Page images
PDF
EPUB

SPASM

SPASM, spazm, n. an irregular, violent and involuntary drawing or contraction of the muscles-less violent than a convulsion. [Fr. spasme-L. spasmus-Gr. spasmosspao, to draw.]

SPASMODIC, spaz-mod'ik, SPASMODIC AL, spaz-mod'ik-al, adj. relating to or consisting in spasms: convulsive. -n. SPASMOD'IC, a medicine for removing spasms.

8PAT, spat, pa.t. of SPIT, to throw from the mouth.

SPAT, spat, n. the spawn or young, spit or thrown out by shellfish. [From root of SPIT.]

SPATTER, spat'er, v.t. to spit or throw out upon to scatter about: to sprinkle with dirt or anything moist: to defame. Freq. from SPAT, pa.t. of SPIT.] SPATTER-DASHES, spat'er-dash'ez, n.pl. coverings for the legs, to keep them clean from water and mud, a kind of gaiters.

SPATULA, spat'u-la, SPATTLE, spat'l, n. a little spade: a broad kind of knife for spreading plasters. [L. spatula, spathula, dim. of spatha, any broad blade - Gr. spathe. See SPADE.]

SPAVIN, spav'in, n. a disease of horses

affecting the hock-joint, or joint of the hind-leg, between the knee and the fetlock. It occurs in two forms: (a) bog or blood spavin, in which the joint is distended by synovia or joint oil; (b) bone spavin, or spavin proper, where there is a morbid deposition of bony substance, such as to unite separate bones-a form which is sometimes incurable. [0. Fr. espavent ("a spaven in a horse."-Cotgrave), also esparvain, Mod. Fr. éparvin, It. spavenio. Origin doubtful.] SPAVINED, spav'ind, adj. affected with spavin,

SPAWN, spawn, n. the eggs of fish or frogs when ejected: offspring.-v.t. to produce, as fishes and frogs do their eggs. to bring forth.-v.i. to deposit eggs, as fishes or frogs to issue, as offspring. [Ety. dub.] SPAWNER, spawn'er, n. the female fish, from which the spawn is ejected. SPEAK, spēk, v.i. to utter words or articulate sounds to say: to talk to converse to sound.-v.t. to pronounce: to converse in: to address: to declare: to express by signs:-pa.t. spoke or spake; pa.p. spoken. [A.S. specan (for sprecan): cog. with Dut. spreken, Ger. sprechen.] SPEAKER, spēk'er, n. one who speaks: the person who presides in a deliberative or legislative body, as the House of Representatives.-n. SPEAK'ERSHIP. SPEAKING-TRUMPET, spēk'ing-trum'pet, n. an instrument somewhat resembling a trumpet, used for intensifying the sound of the voice, so as to convey it to a greater distance. SPEAR, spēr, n. a long weapon used in war

and hunting, made of a pole pointed with iron: a lance with barbed prongs used for catching fish.-v.t. to pierce or kill with a spear. [A.S. spere; cog. with Ger. speer, W. ysper, L. sparus; prob. further conn. with SPAR and SPIRE.]

SPEARMAN, spēr’man, n. a man armed with a spear.

SPEARMINT, spēr'mint, n. a species of mint having spear-shaped leaves. SPECIAL, spesh'al, adj. of a species or sort: particular: distinctive: uncommon: designed for a particular purpose: confined to a particular subject.-adv. SPECIALLY. SPECIALIST, spesh'al-ist, n. one who devotes himself to a special subject. SPECIALITY, spesh-i-al'i-ti, n. the special or particular mark of a person or thing: a special occupation or object of attention. [Fr.-L.]

404

SPECIALIZE, spesh'al-iz, v.t. to determine in a special manner.-n. SPECIALIZATION. SPECIALTY, spesh'al-ti, n. something special: a special contract: that for which a person is distinguished. SPECIE, spe'shi, n. gold and silver coin, because visible wealth, and not merely representing it, as bills and notes do. [CI. next word.]

SPECIES, spē'shēz, n. a group of individuals having common marks or characteristics :-subordinate to a GENUS. [L. (lit.) "that which is seen," then a form, a particular sort-specio, to look.]

SPECIFIC, spe-sif'ik, SPECIFICAL, spesif'ik-al, adj. pertaining to or constituting a species: that specifies: precise: infallible. -adv. SPECIFICALLX.

SPECIFIC, spe-sif'ik, n. a remedy which has a special power in a particular disease: an infallible remedy. SPECIFICATION, spes-i-fi-ka'shun, n. act of specifying: a statement of particulars.

SPECIFY, spes'i-fi, v.t. to make special: to mention particularly:-pa.t. and pa.p. spec'ified. [Low L. specifico-L. species, and facio, to make.] SPECIMEN, spes'i-men, n. a portion of anything to show the kind and quality of the whole: a sample.

SPECIOUS, spē'shus, adj. that looks well at first sight: showy: plausible.-adv.

SPE'CIOUSLY.-n. SPE'CIOUSNESS. SPECK, spek, n. a spot: a blemish.-v.t. to spot. [A.S. specca; Low Ger. spaak.] SPECKLE, spekl, n. a little speck or spot in anything different in substance or color from the thing itself.-v.t. to mark with speckles.

culum

SPECTACLE, spek'ta-kl, n. a sight: show: exhibition-pl. glasses to assist the sight.-adj. SPECTACULAR. (L. specta specto, spectatum, intens. of spec-io, to look at.] SPECTACLED, spek'ta-kld, adj. wearing spectacles.

SPECTATOR, spek-tā'tur, n. one who looks on-fem. SPECTA'TRESS. SPECTRAL, spek'tral, adj. relating to, or like a spectre.

[ocr errors]

SPECTRE, spek'ter, n. a ghost. [Lit. "something seen." Doublet SPECTRUM.] SPECTROSCOPE, spek'tro-skop, n. an instrument for forming and examining spectra of luminous bodies, so as to determine their composition. [SPECTRUM, and Gr. skopeō, to look at.] SPECTRUM, spek'trum, n. the image of something seen continued after the eyes are closed: the colors of light separated by a prism, and exhibited as spread out on a screen-pl. SPECTRA. [Lit. thing seen," from L. spec-io, to see. Doublet SPECTRE.] SPECULAR, spek'u-lar, adj. resembling a speculum: having a smooth reflecting surface. [L.]

[ocr errors]

some

SPECULATE, spek'ū-lāt, v.i. to look at or into with the mind: to consider: to theorize to traffic for great profit.-n. SPECULATOR. [L. speculatus, pa.p. of speculor-specula, a look-out-spec-io, to

look.]

