SPOFFISH

Spoffish, Spoffy (spof'ish, spof'i), a. Bustfing; demonstratively smart; officious. [Colloq.]

He invariably spoke with astonishing rapidity; was smart, spoffish, and eight-and-twenty, Dickens. Spoil (spoil), v.t. pret. & pp. spoiled, frequently contracted, especially when used adjectivally, to spoilt; ppr. spoiling. [Fr. spolier, to spoil, to despoil, to strip, from L. spoliare, to plunder, from spolium, plunder. Despoil is the same word with prefix de. This word has to some extent borrowed its meanings from the verb to spill, from the similarity in form. The case is the same with the intransitive verb and the noun.] 1. To plunder; to strip by violence; to rob: with a person or thing as object, and of before that which is taken; as, to spoil one of his goods or possessions. To spoil the city and your royal court. Shak.

My sons their old unhappy sire despise, Spoil'd of his kingdom, and depriv'd of eyes. Pope. The Heathen of the Northern Sea, Lured by the crimes and frailties of the court, Begin to slay the folk, and spoil the land. Tennyson. 2. To seize by violence; to take by force; as, to spoil one's goods. This mount with all his verdure spoil'd.' Milton. -3. To corrupt; to vitiate; to mar; as, to spoil a child by over-indulgence.

Spiritual pride spoils many graces. Fer. Taylor. I must not spoil the force of the Italian superlative by translating it. Ruskin.

4. To render useless by injury; to injure fatally; to ruin; to destroy; as, to spoil paper by wetting it; to spoil the eyes by too much reading.

Thou hast spoilt the purpose of my life. Tennyson. Spoil (spoil), vi. 1. To practise plunder or robbery. 'Outlaws, which lurking in woods, used to break forth to rob and spoil.' Spenser.-2. To decay; to lose the valuable qualities; to be corrupted; as, fruit will soon spoil in warm weather.

Spoil (spoil), n. [See the verb.] 1. That which is taken from others by violence or without license; particularly in war, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty. The spoil got on the Antiates." Shak.

Now gentle gales, Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils. Milton.

2. That which is gained by strength or effort. Each science and each art his spoil.' Bentley.-3. The act or practice of plundering; robbery; waste.

The man that hath no music in himself,

Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils. Shak. 4. The slough or cast skin of a serpent or other animal-5. The surplus excavated material which is laid down by the side of a line of railway, canal, or other work, or at the mouth of a pit or mine, to save the expense of removal.-6. Corruption; cause of corruption; ruin.

Shak

Villanous company hath been the spoil of me. Spoilable (spoil'a-bl), a. Capable of being spoiled.

Spoil-bank (spoil’bangk), n. A mass of excavated material, as in making a railway. See SPOIL, 5.

Spoiled, Spoilt (spoild, spoilt), p. and a. Deprived of its valuable qualities; corrupted; marred; vitiated; destroyed; ruined. -Spoiled or spoilt child, a child ruined by being petted or over-indulged; hence, a person who has had more of his own way than was good for him; as, a spoiled child of fortune.

Spoiler (spoiler), n. One that spoils; as, (a) a plunderer; a pillager; a robber. (b) One that corrupts, mars, or renders useless. Spoil-five (spoil'fiv), n. A round game of cards played with the whole pack, and by any number of persons up to ten, each player receiving five cards. Three tricks make the game, and when no one can take so many the game is said to be spoiled. Spoilful (spoil'ful). a. Wasteful; rapacious. Spenser. [Poetical and rare.] Spoil-sport (spoil'sport), n. One who spoils or mars sport or enjoyment.

Mike Lambourne was never a make-bate or a spoilsport or the like. E'en live and let others live, that is my motto. Sir W. Scott.

Spoke (spök), pret. of speak.
Spoke (spok), n. [A. Sax. spáca, Icel spóki,
a spoke; cog. D. speek, L. G. speke, G. speiche.
Same root as spike, spigot, pike.] 1. The ra-

166

dius or ray of a wheel; one of the small bars which are inserted in the hub or nave, and which serve to support the rim or felly.2. The round of a ladder. - 3. One of the handles jutting from the circumference of the steering wheel of a vessel.-4. A contrivance for fastening the wheel of a vehicle in order to prevent its turning when going down a hill. To put a spoke in one's wheel, to put an impediment in one's way; to thwart one's purpose or design. De Quincey. Spoke (spōk), v.t. To fit or furnish with spokes.

