely or improvidently; a prodigal; one who lavishes his estate.

Sperable

SPE'RABLE, adjective [Latin sperabilis, from spero, to hope.] That may be hoped. [Not in use.]

Sperically

SPER'ICALLY, adverb In the form of a sphere.

Spericalness

SPER'ICALNESS, SPERIC'ITY, noun The state or quality of being orbicular or spherical; roundness; as the sphericity of a drop of water.

Spericity

SPER'ICALNESS, SPERIC'ITY, noun The state or quality of being orbicular or spherical; roundness; as the sphericity of a drop of water.

Sperm

SPERM, noun [Latin sperma.]

1. Animal seed; that by which the species is propagated.

2. The head matter of a certain species of whale, called cachalot. It is called by the French blanc de baleine, the white of whales. It is found also in other parts of the body; but it is improperly named, not being a spermatic substance. Of this matter are mad candles of a beautiful white color.

3. Spawn of fishes or frogs.

SPERMACE'TO, noun [Latin sperma, sperm and cetus, a whale. It is pronounced as it is written.] The same as sperm

Spermatic

SPERMAT'IC, adjective

1. Consisting of seed; seminal.

2. Pertaining to the semen, or conveying it; as spermatic vessels.

Spermatize

SPERM'ATIZE, verb intransitive To yield seed. [Not in use.]

Spermatocele

SPERMAT'OCELE, noun A swelling of the spermatic vessels, or vessels of the testicles.

Sperse

SPERSE, verb transitive To disperse. [Not in use.]

Spet

SPET, verb transitive To spit; to throw out. [Not in use.]

SPET, noun Spittle, or a flow. [Not in use.]

Spew

SPEW, verb transitive [Latin spuo.]

1. To vomit; to puke; to eject from the stomach.

2. To eject; to cast forth.

3. To cast out with abhorrence. Leviticus 18:1.

SPEW, verb intransitive To vomit; to discharge the contents of the stomach.

Spewed

SPEW'ED, participle passive Vomited; ejected.

Spewer

SPEW'ER, noun One who spews.

Spewing

SPEW'ING, participle present tense Vomiting; ejecting from the stomach.

Spewy

SPEW'Y, adjective Wet; foggy.

Sphacelate

SPHAC'ELATE, verb intransitive [See Sphacelus.]

1. To mortify; to become gangrenous; as flesh.

2. To decay or become carious, as a bone.

SPHAC'ELATE, verb transitive To affect with gangrene.

Sphacelus

SPHAC'ELUS, noun

1. In medicine and surgery, gangrene; mortification of the flesh of a living animal.

2. Caries or decay of a bone.

Sphaclation

SPHACLA'TION, noun The process of becoming or making gangrenous; mortification.

Sphagnous

SPHAG'NOUS, adjective [shagnum, bog-moss. Linne.] Pertaining to bog-moss; mossy.

Sphene

SPHENE, noun A mineral composed of nearly equal parts of oxyd of titanium, silex and lime. Its colors are commonly grayish, yellowish, redish and blackish brown, and various shades of green. It is found amorphous and in crystals.

Sphenoid

SPHENOID, SPHENOID'AL, adjective Resembling a wedge. The spenoid bone, is the pterygoid bone of the basis of the skull.

Sphenoidal

SPHENOID, SPHENOID'AL, adjective Resembling a wedge. The spenoid bone, is the pterygoid bone of the basis of the skull.

Sphere

SPHERE, noun [Latin sphera.]

1. In geometry, a solid body contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point called its center. The earth is not an exact sphere The sun appears to be a sphere

2. An orb or globe of the mundane system. First the sun, a mighty sphere he fram'd. Then mortal ears had heard the music of the spheres.

3. An orbicular body, or a circular figure representing the earth or apparent heavens.

4. Circuit of motion; revolution; orbit; as the diurnal sphere

5. The concave or vast orbicular expanse in which the heavenly orbs appear.

6. Circuit of action, knowledge or influence; compass; province; employment. Every man has his particular sphere of action, in which it should be his ambition to excel. Events of this kind have repeatedly fallen within the sphere of my knowledge. This man treats of matters not within his sphere

7. Rank; order of society. Persons moving in a higher sphere claim more deference.

SPHERE OF ACTIVITY of a body, the whole space or extent reached by the effluvia emitted from it.