:

SPECULATION, spek-u-la'shun, n. act of speculating mental view: contemplation theory: the buying goods, etc., to sell them at an advance.

SPECULATIVE, spek'ü-lāt-iv, adj. given to speculation or theory: ideal: pertaining to speculation in business, etc.-adv. SPECULATIVELY.

SPECULUM, spek'ū-lum,n. (opt.) a reflector usually made of polished metal: (surgery) an instrument for bringing into view parts otherwise hidden :-pl. SPECULA.

[Lit. "

SPERM-WHALE

a looking-glass," L.-spec-io, to

look.] SPED, sped, pa.t. and pa.p. of SPEED. SPEECH, spěch, n. that which is spoken: language: the power of speaking: oration: any declaration of thoughts: mention. [A.S. spæc, spræc; Ger. sprache. See SPEAK.]

SPEECHLESS, spēch'les, adj. destitute or deprived of the power of speech. -- N SPEECH LESSNESS.

SPEED, spēd, n. quickness, velocity: success.-v.i. to move quickly to succeed: to fare.-v.t. to despatch quickly: to hasten, as to a conclusion: to execute : to aid: to make prosperous:-pr.p. speed'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. sped. [A.S. sped; cog. with Dut. spoed, speed, Ger. sputen, to speed.]

SPEEDY, spēd'i, adj. hasty: quick: nimble.

-adv. SPEED'ILY.-n. SPEED'INESS. SPELL, spel, n. any form of words supposed to possess magical power.-adj. SPELL'BOUND. [A.S. spell, a narrative or tale; SPELL, spel, v.t. to tell or name the letters cog. with Goth. spilll, Ice. spial, a tale.]

of: to name, write, or print the proper letters of.-v.i. to form words with the proper letters:-pr.p. spell'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. spelled, spelt. [Same word as above, modified by O. Fr. espaler (Fr. épeler)-O. Ger. spellon, to tell, Goth. SPELL, spel, v.t. to take another's place at spillon.] work.-n. a turn at work: a short period : -pr.p. spell'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. spelled. [A.S. spelian, to act for another, perh. conn. with A.S. spilian, Ger. spielen, to play.] SPELLING, spel'ing, n. act of spelling or naming the letters of words: orthog raphy.

SPELLING-BOOK, spel'ing-book, n. a book for teaching to spell.-n. SPELL'ING-BEE, a competition in spelling. SPELT, spelt, n. a kind of grain: also called German wheat. [A.S. (Ger. spelt)-L. spelta.] SPELTER, spel'ter, n. zinc. [Allied to Dut. spiauter. See PEWTER.] SPENCER, spens'er, n. a short jacket worn by men or women, named after a Lord Spencer who introduced it or made it fashionable.

over

SPENCER, spens'er, n. (in ships and barks)

a fore-and-aft sail abaft the fore and main masts. [Ety. unknown.] SPEND, spend, v.t. to expend or weigh out to give for any purpose: to consume to waste: to pass, as time.-v.i. to make expense: to be dissipated :pr.p. spend'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. spent. -n. SPEND'ER. [A.S. á-spendan, for -spendan-L. expendo or dispendo, to weigh out.] SPENDTHRIFT, spend'thrift, n. one who spends the savings of thrift: a prodigal. [See SPEND and THRIFT.]

SPENT, spent, pa.t. and pa.p. of SPEND. SPERM, sperm, n. animal seed: spawn of fishes or frogs: spermaceti. [Lit. "that which is soun," Late L.-Gr. sperm-a, sperm-atos-speiro, to sow.] SPERMACETI, sper-ma-se'ti, n. a waxy matter from the head of the sperm-whale. [L. (lit.) "the sperm of the whale"sperma (see SPERM), and cētus, a whale Gr. kētos.]

SPERMATIC, sper-mat'ik, SPERMATICAL, sper-mat'ik-al, adj. pertaining to or consisting of sperm or seed: seminal. SPERM-OIL, sperm'-oil, n., oil from the sperm-whale. SPERM-WHALE, sperm'-hwal, n. a species of whale from which sperm or spermaceti is obtained.

SPEW

SPEW, SPUE, spû, v.t. and v.i. to vomit: to eject with loathing. [A.S. spiwan; cog. with Dut. spuwen, Ger. speien; also conn. with L. spuo, Gr. ptyō, and with SPIT.]

SPHERE, sfēr, n. a ball or globe: an orb: circuit of motion: province or duty: rank: (geom.) a surface every point of which is equidistant from one and the same point, called the centre. adj. SPHER AL. [Fr.-L. sphæra--Gr. sphaira.] SPHERIC, sfer'ik, SPHERICAL, sfer'ik-al, adj. pertaining to or like a sphere.-adv. SPHERICALLY.

SPHERICITY, sfer-is'i-ti, n. state or quality of being spherical: roundness. SPHEROID, sfer'oid, n. a body or figure having the form of a sphere, but not quite round. [Fr. sphéroïde-Gr. sphaira, and eidos, form.]

SPHEROIDAL, sfér-oid'al, adj. having the form of a spheroid.

SPHERULE, sfer'ül, n. a little sphere. SPHINCTER, sfingk'ter, n. (anat.) a muscle

that contracts or shuts an orifice or opening which it surrounds, [Gr. "that which binds tight"-sphinggo, to bind tight.]

SPHINX, sfingks, n. (ancient myth.) a mon

ster with the head of a woman and the body of a lioness, that proposed riddles to travellers, and strangled those who could not solve them. [Lit. "the throttler," Gr.-sphinggo, sphingxo, to squeeze, akin to L. figo, to fix.]

SPICE, spis, n. an aromatic vegetable used for seasoning food, formerly one of the most valuable kinds of merchandise: a small quantity.-v.t. to season with spice: to tincture. [O.Fr. espice (Fr. épice)Late L. species, kinds of goods, spicesL. species, a particular kind, etc. (see SPECIES). Cf. the use of Gr. materialien (lit. "materials"), to signify drugs.] SPICERY, spis'er-i, n. spices in general: a repository of spices.

SPICK, spik, n. a nail: obs. save in the phrase SPICK AND SPAN NEW, i.e. as new as a spike just made and a chip just split. [Prov. form of SPIKE, a nail.]] SPICY, spis'i, adj. producing or abounding with spices: fragrant: pungent.—adv. SPIC'ILY.-n. SPIC'INESS.