Spoken (spo'kn), pp. of speak: used adjectivally for oral, as opposed to written. Also used as if instead of the present participle speaking in such colloquial compounds as, a civil-spoken gentleman. The pleasantestspoken gentleman ever you heard.' Dickens. Spoke-shave (spök'shav), n. A sort of small plane used for dressing the spokes of wheels and other curved work, where the common plane cannot be applied. Spokesman (spōks'man), n. One who speaks for another or others.

Exod. iv. 16.

He shall be thy spokesman unto the people. Spolia opima (spō'li-a ō-pi'ma), n. pl. [L.] In ancient Rome, the most select spoil taken from an enemy; hence, any valuable booty or pillage.

Spoliary (spo'li-a-ri), n. [L. spoliarium.] The place in the Roman amphitheatres where the slaughtered gladiators were dragged, and where their clothes were stripped from their bodies.

Spoliate (spo'li-át), v. t. pret. & pp. spoliated; ppr. spoliating. [L. spolio, spoliatum, to plunder. See SPOIL.] To plunder; to pillage; to despoil. "The other great Whig families who had done something more for it than spoliate their church and betray their king.' Disraeli.

Spoliate (spoli-at), v.i. To practise plun

der; to commit robbery. 1. The act of Spoliation (spo-li-a'shon), n. plundering; robbery; plunder. 'A system of legal spoliation.' Sir G. C. Lewis.-2. The act or practice of plundering in time of war, especially of plundering neutrals at sea under authority.-3. Eccles. the act of an incumbent in taking the fruits of his benefice without right, but under a pretended title.

Writ of spoliation, a writ obtained by one of the parties to a suit in the ecclesiastical courts, suggesting that his adversary has wasted the fruits of a benefice, or received them to his prejudice.

Spoliative (spõli-át-iv), a. Tending to take away or diminish; specifically, in med. lessening the mass of the blood.

Spoliator (spö'li-ät-ér), n. One who commits spoliation.

Spoliatory (spō'li-à-to-ri), a. Consisting in spoliation; causing spoliation; destructive. "Sometimes not a whit more unjust or spoliatory measures." Quart. Rev. Spondaic (spon-dā'ik), a. 1. Pertaining to a spondee; denoting two long feet in poetry. 2. Composed of spondees in excess; as, a spondaic hexameter, which has a spondee in the fifth foot instead of the regular dactyl. Spondaical (spon-dā'ik-al), a. Spondaic. Spondal (spon'dal), n. [Corruption for spondyl. A joint or joining of two pieces. Jer. Taylor. [Rare.]

Spondee (spon'dě), n. [Fr. spondée, from L. spondeus, Gr. spondeios, from Gr. sponde, a solemn libation, because such libations were accompanied by a slow and solemn melody.] A poetic foot of two long syllables, used in Greek and Latin poetry. Spondiaceæ, Spondiei (spon-di-a'sē-ē.spon'di-é-i), n. pl. A tribe of Anacardiacea, raised by some botanists into a distinct order, distinguished from the other tribes of Anacardiaceae by the ovary being two to five celled instead of single-celled. The fruits of some of the species are known as hog-plums (see HOG-PLUM), and the fruit of Spondias dulcis, of the Society Isles, has been compared to the pine-apple. The bark, fruit, seeds, and leaves of some species are used medicinally.

Spondias (spon'di-as), n. [Gr. spondias, spodias, a kind of plum-tree.] A genus of plants belonging to the nat. order Anacardiaceae, or, according to some botanists, to a small order called Spondiaceæ. See Hog

PLUM.

Spondyl, Spondyle (spon'dil), n. [L. spondylus; Gr. spondylos, a joint of the backbone.] In anat. a joint of the backbone; a vertebra. Sir T. Browne.

SPONGE

Spondylidæ (spon-dil'i-dē), n. pl. A family of marine conchifers, named from the genus Spondylus (which see).