A RIGHT SPHERE, that aspect of the heavens in which the circles of daily motion of the heavenly bodies, are perpendicular to the horizon. A spectator at the equator views a right sphere

A PARALLEL SPHERE, that in which the circles of daily motion are parallel to the horizon. A spectator at either of the poles, would view a parallel sphere

AN OBLIQUE SPHERE, that in which the circles of daily motion are oblique to the horizon. as is the case to a spectator at any point between the equator and either pole.

ARMILLARY SPHERE, an artificial representation of the circles of the sphere by means of brass rings.

SPHERE, verb transitive

1. To place in a sphere The glorious planet Sol in novel eminence enthron'd, and spher'd amidst the res. [Unusual.]

2. To form into roundness; as light sphered in a radiant cloud.

Spheric

SPHER'IC, SPHER'ICAL, adjective [Latin sphericus.]

Spherical

SPHER'IC, SPHER'ICAL, adjective [Latin sphericus.]

1. Globular; orbicular; having a surface in every part equally distant from the center; as a SPHERICAL body. Drops of water take a SPHERICAL form.

2. Planetary; relating to the orbs of the planets. We make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon and the stars, as if we were villains by SPHERICAL predominance.

SPHERICAL GEOMETRY. that branch of geometry which teats of SPHERICAL magnitudes.

SPHERICAL TRIANGLE, a triangle formed by the mutual intersection of three great circles of the sphere.

SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY, that branch of trigonometry which teaches to compute the sides and angles of SPHERICAL triangles.

Spherics

SPHER'ICS, noun The doctrine of the sphere.

Spheroid

SPHEROID,

n. [sphere and form.] A body or figure approaching to a sphere, but not perfectly spherical. A spheroid is oblate or prolate. The earth is found to be a oblate spheroid that is, flatted at the poles, whereas some astronomers formerly supposed it to be prolate or oblong.

Spheroidal

SPHEROID'AL, SPHEROID'IC, SPHEROID'ICAL, adjective

Spheroidic

SPHEROID'AL, SPHEROID'IC, SPHEROID'ICAL, adjective

Spheroidical

SPHEROID'AL, SPHEROID'IC, SPHEROID'ICAL, adjective

1. Having the form of a sheriod.

2. In crystalography, bounded by several convex faces.

Spheroidity

SPHEROID'ITY, noun The state or quality of being spheroidal.

Spherosiderite

SPHEROSID'ERITE, noun A substance found in the basaltic compact lava of Steinheim; called also glass lava or hyatite.

Spherule

SPHER'ULE, noun [Latin spharula.] A little sphere or spherical body. Mercury or quicksilver when poured upon a plane, divides itself into a great number of minute spherules.

Spherulite

SPHER'ULITE, noun A variety of obsidian or pearl-stone, found in rounded grains.

Sphery

SPHE'RY, adjective

1. Belonging to the sphere.

2. Round; spherical.

Sphincter

SPHINC'TER, noun In anatomy, a muscle that contracts or shuts; as the sphincter labiorum; sphincter vesica.

Sphinx

SPHINX, noun [Latin sphinx ]

1. A famous monster in Egypt, having the body of a lion and the face of a young woman.

2. In entomology, the hawk-moth, a genus of insects.

Sphragid

SPHRAG'ID, noun A species of ocherous clay which falls to pieces in water with the emission of many bubbles; called also earth of Lemons.

Spial

SPIAL, noun A spy; a scout. [Not in use.]

Spicate

SPI'CATE, adjective [Latin spicatus, from spica, a spike.] Having a spike or ear.

Spice

SPICE, noun

1. A vegetable production, fragrant or aromatic to the smell and pungent to the taste; used in sauces and in cookery.

2. A small quantity; something that enriches or alters the quality of a thing in a small degree, as spice alters the taste of a thing.

3. A sample.

SPICE, verb transitive

1. To season with spice; to mix aromatic substances with; as, to spice wine.

2. To tincture; as the spiced Indian air.

3. To render nice; to season with scruples.

Spiced

SPI'CED, participle passive Seasoned with spice.