SPIDER, spi'der, n. an animal remarkable for spinning webs to take its prey. [Lit. "the spinner," for spinder, from SPIN; cf. Dan. spinder, O. Ger. spinna, Ger. spinne.]

SPIGOT, spig'ut, n. a spike or pointed piece of wood for stopping a small hole in a cask. [Gael. spiocaid, W. yspigōd; conn. with root of SPIKE, a nail.] SPIKE, spik, n. an ear of grain: (bot.) an inflorescence, of which the flowers are sessile, or issue directly from a simple undivided axis. [From L. spica, an ear of grain.]

SPIKE, spik, n. a small pointed rod a large nail.-v.t. to set with spikes: to stop the vent of with a spike. [A.S. spicing, cog. with Ger. spieker; conn. with SPIKE, an ear of grain, and SPOKE,n.] SPIKELET, spik'let, n. a little spike. SPIKENARD, spik'närd, n. a highly aromatic oil or balsam obtained from an Indian plant, the Nardus, with spikeshaped blossoms: the plant itself. [L. spica nardi. See NARD.] SPIKY, spik'i, adj. furnished with spikes : having a sharp point. SPILL, spil, v.t. to allow to run out of a vessel to shed: to waste. -v.i. to be shed to be allowed to fall, be lost, or wasted:-pa.t. and pa.p. spilled, spilt.n. SPILL'ER. [A.S. spillan; cog. with Dut. spillen, Ice. spilla, to destroy; also conn. with SPLIT.]

[ocr errors]

405

SPILL, spil, SPILE, spil, n. a small peg or pin to stop a hole. [Lit. "a splinter," Dut. spil, Ger. spille, conn. with E. SPINDLE.]

SPIN, spin, v.t. to draw out and twist into threads: to draw out a thread as spiders do to draw out tediously to cause to whirl rapidly.-v.i. to practice the art or trade of spinning, to perform the act of spinning to issue in a small or threadlike current to whirl:-pr.p. spinn'ing; pa.t. and pa.o. spun.-n. SPINN'ER. [A.S. spinnan, cog. with Dut. and Ger. spinnen; closely conn. with SPAN.] SPINÁCH, SPINAGE, spin'āj, n. an esculent vegetable with jagged or spiny leaves. [It. spinace-Low L. spinaceus -spina, a thorn.]

SPINAL, spin'al, adj. pertaining to the spine or backbone.

SPINDLE, spin'dl, n. the pin from which the thread is spun or twisted: a pin on which anything turns: the fusee of a watch. [A.S. spinl (from SPIN); cog. with Ger. spindel. Cf. SPILL, n.] SPINE, spīn, n. a thorn: a thin, pointed spike, esp. in fishes: the backbone of an animal. [O. Fr. espine (Fr. épine)-L. spina, a thorn, conn. with root of SPIKE, a nail, applied to the backbone because of its sharp-pointed projections.] SPINET, spin'et or spin-et', n. (mus.) an old-fashioned keyed instrument like the harpsichord. [It. spinetta (Fr. épinette), dim. of spina-L. spina, a thorn; so called from the pointed quills used in playing on it.]

SPINNING, spin'ing, adj. used in spinning. SPINOSE, spi'nos, SPINOUS, spi'nus, adj. full of spines: thorny.

SPINSTER, spin'ster, n. (law) an unmar

ied female. [Lit. a woman who spins.] SPINY, spin'i, adj. full of spines: thorny: troublesome: perplexed.- -n. SPIN'INESS. SPIRACLE, spirʼa-ki, n. a breathing hole: any minute passage. [L. spiraculum, formed as a double dim, from spiro, to breathe.]

SPIRAL, spiral, 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. SPIRALLY, spīr'al-li, adv. in a spiral form or direction.

SPIRE, spīr, n. a winding line like the threads of a screw: a curl: a wreath: a tapering body: a steeple. [L. spira-Gr. speira, anything wound round or upon a thing; akin to eirō, to fasten together in rows.]

SPIRIT, spir'it, n. vital force: the soul: a ghost mental disposition: enthusiasm: real meaning: 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. HOLY SPIRIT. See under HOLY.-THE SPIRIT, the Holy Spirit: the human spirit under the influence of the Holy Spirit.v.t. to take away suddenly or secretly, as by a spirit. [L. spiritus, a breath-spiro, to breathe.]

[ocr errors]

SPIRITED, spir'it-ed, adj. full of spirit, life, or fire: animated.-adv. SPIR'ITEDLY.-N. SPIRITEDNESS.

SPIRITISM, spir'it-izm,n. see under SPIRIT

UALISM.

SPIRITLESS, spir'it-les, adj. without spirit, cheerfulness, or courage: dejected: dead. -adv. SPIR'ITLESSLY. SPIRIT-RAPPER, spir'it-rap'er, n. a spiritualist who professes that spirits convey intelligence to him by raps or knocks. SPIRITUAL, spir'it-u-al, adj. consisting of

SPLENETIC

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.-adv. SPIRITUALLY. SPIRITUALISM, spir'it-u-al-izm, n. a being spiritual: the philosophical doctrine that nothing is real out soul or spirit: the doctrine that spirit has a real existence apart from matter: the belief that cer tain peculiar phenomena (as rapping, table-turning, etc.) are directly due to the influence of departed spirits, invoked by a "medium (in this sense better called SPIRITISM).

[ocr errors]

SPIRITUALIST, spir'it-u-al-ist, n. one who has a regard only to spiritual things: one who holds the doctrine of spiritualism (or spiritism).

SPIRITUALITY, spir-it-u-al'i-ti, n. state of being spiritual: essence distinct from

matter.

SPIRITUALIZE, spir'it-u-al-iz, v.t. to make spiritual: to imbue with spirituality: to refine to free from sensuality: to give a spiritual meaning to. SPIRITUOUS, spir'it-u-us, adj. possessing the qualities of spirit: containing spirit: volatile.

SPIRT, spert. Same as SPURT. SPIRY, spir'i, adj. of a spiral form: wreathed: tapering like a spire or a pyramid: abounding in spires.