Spondylus (spon'di-lus), n. [L., a joint of the backbone.] A genus of inequivalved lamellibranchiate molluscs with unequal beaks, the hinge with two recurved teeth, separated by a small hollow. Spondyli are found only in the ocean, attached to rocks, corals, &c. They are remarkable for their spines, and the richness of colouring of the shells. The spring oysters, water-clam, &c., belong to this genus. It is made the type of a family, Spondylidæ.

Spone,t n. A spoon. Chaucer. Spong (spong), n. A projection of land; an irregular, narrow, projecting part of a field. Fuller. [Obsolete or provincial English.] Sponge (spunj), n. [0. Fr. esponge, Mod. Fr. éponge, from L. spongia, Gr. spongia, spon gos, a sponge.] 1. A name given by naturalists to the animals of the class Spongida, sub-kingdom Protozoa. Sponges are compound Protozoa, their living parts consisting of an aggregation of protoplasmic units. The skeleton may be horny, flinty, or limy. (See SPONGIDA.) In common usage the term is employed to designate the fibrous framework of sponges, as sold in our shops. This framework is soft, light, and porous, easily compressible, readily imbibing fluids, and thereby distending, and as readily giving them out again upon compression. The domestic uses of sponge are familiar to all. It is indispensable to the surgeon. Burnt sponge was formerly a valued remedy for scrofulous diseases and goitre; but iodine and bromine, from which it derived all its value, are now administered in other forms. Mattresses, &c., are stuffed with sponge; and it is also employed as a filter and as a polishing material for fine surfaces. Sponges are usually prepared before they come into the market, by being beaten and soaked in dilute muriatic acid, with a view to bleach them and dissolve any adherent portions of carbonate of lime. The kinds fit for use are found in the seas of warm climates. Two species are chiefly brought from the Levant, and a coarse one from the West Indies and the coast of Florida. --2. One who pertinaciously lives upon others; a sycophantic or cringing dependant; a parasite; a sponger.-3. In gun. a kind of mop for cleaning cannon after a discharge. It consists of a cylinder of wood covered with sheep-skin or with a carpet-like fabric. For rifled guns a brushtop is used. For small guns it is commonly fixed to one end of the handle of the rammer.-4. In the manege, the extremity or point of a horseshoe, answering to the heel. 5. Any sponge-like substance; as, (a) in baking, dough before it is kneaded and formed, when full of globules of carbonic acid, generated by the yeast or leaven. (b) In metal. iron in a soft or pasty condition, as delivered in a ball from the puddling furnace. Platinum sponge, spongy platinum. See PLATINUM.-Pyrotechnical sponge. See AMADOU. Waxed sponge. Same as Spongetent. To set a sponge, in cookery, to leaven a small mass of dough to be used in leavening a larger quantity. To throw up the sponge, to acknowledge that one is conquered or beaten; to submit; to give up the contest or struggle: a phrase borrowed from the practice of the defeated party in a pugilistic encounter tossing up the sponge used to freshen their champion, in token of his defeat. [Slang.]

Sponge (spunj), v.t. pret. & pp. sponged; ppr. sponging. 1. To cleanse or wipe with a sponge; as, to sponge the body; to sponge a slate or a cannon.-2. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all traces of.

God hath now Sponged and made blank of crimeful record all My mortal archives. Tennyson.

3. To drain; to harass by extortion; to squeeze; to plunder.

to

How came such multitudes of our nation be sponged of their plate and money? South. 4. To gain by sycophantic or mean arts. 'To sponge a breakfast once a week.' Swift. [Sponge, except in the noun sense, is frequently spelled Spunge, especially by the older writers.]

Sponge (spunj), v. i. 1. To suck in or imbibe, as a sponge.-2. To live by or practise mean arts; as, an idler who sponges on his neighbour.

Bull passes the season in London, sponging for dinners, and sleeping in a garret near his club. Thackeray.

SPONGE-CAKE

Sponge-cake (spunj'kāk), n. A sweet-cake: so called from its light make.

Sponge-crab (spunj'krab), n. A name given to crustaceous animals of the genus Dromia. Spongelet (spunj'let), n. A spongiole (which see).