Spicer

SPI'CER, noun

1. One that seasons with spice.

2. One that deals in spice.

Spicery

SPI'CERY, noun

1. Spices in general; fragrant and aromatic vegetable substances used in seasoning.

2. A repository of spices.

Spick

SPICK AND SPAN, bright; shining; as a garment spick and span new, or span-new. brightness; spiccare, to shine; spiccar le parole, to speak distinctly; spicciare, to rush out, the radical sense of which is to shoot or dart. Span is probably from the root of spangle, a mirror.

Spicknel

SPICK'NEL, SPIG'NEL, noun The herb maldmony or bear wort. the Athamanta Meum, Ethusa Meum.

Spicosity

SPICOS'ITY, noun [Latin spica.] The state of having or being full of ears, like corn. [Not in use.]

Spicular

SPIC'ULAR, adjective [Latin spiculum, a dart.] Resembling a dart; having sharp points.

Spiculate

SPIC'ULATE, verb transitive [Latin spiculo, to sharpen, from spiculum, a dart, from spica, or its root. See Spike.] To sharpen to a point.

Spicy

SPI'CY, adjective [from spice.]

1. Producing spice; abounding with spices; as the spicy shore of Arabia.

2. Having the qualities of spice; fragrant; aromatic; as spicy plants. Led by new stars and borne by spicy gales.

Spider

SPI'DER, noun [I know not from what source this word is derived.] The common name of the insects of the genus Aranea, remarkable for spinning webs for taking their prey and forming a convenient habitation, and for the deposit of their food. The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine!

Spider-Catcher

SPI'DER-CATCHER, noun A bird so called.

Spiderlike

SPI'DERLIKE, adjective Resembling a spider.

Spiderwort

SPI'DERWORT, noun A plant of the genus Anthericum.

Spignel

SPIG'NEL. [See Spicknel.]

Spigot

SPIG'OT, noun A pin or peg used to stop a faucet, or to stop a small hole in a cask of liquor.

Spike

SPIKE, noun [Latin Latin spica, and ear of corn. It signifies a shoot or point.]

1. A large uail; always in American applied to a nail or pin of metal. A similar thing made of word is called a peg or pin. In England, it is sometimes used for a sharp point of wood.

2. An ear of corn or grain. It is applied to the heads of wheat, rye and barley; and is particularly applicable to the ears of maiz.

3. A shoot.

4. [Latin spica.] In botany, a species of inflorescence, in which sessile flowers are alternate on a common simple peduncle, as in wheat and rye, lavender, etc.

SPIKE, noun A smaller species of lavender.

SPIKE, verb transitive

1. To fasten with spikes or long and large nails; as, to spike down the planks of a floor or bridge.

2. To set with spikes. A youth leaping over the spiked pales-was caught by the spikes. [Unusual.]

3. To stop the vent with spikes; as, to spike cannon.

Spike-Lavender

SPIKE-LAVENDER, noun The Lavandula spica.

Spiked

SPI'KED, participle passive Furnished with spikes, as corn; fastened with spikes; stopped with spikes.

Spikelet

SPI'KELET, noun In botany, a small spike of a large one; or a subdivision of a spike.

Spikenard

SPIKENARD, noun spik'nard. [Latin spica nardi.]

1. A plant of the genus Nardus.

2. The oil of balsam procured from the spikenard

Spiking

SPI'KING, participle present tense Fastening with spikes; stopping with large nails.

Spiky

SPI'KY, adjective Having a sharp point.

Spile

SPILE, noun [Latin pilus, pilum, etc.]

1. A small peg or wooden pin, used to stop a hole.

2. A stake driven into the ground to protect a bank, etc.

Spill

SPILL, noun [a different orthography of spile, supra.]

1. A small peg or pin for stopping a cask; as a vent hole stopped with a spill

2. A little bar or pin of iron.

3. A little sum of money. [Not in use.]

SPILL, verb transitive preterit tense spilled or spilt; participle passive id.

1. To suffer to fall or run out of a vessel; to lose to suffer to be scattered; applied only to fluids and to substances whose particles are small and loose. Thus we spill water from a pail; we spill spirit or oil from a bottle; we spill quicksilver or powders form a vessel or a paper; we spill sand or flour.

2. To suffer to be shed; as, a man spills his own blood.

3. To cause to flow out or lose; to shed; as, a man spills another's blood. [This is applied to cases of murder or other homicide, but not to venesection. In the later case we say, to let or take blood.]