SPIT, spit, n. an iron prong on which meat is roasted.-.t. to pierce with a spit:pr.p. spitt'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. spitt'ed. [A.S. spitu; Dut. spit, Ger. spiesz.] SPIT, spit, v.t. to throw out from the mouth to eject with violence.-v.i. to throw out saliva from the mouth :-pr.p spitt'ing: pa.t. spit, spat; pa.p. spit. [A.S. spittan; Ice. spyta, Ger. spützen. These are all extensions of SPEW.] SPITE, spīt, n. grudge: lasting ill-will: hatred.-v.t. to vex: to thwart to hate. [Short for DESPITE.] SPITEFUL, spit'fool, adj. full of spite : desirous to vex or injure: malignant.adv. SPITE FULLY.-n. SPITE'FULNESS. SPITTED, spit'ed (B.) pa.p. of SPIT, to throw out from the mouth. SPITTLE, spit'l, n. the moist matter spit or thrown from the mouth: saliva. SPITTOON, spit-tōōn', n. a vessel for receiving spittle.

SPLASH, splash, v.t. to spatter with water or mud.-v.i. to dash about water or any liquid.- -n. water or mud thrown on anything. [Like PLASH, an imitative word.] SPLASHBOARD, splash'bōrd, n. a board to keep those in a vehicle from being splashed with mud.

[A

SPLASHY, splash'i, adj., splashing: wet and muddy: full of dirty water. SPLAY, splä, v.t. (arch.) to slope or slant : to dislocate, as the shoulder-bone.-adj. turned outward, as in splay-foot. contr. of DISPLAY.] SPLEEN, splen, n. a spongy gland near the large extremity of the stomach, supposed by the ancients to be the seat of anger and melancholy: hence, spite : illhumor: melancholy. [M.E. splen-L.Gr. splēn; cog. with L. lien (for p‐lien), Sans. plihan.]

SPLENDENT, splen'dent, adj. splendid or shining bright. [L., pr.p. of splendeo, to shine.]

SPLENDID, splen'did, adj. magnificent : famous : illustrious : heroic. adv. SPLENDIDLY. [Lit. "shining," L. splendidus-splendeo, to shine.] SPLENDOR, splen'dur, n. the appearance of anything splendid: brilliance: magnificence.

SPLENETIC, sple-net'ik or splen'e-tik, SPLENETICAL, sple-net'ik-al, adj. af

SPLENIC

fected with spleen: peevish: melancholy. -n. SPLEN'ETIC, a splenetic person.-adv. SPLENET'ICALLY.

SPLENIC, splen'ik, adj. pertaining to the spleen.

SPLENITIS, sple-ni'tis, n. inflammation of the spleen.

SPLICE, splīs, v.t. to unite two ends of a rope by interweaving the strands.-n. act of splicing: joint made by splicing. [Lit. "to split in order to join; " a form of SPLIT allied to Dut. splitsen.] SPLINT, splint, n. a small piece of wood split off: (med.) a thin piece of wood, etc., for confining a broken or injured limb a hard excrescence on the shankbone of a horse.-v.t. to confine with splints. [A nasalized form of SPLIT.] SPLINTER, splint'er, n. a piece of wood or other substance split off.-v.t. and v.i. to split into splinters. SPLINTERY, splint'er-i, adj. made of or like splinters.

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 :-pr.p. splitt'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. split.- -n. a crack or rent lengthwise. [Allied to Dut. splijten, Ger. spleiszen. Cf. SPLICE and SPLINT.]

SPLUTTER, splut'er, v.i. to eject drops of saliva while speaking: to scatter ink upon a paper, as a bad pen. [By-form of SPUTTER.]

SPODOMANCY, spod'o-man-si, n. divination by ashes. [Gr. spodos, a cinder, and manteia, divination.]

name.

SPODOMANTIC, spod-o-man'tik, adj. relating to spodomancy, or divination by means of ashes. Kingsley. SPODUMENE, spod'ū-mēn, n. a mineral, hard, brittle, and translucent, called by Hauy triphane. It occurs in laminated masses, easily divisible into prisms with rhomboidal bases; the lateral faces smooth, shining, and pearly; the cross fracture uneven and splintery. Before the blowpipe it exfoliates into little yellowish or grayish scales; whence its It is found at Uto in Sweden, in the Tyrol, in Ireland, and North America. It consists of silica and alumina, with 8 to 10 per cent of lithia, and a little protoxide of iron. [Fr. spodumène, Gr. spodoumenos, part. passive of spodoō, to reduce to ashes, from spodos, ashes.] SPOIL, spoil, v.t. to take by force: to plunder. v.i. to practice robbery.—n. that which is taken by force: plunder: pillage robbery.- -n. SPOILER, a plunderer. [Prob. short for despoile―Ó. Fr. despoiller (Fr. dépouiller)—L. despoliare -de-, and spolio-spolium, spoil.] SPOIL, spoil, v.t. to corrupt: to mar: to make useless.-v.i. to decay: to become useless.-n. SPOIL'ER, a corrupter. [Same as above word.]

[Cf.

SPOKE, spōk, pa.t. of SPEAK. SPOKE, spōk, n. one of the bars from the nave to the rim of a wheel. [A.S. spaca; cog. with Ger. speiche; conn. with SPIKE. a small pointed rod.] SPOKEN, spōk'n, pa.p. of SPEAK. SPOKESHAVE, spōk'shāv, n. a plane for dressing the spokes of wheels. SHAVING.] SPOKESMAN, spōks'man, n. (B.) one who speaks for another, or for others. SPOLIATE, spō'li-ät, v.t. to spoil : to plunder: to pillage.-v.i. to practice robbery. [L. spoliatus, pa.p. of spolio-spolium, spoil.]

SPOLIATION, spō-li-a'shun, n. act of spoiling: robbery.

SPONDAIC, spon-da'ik, adj. pertaining to or consisting of spondees.

406

SPONDEE, spon'dē, n. in classical poetry, a foot of two long syllables, as bellō. [Fr. -L. spondeus (pes)-Gr. spondeios (pous), (a foot) of two syllables, so called because much used in the slow solemn hymns sung at a sponde or drink-offering (spendo). See SPONSOR.] SPONGE, spunj, n. the porous framework of an animal, found attached to rocks, etc., under water, remarkable for its power of sucking up water: 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 with a sponge: to wipe out completely: to destroy.-v.i. to suck in, as a sponge : to gain by mean tricks. [A.S., O. Fr. esponge (Fr. éponge)-L. spongia-Gr. sponggia, sponggos. Doublet FUNGUS.] SPONGECAKE, spunj'kāk, n. a very light cake.