Spongeous (spunj'us), a. Resembling a sponge; of the nature of sponge; full of small pores.

Sponger (spunj'ér), n. 1. One who uses a sponge.2 A parasitical dependant; a hanger-on for a maintenance. Sir R. L'Estrange.

Sponge-tent (spunj'tent), n. In surg. a preparation of sponge, formed by dipping it into hot melted wax plaster and pressing till cold between two iron plates; used for dilating wounds, fistulous cancers, &c. Sponge-tree (spunj'tre), n. An evergreen tree of the genus Acacia (A. Farnesiana), found in St. Domingo, the flowers of which yield a delicious perfume.

Spongia (spon'ji-a), n. [L., a sponge. See SPONGE.] The generic name under which Linnæus and many subsequent naturalists have ranked the very numerous forms of organization analogous to the sponges of commerce, and embracing what is now included in the order Spongida. The term Spongia is now restricted to a genus of that order. Spongida, Spongida (spon'ji-da, spon'jide), n. pl. An order of Protozoa or lowest animals, class Rhizopoda, sometimes elevated into a distinct class. The members are composed of two elements, an internal supporting framework or skeleton, and a soft gelatinous investing substance called sarcode, or flesh.' The framework consists of the horny, reticulated, elastic fibres of a substance called keratode, which interlace in every direction, strengthened by calcareous, or, more generally, by siliceous spicula. This framework is the sponge of commerce. On examining it we find it filled with pores, having larger openings or canals at wider distances, called oscula or vents. sponge-flesh investing this framework is composed of an aggregation of organless, protoplasmic, and amoebiform bodies, some ciliated and others capable of emitting pseudopodia. A constant circulation of water goes on in the living sponge, the currents being drawn in by the pores and expelled by the oscula by means of vibratile cilia lodged in cells or chambers situated beneath the superficial layer, and by this circulation the animal is nourished. Reproduction takes place both by gemmation and true ova In the skeletons of the true calcareous and siliceous sponges the keratode is awanting. Sponges have been classified into three groups: (a) Myxospongite, in which no skeleton of any kind exists. (b) Calcispongire, or limy sponges, which have no horny skeleton, but are composed of limy spicules. (c) Fibrospongiæ, or those in which a fibrous skeleton exists, strengthened usually by flinty spicules.

The

Spongiform (spunj'i-form), a. Resembling a sponge; soft and porous; porous.-Spongi form quartz, float-stone (which see). Sponginess (spunj'i-nes), n. The quality or state of being spongy or porous, like sponge. Sponging-house (spunj'ing-hous), n. A victualling-house, or tavern, 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. Sponging-houses were usually the private dwellings of bailiffs, and were so named from the extortionate charges made upon prisoners for their accommodation therein. Spongiole (spunj'i-ól), n. [Fr. spongiole, L. spongiola, dim. of spongia. See SPONGE.] In bot. the extremity of the fibre of a root, which was formerly erroneously supposed to be destitute of epidermis, presenting an open spongy character, and therefore capable of absorbing moisture from the surrounding medium; a spongelet. The woodcut shows a highly magnified vertical section of an orchis root, sp the spongiole.

Spongiolite (spon'ji-o-lit), n.

Sp

Spongiole.

r. spongion, a sponge, and lithos, a stone.] One of the minute siliceous spicules, or needles, found in large numbers in the skeletons of sponges, as also fossil in flints.

167

Spongiopiline (spun-ji-op'il-in), n. (Gr. spongion, a sponge, and pilos, felt.] In surg. a substitute for a poultice, made of an absorbent stratum of sponge and fibre on an india-rubber backing.

Spongiose, Spongious (spunj'i-os, spunj'ius), a. Sponge-like; full of small cavities, like sponge; somewhat spongy; as, spongious bones.

Spongite (spon'jit), n. A term applied to a fossil apparently identical in structure with sponge.

Spongoid (spong'goid), a. [Gr. spongos, a sponge, and eidos, form.] Resembling sponge; sponge-like; spongy. Spongy (spunj'i), a. 1. Resembling a sponge; soft and full of cavities; of an open, loose, easily compressible texture; as, a spongy excrescence; spongy earth; spongy cake. That sad breath his spongy lungs bestowed.' Shak.-2. Wet; rainy. Spongy April.' Shak. 3. Having the quality of imbibing like a sponge; hence, drenched; soaked. 'His spongy officers." Shak.