4. To mischief; to destroy; as, to spill the mind or soul; to spill glory; to spill forms, etc. [This application is obsolete and now improper.]

5. TO throw away.

6. In seamen's language, to discharge the wind out of the cavity or belly of a sail.

SPILL, verb intransitive

1. To waste; to be prodigal. [Not in use.]

2. TO be shed; to be suffered to fall, he lost or wasted. He was so topfull of himself, that he let it spill on all the company.

Spilled

SPILL'ED, participle passive Suffered to fall, as liquids; shed.

Spiller

SPILL'ER, noun

1. One that spills or sheds.

2. A kind of fishing line.

Spilling

SPILL'ING, participle present tense Suffering to fall or run out, as liquids; shedding.

Spilling-Lines

SPILLING-LINES, in a ship, are ropes for furling more conveniently the square sails.

Spilt

SPILT, preterit tense and participle passive of spill.

Spilth

SPILTH, noun [from spill.] Any thing spilt. [Not in use.]

Spin

SPIN, verb transitive preterit tense and participle passive spun. Span is not used. [If the sense is to draw out or extend, this coincides in origin with span.]

1. To draw out and twist into threads, either by the hand or machinery; as, to spin wool, cotton or flax; to spin goats' hair. All the yarn which Penelope spun in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca with moths.

2. To draw out tediously; to form by a slow process of be degrees; with out; as, to spin out large volumes on a subject.

3. To extend to a great length; as, to spin out a subject.

4. To draw out; to protract; to spend by delays; as, to spin out the day in the idleness By one delay after another, they spin out their whole lives.

5. To whirl with a thread; to turn or cause to whirl; as, to spin a top.

6. To draw out from the stomach in a filament; as, a spider spins a web.

TO spin HAY, in military language, is to twist it into ropes for convenient carriage on an expedition.

SPIN, v.il.

1. To practice spinning; to work at drawing and twisting threads; as, the woman knows how to spin They neither know to spin nor car to toil.

2. To perform the act of drawing and twisting threads; as, a machine or jenny spins with great exactness.

3. To move round rapidly; to whirl; as a top or a spindle.

4. To stream or issue in a thread or small current; as, blood spins from a vein.

Spinach

SPIN'ACH, SPIN'AGE, noun [Latin spinacia.] A plant of the genus Spinacia.

Spinage

SPIN'ACH, SPIN'AGE, noun [Latin spinacia.] A plant of the genus Spinacia.

Spinal

SPI'NAL, adjective [See Spine.] Pertaining to the spine or back bone of an animal; as the spinal marrow; spinal muscles; spinal arteries.

Spindle

SPIN'DLE, adjective [See Spin.]

1. The pin used in spinning wheels for twisting the thread, and on which the thread when twisted, is wound.

2. A slender pointed rod or pin on which any thing turn; as the spindle of a vane.

3. The fusee of a watch.

4. A long slender stalk.

5. The lower end of a capstan, shod with iron; the pivot.

SPIN'DLE, verb intransitive To shoot or grow in a long slender stalk or body.

Spindle-Legs

SPIN'DLE-LEGS, SPIN'DLE-SHANKS, noun A tall slender person; in contempt.

Spindle-Shanked

SPIN'DLE-SHANKED, adjective Having long slender legs.

Spindle-Shanks

SPIN'DLE-LEGS, SPIN'DLE-SHANKS, noun A tall slender person; in contempt.

Spindle-Shaped

SPIN'DLE-SHAPED, adjective Having the shape of a spindle; fusiform.

Spindle-Tree

SPIN'DLE-TREE, noun A plant, prick-wood, of the genus Euonymus.

Spine

SPINE, noun [Latin]

1. The back bone of an animal.

2. The shin of the leg.

3. A thorn; a sharp process from the woody part of a plant. It differs from a prickle, which proceeds form the bark. A spine which proceeds from the bark. A spine sometimes terminates a branch or a leaf, and sometimes is axillary, growing at the angle formed by the branch or leaf with the stem. The wild apple and pear are armed with thorns; the rose, bramble, gooseberry. etc. are armed with prickles.

Spinel

SPI'NEL, SPINELLE, noun The spinelle ruby, says Hauy; is the true ruby, a gem of a red color, blended with tints of blue or yellow. It is in grains more or less crystalized. A subspecies of octahedral corundum.