SPONGING-HOUSE, spunj'ing-hows, n. a victualling house, or tavern, in England, where persons arrested for debt were kept by a bailiff for twenty-four hours before being lodged in prison, in order that their friends might have an opportunity of settling the debt. Sponginghouses were usually the private dwellings of bailiffs, and were so named from the extortionate charges made upon prisoners for their accommodation therein. SPONGY, spunj'i, adj. like a sponge of an open texture: soft and porous: wet and soft capable of imbibing fluids. -N. SPONG'INESS.

SPONSAL, spon'sal, adj. pertaining to a betrothal, a marriage, or a spouse. [L. -sponsus, a betrothal-spondeo, sponsus, to promise solemnly. See SPONSOR.] SPONSOR, Spon'sur, n. one who promises solemnly for another: a surety: a godfather or godmother.-n. SPONSORSHIP. [L.-spondeo, sponsus, to promise solemnly, akin to Gr. spendo, to pour a libation, spondai, a solemn treaty. Cf. SPOUSE.]

SPONSORIAL, spon-sō'ri-al, adj. pertaining to a sponsor, or sponsorship. SPONTANEITY, spon-ta-ne'i-ti, n. state or quality of being spontaneous. SPONTANEOUS, spon-ta'ne-us, adj. of one's free-will involuntary: acting by its own impulse or natural law: pro

duced of itself or without interference. -adv. SPONTANEOUSLY. [L. spontaneus -sponte, of one's own accord-spondeo.] SPOOL, spōōl, n. a hollow cylinder for winding yarn upon.-v.t. to wind on spools. [Low Ger.; Ger. spule.] SPOON, spoon, n. an instrument for supping liquids. [Lit. "a chip of wood," A.S. spon; Ger. span, a chip, Ice. spann, a chip, a spoon.]

SPOON-BILL, spōōn'-bil, n. the popular name of the birds of the genus Platalea belonging to the heron family (Ardeida), order Grallatores, from the shape of the bill, which is somewhat like a spoon or spatula. They live in society in wooded marshes, generally not far from the mouths of rivers, and on the sea-shore. The white spoon-bill (P. leucorodia) inhabits Europe generally, being rare, however, in England, although common in Holland in summer. As winter approaches it migrates to more southern regions, particularly the salt marshes on the coast of Italy, till the milder weather recalls it. The roseate spoon-bill (P. ajaja) is an American species, with the plumage of a fine rose color. The name is also given to a kind of sturgeon (Polyodon spatula) found in the Ohio, Mississippi, etc. It is remarkable for the uncommonly elongated and flattened snout, which it uses for digging in the mud in search of food,

SPOTLESS

and for wanting those bony plates which generally form so characteristic an adornment of the sturgeon.

SPOONEY, spoon'i, adj. silly, weakly affectionate. [As if fed on spoon-meat.] SPOONFUL, spoon'fool, n. as much as a spoon contains when full: a small quantity.

SPOOR, spōōr, n. track or trail of an animal, esp. when hunted as game. [Dut. spoor, a track, cog. with Scot. speir, to ask.]

SPORADIC, spo-rad'ik, adj., scattered-a term specially applied to solitary cases of a disease usually epidemic. [Gr. sporadikos-sporas, sporados, scatteredspeiro, to sow.]

:

[ocr errors]

or

SPORE, spor, n. a minute grain which serves as a seed in flowerless plants like the fern. [Gr. sporos, a sowing, seedspeiro, to sow.] SPORRAN, spor'an, n. an ornamental pouch worn in front of the kilt by the Highlanders of Scotland. [Gael. sporan.] SPORT, sport, v.i. to play to frolic: to practice field diversions: to trifle.-v.t. to amuse: to make merry: to represent playfully.. -n. that which amuses makes merry: play: mirth: jest: contemptuous mirth: anything for playing with a toy idle jingle: field diversion: any organism deviating from the normal or natural condition; an aberrant natural production; a monstrosity; a lusus naturæ; as, 66 "Yes-I nursed thee, thou monstrous sport of nature."-Byron; specifically, in bot. a plant that assumes a character and appearance distinct from the normal type, a bud or portion of a plant that assumes such a form. [Short for DISPORT.] SPORTFUL, sport'fool, adj. full of sport: merry: full of jesting.--adv.SPORT'FULLY. -n. SPORT FULNESS.

SPORTING, sport'ing, adj. relating to or engaging in sports.-adv. SPORT'INGLY. SPORTIVE, sport'iv, adj. inclined to sport: playful: merry.-adv. SPORT'IVELY.-n. SPORT'IVENESS.

SPORTSMAN, sports'man, n.

66

one who practices, or one skilled in field-sports.n. SPORTS MANSHIP, practice or skill of a SPORTULARY, sport'u-la-ri, adj. subsistsportsman. ing on alms or charitable contributions. These sportulary preachers."-Bp. Hall. [See SPORTULE.] SPORTULE, sport'ul, n. an alms: a dole : a charitable gift or contribution: a largess, either of meat or money, given by princes or great men to the poor people. Ayliffe. [L. sportula, a little basket, dim. of sporta, a wicker basket.] SPORULE, spor'ul, n. in bot. a little spore. The word is sometimes used generally in the same sense as spore, sometimes to denote a distinct granule within a spore. Treas. of Bot. [A dim. from SPORE.] SPORULIFEROUS, spor-u-lif'er-us, adj. in bot. bearing or producing sporules. [E. sporule, and L. fero, to produce.] SPOT, spot, n. a mark made by a drop of wet matter: a blot: a discolored place: a small part of a different color: a small extent of space any particular place : something that soils: a stain on character or reputation.-v.t. to mark with drops of wet to stain: to discolor: to taint to tarnish, as reputation :-pr.p. spott'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. spott'ed. [M. E. spat, Scot. and Dut. spat, prob. from the root of SPIT, to throw out from the mouth.]

SPOTLESS, spot'les, adj. without a spot: untainted: pure.-adv. SPOTLESSLY.-N. SPOT'LESSNESS.

SPOTTED

SPOTTED, spot'ed, SPOTTY, spot'i, adj. marked with spots or discolored places. SPOUSAL, spowz'al, adj. pertaining to a spouse, or to marriage: nuptial: matrimonial.-n. usually in pl. nuptials: marriage.

99 66

a

SPOUSE, spowz, n. a husband or wife. [Lit. "one promised in marriage," betrothed person," O. Fr. espous (Fr. époux, fem. épouse)-L. sponsus, pa.p. of spondeo, to promise, to promise in marriage. Cf. ESPOUSE and SPONSOR.] SPOUT, spowt, v.t. to throw out, as from a pipe.-v.i. to issue with violence, as from a pipe.-n. the projecting mouth of a vessel from which a stream issues: a pipe for conducting a liquid. [Allied to Dut. spuiten, Ice. spyta, from root of SPIT, to throw out.] SPRACK, sprak, adj. vigorous: sprightly: spruce: lively: animated: quick: alert. (Old and provincial English.) Shakespeare has it in the form sprag, being put into the mouth of Sir Hugh Evans, a Welshman, who pronounces hic, hæc, hoc, as hig, hæg, hog. "If your Royal Highness had seen him dreaming and dozing about the banks of Tully Veolan like an hypochondriac person, you would wonder where he hath sae suddenly acquired all this fine sprack festivity and jocularity."-Sir W. Scott. [Ice. sprækr, brisk, sprightly, also sparkr, brisk, lively. Cf. also Ir. and Gael. spraic, strength, vigor, spraiceach, vigorous, strong; E. SPREE.] SPRAG, sprag, n. a young salmon. [Cf. Ice. spraka, a small flounder.] SPRAG, sprag, n. a billet of wood: specifically, in mining, a diagonal prop or stay for preventing the roof of a mine from sinking in. Edin. Rev. [Allied to SPRIG.]

SPRAG, sprag, v.t. to prop by a sprag:

also to stop, as a carriage, on a steep gradient, by putting a sprag in the spokes of the wheel.

SPRAICH, sprach, n. a cry, a shriek: a collection: a multitude, from the idea of the noise made; as, a spraich of bairns. Jamieson. [Scotch.] SPRAICH, sprach, v.i. to cry to shriek. [Scotch.]

SPRAICKLE, sprāk'1, SPRACKLE, sprak'l, v.i. to clamber: to get on with difficulty. Sir W. Scott; Burns. Written also SPRACHLE. [Scotch. Ice. sprökla.] SPRAIN, spran, v.t. to overstrain the muscles of a joint.-n. an excessive strain of the muscles of a joint. [Lit. "to strain," "to squeeze out," O. Fr. espreindre (F. épreindre), to force out, to strain-L. exprimere. See EXPRESS.] SPRANG, pa.t. of SPRING.

SPRAT, sprat, n. a sea-fish like the herring,

but much smaller. [M.E. sprotte; Dut. sprot, Ger. sprotte.]

SPRAWL, sprawl, v.i. to toss or kick about the limbs to stretch the body carelessly when lying: to spread ungracefully.-n. SPRAWL'ER. [Akin to Low Ger. spaddeln, Dan. sprælle, to toss about the limbs.] SPRAY, sprā, n. small particles of water driven by the wind, as from the top of waves, etc. [From A.S. spregan, to pour.]

SPRAY, sprā, n. a small shoot of a tree. [Akin to A.S. sprec, Ice. sprek, a twig. Doublet SPRIG.]

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 and pa.p. spread.—

407

n. extent: compass : expansion of parts: a cloth used as a cover, as a bed spread. [A.S. sprædan; Dut. spreiden, Ger. spreiten.]

SPREE, spre, n. a merry frolic: a drunken frolic. [Prov. E. adj. sprag, spry, spree, M.E. sprac, from Ice. sprækr, lively.] SPRIG, sprig, n. a small shoot or twig.v.t. to embroider with representations of twigs-pr.p. sprigg'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. sprigged. [Doublet of SPRAY.] SPRIGHTLY, sprit'li, adj., spirit-like: airy: full of life: lively: brisk.-n. SPRIGHT LINESS. [From spright, a corr. of SPIRIT. Cf. 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 to contrive on a sudden : to explode, as a mine: to open, as a leak: to crack, as a mast:-pa.t. sprung, sprang; 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. [A.S. springan; Ger. springen.] SPRINGAL, spring'awl, n. an ancient warlike engine, used for shooting large arrows, pieces of iron, etc. It is supposed to have resembled the cross-bow in its construction. Written also SPRINGALD. [O. Fr. espringale, from Ger. springen, to spring.]

SPRING-BACK, spring-bak, n. in bookbinding, a curved or semicircular false back, made of thin sheet-iron or of stiff pasteboard fastened to the under side of the true back, and causing the leaves of a book thus bound to spring up and lie flat-commonly used in binding ledgers and other blank books. SPRING-BALANCE, spring'-bal-ans, n. a contrivance for determining the weight of any article by observing the amount of deflection or compression which it produces upon a helical steel spring properly adjusted and fitted with an index working against a graduated scale. Another form of spring-balance is made in the shape of the letter C, the upper end being suspended by a ring, and the lower end affording attachment for the hook whereby the object is suspended. As the bow opens a finger traverses a graduated arc and registers the weight. SPRINGBOK, spring bok, n. a sort of South African antelope, larger than a roebuck. [Dut. for "spring-buck," from its leaping motion.]

[ocr errors]

SPRINGE, sprinj, n. a snare with a springnoose: a gin.-v.i. to catch in a springe. [Prov. E. springle SPRING; cf. Ger. sprenkel-springen.] SPRINGER, spring'er, n. a kind of dog allied to the spaniel, useful for springing game in copses. SPRING-TIDE, spring'-tid, n. a tide which springs or rises higher than ordinary tides, after new and full moon. SPRINGY, spring'i, adj. pertaining to or like a spring: elastic: nimble: abounding with springs or fountains.-n. SPRING'I

[blocks in formation]

SPUMOUS

formed from A.S. sprengan, the causative of SPRING; cf. Ger. sprenkeln.] SPRIT, sprit, n. (naut.) a spar set diagonally to extend a fore-and-aft sail. [A.S. spreot, a pole; Dut. and Ger. spriet, a bowsprit; conn. with SPROUT.] SPRITE, sprit, n. a spirit: a shade: a ghost. [A corr. of SPIRIT. Cf. SPRIGHTLY.] SPROUT, sprowt, n. a germ or young shoot-pl. young shoots from old cabbages.-v.i. to shoot: to push out new shoots. [M. E. sprute A.S. spreotan (Ger. sprieszen); cog. with Dut. spruit. Cf. SPRIT and SPRUCE-BEER.] SPRUCE, sprōōs, adj. smart: neat.-adv. SPRUCE LY.-n. SPRUCE'NESS. [Prob. from O. Fr. preus (Fr. preux), gallant.] SPRUCE, sprõòs, v.t. to trim or dress in a spruce manner, or with affected or finical neatness: to prink or prank. "To spruce his plumes."-Dr. H. More.