Spinellane

SPINELLANE, noun A mineral occurring in small crystaline masses and in minute crystals. It has been found only near the lake of Laach.

Spinelle

SPI'NEL, SPINELLE noun The SPINELLE ruby, says Hauy; is the true ruby, a gem of a red color, blended with tints of blue or yellow. It is in grains more or less crystalized. A subspecies of octahedral corundum.

Spinescent

SPINES'CENT, adjective [from spine.] Becoming hard and thorny.

Spinet

SPIN'ET, noun An instrument of music resembling a harpsichord, but smaller; a virginal; a clavichord.

SPIN'ET, noun [Latin spinetum.] A small wood or place where briars and thorns grow. [Not in use.]

Spiniferous

SPINIF'EROUS, adjective [Latin spina, spine, and fero, to bear.] Producing spines; bearing thorns.

Spining-Wheel

SPIN'ING-WHEEL, noun A wheel for spinning wool, cotton or flax into threads.

Spink

SPINK, noun A bird; a finch.

Spinner

SPIN'NER, noun

1. One that spins; one skilled in spinning.

2. A spider.

Spinning

SPIN'NING, participle present tense Drawing out and twisting into threads; drawing out; delaying.

SPIN'NING, noun

1. The act, practice or art of drawing out and twisting into threads, as wool, flax and cotton.

2. The act or practice of forming webs, as spiders.

Spinning-Jenny

SPIN'NING-JENNY, noun An engine or complicated machine for spinning wool or cotton, in the manufacture of cloth.

Spinolet

SPIN'OLET, noun A small bird of the lark kind.

Spinosity

SPINOS'ITY, noun The state of being spiny or thorny; crabbedness.

Spinous

SPI'NOUS, adjective [Latin spinosus, from spina.] Full of spines; armed with thorns; thorny.

Spinozism

SPI'NOZISM, noun The doctrines or principles of Spinoza, a native of Amsterdam, consisting in atheism and pantheism, or naturalism and hulotheism, which allows of no God but nature or the universe.

Spinster

SPIN'STER, noun [spin and ster.]

1. A woman who spins, or whose occupation is to spin. Hence,

2. In law, the common title by which a woman without rank or distinction is designated. If a gentlewoman is termed a spinster she may abate the writ.

Spinstry

SPIN'STRY, noun The business of spinning.

Spinthere

SPIN'THERE, noun A mineral of a greenish gray color.

Spiny

SPI'NY, adjective [from spine.]

1. Full of spines; thorny; as a spiny tree.

2. Perplexed; difficult; troublesome.

Spiracle

SPIR'ACLE, noun [Latin spiraculum, form spiro, to breathe.]

1. A small aperture in animal and vegetable bodies, by which air or other fluid is exhaled or inhaled; a small hole, orifice or vent; a pore; a minute passage; as the spiracles of the human skin.

2. Any small aperture, hole or vent.

Spiral

SPI'RAL, adjective [Latin spira, a spire.] Winding round a cylinder or other round body, or in a circular form, and at the same time rising or advancing forward; winding like a screw. The magnificent column in the Place Vendeme, at Paris, is divided by a spiral line into compartments. It is formed with spiral compartments, on which are engraved figures emblematical of the victories of the French armies. A whirlwind is so named from the spiral motion of the air. Water in a tunnel descends in a spiral form.

Spirally

SPI'RALLY, adverb In a spiral form or direction; in the manner of a screw.

Spiration

SPIRA'TION, noun [Latin spiratio.] A breathing. [Not used.]

Spire

SPIRE, noun [Latin spira; from the root of Latin spiro, to breathe. The primary sense of the root is to throw, to drive, to send, but it implies a winding motion, like throw, warp, and many others.]

1. A winding line like the threads of a screw; any thing wreathed or contorted; a curl; a twist; a wreath. His neck erect amidst his circling spires. A dragon's fiery form belied the god; sublime on radiant spires he rode.

2. A body that shoots up to a point; a tapering body; a round pyramid or pyramidical body; a steeple. With glist'ring spires and pinnacles adorn'd.