SPRUCE, sprõõs, v.i. to dress one's self with affected neatness.-TO SPRUCE UP, to dress one's self sprucely or neatly. "Till she had spruced up herself first.' Burton.

SPRUCE, sprōōs, SPRUCE-FIR, sprōōs'fer, n. the name given to several species of trees of the genus Abies. The Norway spruce-fir is A. excelsa, which yields the valuable timber known under the name of white or Christiana deal. The white spruce is the A.alba, which grows in the colder regions of North America. The black spruce-fir is the A. nigra, which is a native of the most inclement regions of North America, and attains the height of 70 or 80 feet, with a diameter of from 15 to 20 inches. Its timber is of great value on account of its strength, lightness, and elasticity. It is employed for the yards of ships, and from the young branches is extracted the essence of spruce, so well known as a useful anti-scorbutic. The red spruce is A. rubra. The hemlock spruce-fir is the A. canadensis, a noble species, rising to the height of 70 or 80 feet, and measuring from 2 to 3 feet in diameter. It grows abundantly near Quebec, in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Vermont, and the upper parts of New Hampshire. The wood is employed for laths, and for coarse in-door work. The bark is exceedingly valuable for tanning. [According to one view from O. E. Spruce, Pruce, Prussian, because the tree was first known as a native of Prussia. But cf. Ger. sprossen-fichte, the spruce-fir, lit. sprout-tir, from sprossen, young sprouts, spriessen, to sprout. According to Wedgwood the tree was called the sprout-fir from its sprouts being used in making beer, spruce-beer (that is sprout-beer).]

SPRUCE-BEER, sprōōs'-bēr, n. a fermented liquor made from the leaves and small branches of the spruce-fir or from the essence of spruce, boiled with sugar or molasses, and fermented with yeast. There are two kinds, the brown and the white, of which the latter is considered the best, as being made from white sugar instead of molasses. Spruce-beer forms an agreeable and wholesome beverage,, and is useful as an antiscorbutic. SPRUNG, pa.t. and pa.p. of SPRING. SPUD, spud, n. a narrow spade with a short handle. [From root of SPADE.] SPUE. Same as SPEW. SPUME, spum, n. scum or froth spewed or thrown up by liquids: foam.v.i. to throw up scum: to foam. [L. spumaspuo, E. SPEW.] SPUMOUS, spūni'us, SPUMY, spūm'i, adj. consisting of spume or froth: frothy: foamy.

SPUN

SPUN, pa.t. and pa.p. of SPIN. SPUN-GOLD, spun'-gōld, n. flattened gold, or silver-gilt wire wound on a thread of yellow silk.

SPUNK, spungk, n. touchwood; tinder; a kind of tinder made from a species of fungus; "Spunk, or touchwood prepared."-Sir T. Browne: a quick, ardent temper; mettle; spirit; pluck; "Thy girl, perhaps a lass of spunk."--Wolcot;

66

Men of spunk, and spirit, and power, both of mind and body."-Prof. Wilson: a very small fire; a fiery spark or small flame; also, a lucifer-match. [Scotch. Ir. sponc, tinder, touchwood, sponge, Gael. spong; from L. spongia, a sponge.] SPUNKIE, spungk'i, n. the ignis fatuus, or Will-o'-the-wisp. Burns: a person of a fiery or irritable temper. Galt. [Scotch. From SPUNK.]

SPUNKY, SPUNKIE, spungk'i, adj. spir ited: fiery: irritable: brisk: an epithet applied to a place supposed to be haunted, from the frequent appearance of the ignis fatuus. "The spunkie howe."-Tannahill. [Scotch.]

SPUN-SILVER, spun'-sil-ver, n. flattened silver wire wound round a thread of coarse silk.

SPUN-YARN, spun'-yärn, n. (naut.) a line or cord formed of two, three, or more rope-yarns twisted together. The yarns are usually drawn out of the strands of old cables and knotted together. Spunyarn is used for various purposes, as serving ropes, weaving mats, etc. SPUR, spur, n. an instrument on a horseman's heels, with sharp points for goading the horse: that which goads or instigates: something projecting the hard projection on a cock's leg: a small range of mountains extending laterally from a larger range.-v.t. to urge on with spurs to urge onward: to impel: to put spurs on.-v.i. to press forward: to travel in great haste :-pr.p. spurr'ing; pa.t. and pa.p. spurred. [A.S. spura, spora ; Ice. spori, Ger. spor-n; akin to SPAR and SPEAR.]

SPURGE, spurj, n. a class of acrid plants with a milky juice, used for taking off warts. [O. Fr. espurge (Fr. épurge)—L. expurgare, to purge-ex, off, purgo, to clear. See PURGE.]

SPURIOUS, spür'i-us, adj. illegitimate: bastard: not genuine : false.-adv. SPURIOUSLY.-n. SPUR'IOUSNESS. [L. spurius.] SPURN, spurn, v.t. to drive away as with the foot to kick: to reject with disdain. -n. disdainful rejection. [A.S. spurnan, an extension of SPUR.] SPUR-PRUNING, spur'-prōōn-ing, n. a mode of pruning trees by which one or two eyes of last year's wood are left and the rest cut off, so as to leave short rods. SPUR-ROYAL, spur'-roi-al, n. a gold coin,

first made in the reign of Edward IV. In the reign of James I. its value was about equal to $3.60 of our money. It was so named from having on the reverse a sun with the four cardinal rays issuing from it so as to suggest a resemblance to the rowel of a spur. Sometimes written SPUR-RIAL or SPUR-RYAL.

SPURT, spurt, v.t. to spout, or send out in

a sudden stream, as water.-v.i. to gush out suddenly in a small stream: to flow out forcibly or at intervals.-n. a sudden or violent gush of a liquid from an opening: a jet a sudden and short effort. [Like SPIRT, formed by transposition from sprit (Ger. spritzen), conn. with SPRIT and SPROUT.] SPUR-WHEEL, spur'-hwel, n. in mach. a wheel in which the teeth are perpendicular to the axis, and in the direction

|

408

of radii. A train of such wheels working into each other is called spur-gear. SPUR-WING, spur'-wing, n. the English name for a species of wading birds of the genus Parra, having the wing armed with a bony spur; they inhabit Africa and South America: the name given to the species of geese of the genus Plectropterus, which are natives of Africa, and have two strong spurs on the shoulder of the wing.

SPUTATION, spū-ta'shun. n. the act of spitting that which is spit up. "A moist sputation or expectoration."-Harvey. [L. sputo, sputatum, to spit.] SPUTATIVE, spū'ta-tiv, adj. spitting much inclined to spit. Wotton. SPUTTER, sput'er, v.i. to spit in small drops, as in rapid speaking: to throw out moisture in scattered drops: to speak rapidly and indistinctly.-v.t. to throw out with haste and noise: to utter hastily and indistinctly.-n. moist matter thrown out in particles. [Like SPATTER, from the stem of SPIT and SPOUT.] SPY,spi,n.one sent into an enemy's country or camp to find out their strength, etc.: one who keeps a watch on others: one who secretly conveys information.-v.t. to see: to discover, generally at a distance: to discover by close search: to inspect secretly:-pa.t. and pa.p. spied. [O. Fr. espie-O. Ger. speha; cog. with L. specio, Sans. spac.]

SPYGLASS, spi'glas, n. a glass for spying: a small telescope.

SPY-WEDNESDAY, spi-wens'dā, n. an old name given to the Wednesday immediately preceding Easter, in allusion to the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot. SQUAB, skwob, adj. fat; short and stout; plump; bulky: unfledged; unfeathered; as, a squab pigeon.

Why must old pigeons, and they stale, be drest, When there's so many squab ones in the nest? -Dr. W. King.

[A word which also occurs without the s. According to Wedgwood, from the sound made by a soft lump falling.] SQUAB, skwob, n. a young pigeon or dove: a short fat person;

Gorgonius sits abdominous and wan,
Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan.

-Cowper:

A kind of sofa or couch; a stuffed cushion; "Punching the squab of chairs and sofas with their dirty fists."-Dickens;

On a large squab you find her spread.-Pope. SQUAB, skwob, adv. striking at once: with a heavy fall: plump. "The eagle took the tortoise up into the air and dropt him, squab, upon a rock."-Sir R. L'Estrange.

SQUAB, skwob, v.i. to fall plump. SQUABASH, skwa-bash', v.t. to crush: to quash. "His (Gifford's) satire of the Baviad and Mæviad squabashed, at one blow, a set of coxcombs who might have humbugged the world long enough." Sir W. Scott. SQUABBISH, skwob'ish, SQUABBY, skwob'i, adj. thick: fat: heavy. Diet renders them of a squabbish or lardy habit of body."-Harvey. SQUABBLE, skwob'l, v.i. to dispute in a noisy manner to wrangle.-n. a noisy, petty quarrel: a brawl.-n. SQUABB'LER.

[ocr errors]

Akin to Low Ger. kabbeln, to quarrel, and Prov. Ger. schwabbeln, to jabber.] SQUAD, skwod, n. a small body of men assembled for drill. [Fr. escouade (It. squadra)-L.exquadrare, to make square. See SQUADRON.] SQUADRON, skwod'run, n. a body of cavalry, consisting of two troops, or 120 to 200 men: a section of a fleet, commanded by a flag-officer. [Orig. a square of

SQUEAMISH

troops, Fr. escouade (It. squadra). See SQUARE.]

SQUALID, skwol'id, adj., stiff with dirt: filthy.-adv. SQUAL'IDLY.-n. SQUAL'IDNESS. [L. squalidus squaleo, to be stiff; akin to Gr. skello, to dry.] SQUALL, skwawl, v.i. to cry out violently.- -n. a loud cry or scream: a violent gust of wind. [Ice. sqrala ; Ir. and Gael. sgal, to shriek; an imitative word; cf. SQUEAL.]

SQUALLY, skwawl'i, adj. abounding or disturbed with squalls or gusts of wind: gusty.

SQUALOR, skwol'or, n. state of being squalid dirtiness: filthiness. [L.] SQUANDER, skwon'der, v.t. to spend lavishly or wastefully.-n. SQUANDERER. [Ety. dub.; perh. a nasalized form of Prov. E. squatter, to splash, to disperse ; allied to E. SCATTER.]

SQUARE, skwar, adj. having four equal sides and angles: forming a right angle: having a straight front or an outline formed by straight lines.-n. that which is square a square figure: a four-sided space inclosed by houses: a square body of troops: the length of the side of any figure squared: an instrument for measuring right angles: (arith.) the product of a quantity multiplied by itself.-v.t. to form like a square: to form with four equal sides and angles: (arith.) to multiply by itself: (naut.) to place at right angles with the keel.―n. SQUAREʼNESS. [O. Fr. esquarre (Fr. équerre)-L. exquadrare, to square-quadrus, conn. with quattuor, four. Cf. SQUAD and QUARRY.] SQUASH, skwosh, v.t. to beat or press into pulp to crush flat.-n. a sudden fall or shock of soft bodies: anything soft and easily crushed, anything soft or unripe. [Conn. with QUASH.]

:

SQUASH, skwosh, n. a plant of the genus Cucurbita, C. Melopepo, and its fruit, cultivated in America as an article of food. "Squash is an Indian kind of pumpion that grows apace."-Boyle. [From American Indian name: Askutasquash,

...

[ocr errors]

which the English from them call squashes."-Roger Williams. From asquash (pl.), raw, green.] SQUASH, skwash, n. the American name for a species of weasel. "The smell of our weasels, and ermines, and polecats is fragrance itself, when compared to that of the squash and the skunk."Goldsmith.

SQUASH-BUG, skwosh'-bug, n. a name given in the United States to insects well known for their destructive ravages upon squash and pumpkin plants. SQUAT, skwot, v.i. to sit down upon the hams or heels: to cower, as an animal : to settle on new land without title:-pr.p. squatting; pa.t. and pa.p. squatt'ed. [Prov. E. quat, to squat; prob. a Romance word; cf. It. quatto, cowering, Fr. (se) cacher, to crouch down, to hide one's self, both from L. coactus, pa.p. of cogo-co-, together, and ago, to drive.] SQUATTER, skwot'er, n. a settler on new land without title: one who leases pasture land from the government, in Australia and New Zealand. [See SQUAT.] SQUAW, skwaw, n. among the American Indians, a woman, esp. a wife. SQUEAK, skwek, v.i. to utter a shrill and usually short cry.-n. a sudden, shrill cry. [Imitative; cf. Św. sqraka, to croak, Ger. quieken, to squeak.]

SQUEAL, skwel, v.i. to utter a shrill and prolonged sound. [Imitative; cf. Sw. sqvala, to cry out.] SQUEAMISH, skwem'ish, adj. sickish at stomach: easily disgusted or offended: fastidious in taste.-adv. SQUEAM'ISHLY.

« PreviousContinue »