3. A stalk or blade of grass or other plant. How humble ought man to be, who cannot make a single spire or grass.

4. The top or uppermost point of a thing.

SPIRE, verb intransitive

1. To shoot; to shoot up pyramidically.

2. To breathe. [Not in use.]

3. To sprout, as grain in malting.

Spired

SPI'RED, adjective Having a spire.

Spirit

SPIR'IT, noun [Latin spiritus, from spiro, to breathe, to blow. The primary sense is to rush or drive.]

1. Primarily, wind; air in motion; hence, breath. All bodies have spirits and pneumatical parts within them. [This sense is now unusual.]

2. Animal excitement, or the effect of it; life; ardor; fire; courage; elevation or vehemence of mind. The troops attacked the enemy with great spirit The young man has the spirit of youth. He speaks or act with spirit Spirits, in the plural, is used in nearly a like sense. The troops began to recover their spirits.

3. Vigor of intellect; genius. His wit, his beauty and his spirit The noblest spirit or genius cannot deserve enough of mankind to pretend to the esteem of heroic virtue.

4. Temper; disposition of mind, habitual or temporary; as a man of a generous spirit or of a revengeful spirit; the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit Let us go to the house of God in the spirit of prayer.

5. The soul of man; the intelligent, immaterial and immortal part of human beings. [See Soul.] the spirit shall return to God that gave it. Eceles. 12.

6. An immaterial intelligent substance. spirit is a substance in which thinking, knowing, doubting, and a power of moving do subsist. Hence,

7. An immaterial intelligent being. By which he went and preached to the spirit in prison. I Pet. 3. God is a spirit John 4:23.

8. Turn of mind; temper; occasions; state of the mind. A perfect judge will read each work of wit, with the same spirit that its author writ.

9. Powers of mind distinct from the body. In spirit perhaps he also saw Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume.

10. Sentiment; perception. You spirit is too true, your fears too certain.

11. Eager desire; disposition of mind excited and directed to a particular object. God has made a spirit of building succeed a spirit of pulling down.

12. A person of activity; a man of life, vigor or enterprise. The watery kingdom is no bar to stop the foreign spirits, but they come.

13. Persons distinguished by qualities of the mind. Such spirits as he desired to please, such would I choose for my judges.

14. Excitement of mind; animation; cheerfulness; usually in the plural. We found our friend in very good spirits. He has a great flow of spirits. -To sing thy praise, would heaven my breath prolong, Infusing spirits worthy such a song.

15. Life or strength of resemblance; essential qualities; as, to set off the face in its true spirit The copy has not the spirit of the original.

16. Something eminently pure and refined. Nor doth the eye itself, that most pure spirit of sense, behold itself.

17. That which hath power or energy; the quality of any substance which manifest life, activity, or the power of strongly affecting other bodies; as the spirit of wine or of any liquor.

18. A strong, pungent or stimulation liquor, usually obtained by distillation, as rum, brandy, gin, whiskey. In America, spirit used without other words explanatory of its meaning, signifies the liquor distilled from cane-juice, or rum. We say, new spirit or old spirit Jamaica spirit etc.

19. An apparition; a ghost.

20. The renewed nature of man. Matthew 26:41. Galatians 5:5.

21. The influences of the Holy spirit Matthew 22:43.

HOLY SPIRIT, the third person in the Trinity.

SPIRIT, verb transitive

1. To animate; to actuate; as a spirit

So talkd the spirited sly snake. [Little used.]

2. To animate with vigor; to excite; to encourage; as, civil dissensions spirit the ambition of private man.

It is sometimes followed by up; as, to spirit up.

3. To kidnap.

To spirit away, to entice or seduce.

Spiritally

SPIRITALLY, adverb By means of the breath. [Not in use.]

Spirited

SPIRITED, participle passive

1. Animated; encouraged; incited.

2. adjective Animated; full of life; lively; full of spirit or fire; as a spirited address or oration; a spirited answer. It is used in composition, noting the state of the mind; as in high-spirited, low-spirited, mean-spirited.

Spiritedly

SPIRITEDLY, adverb In a lively manner; with spirit; with strength; with animation.

Spiritedness

SPIRITEDNESS, noun

1. Life; animation.

2. Disposition or make of mind; used in compounds; as high-spiritedness, low-spiritedness, mean-spiritedness, narrow-spiritedness.

Spiritful

SPIRITFUL, adjective Lively; full of spirit. [Not used.]