Sponsal (spon'sal), a. [L. sponsalis. See SPOUSE.] Relating to marriage or to a spouse.

Sponsible (spon'si-bl), a. [Scotch.] 1. Capable of discharging an obligation; responsible. Lockhart.-2. Respectable; creditable; becoming one's station.

Sponsing (spon'sing), n. Same as Sponson. Sponsion (spon'shon), n. [L. sponsio, sponsionis, a solemn promise or engagement, from spondeo, sponsum, to promise solemnly. See SPOUSE.] 1. The act of becoming surety for another.-2. In international law, an act or engagement made on behalf of a state by an agent not specially authorized. Such conventions must be confirmed by express or tacit ratification. Sponsional (spon'shon-al), a. Responsible; implying a pledge. [Rare.]

He is righteous even in that representative and sponsional person he put on. Abp. Leighton.

Sponson (spon'son), n. Naut. the curve of the timbers and planking towards the outer

a

a a, Sponson.

part of the wing, before and abaft each of the paddle-boxes of a steamer.- Sponson beam, one of the two projecting beams uniting the paddle-box beam with the side of a steamer.

Sponsor (spon'sor), n. [See SPONSION.] 1. A surety; one who binds himself to answer for another, and is responsible for his default. 2. One who is surety for an infant at baptism, professing the Christian faith in its name, and guaranteeing its religious education; a godfather or godmother. See GODFATHER.

Sponsorial (spon-so'ri-al), a. Pertaining to

a sponsor.

Sponsorship (spon'sor-ship), n. State of being a sponsor.

Spontaneity (spon-ta-ne'i-ti), n. [Fr. spontanéité.] 1. The state or quality of being spontaneous, or of acting from native feeling, inclination, or temperament, without constraint or external force.-2. The doctrine that there is a tendency, for the various muscular movements called voluntary, to begin without reference to any purpose or end, being prompted simply by the discharge of power from the brain, and being entirely independent of the stimulus of sensations. The great activity of young animals, as puppies and kittens, after refreshment and repose, is a good example of spontaneity. 3. In biol. the tendency to change in animals

SPOON

and plants, which is not repressed by environment.

Spontaneous (spon-ta'né-us), a. [L. spontaneus, from sponte, of free will.] 1. Proceeding from natural inclination, disposition, or tendency, without constraint or external force; impulsive; as, a spontaneous gift or offer.-2. Acting by its own impulse, energy, or natural law, without external force; as, spontaneous motion; spontaneous growth; spontaneous combustion.

Those operations of the mind which are continually going on without any effort or intention on our part are spontaneous. Fleming.

3. Produced without being planted, or without human labour; as, a spontaneous growth of wood. Spontaneous combustion. See COMBUSTION.-Spontaneous generation. See GENERATION.-Spontaneous rotation. See

ROTATION.

Spontaneously (spon-ta'ne-us-li), adv. In a spontaneous manner; as, (a) of one's own internal or native feeling; of one's own impulse; of one's own will or accord; as, he acts spontaneously. (b) By inherent or natural force or energy; without the impulse of a foreign cause: used of things.

Whey turns spontaneously acid. Arbuthnot. It is to be remarked that some objects exist or grow up spontaneously, of a kind suited to the supply of human wants. 7. S. Mill. Spontaneousness (spon-ta'nē-us-nes), n. The state or quality of being spontaneous; spontaneity. The spontaneousness of many of their animal motions.' Sir M. Hale. Spontoon (spon-tön'), n. [Fr. sponton, esponton, It. spontone, spuntone, spontoon, from punto, L. punctum, a point. See POINT.] A kind of half pike; a military weapon formerly borne by officers of infantry, and used as a medium for signalling orders to the regiment.

Spook (spök), n. [Borrowed from the Dutch or German: D. spook, L. G. spok, G. spuk, a hobgoblin.] A ghost; a hobgoblin. [Ameri

can.

Spool (spöl), n. [D. spoel, Dan. and Sw. spole, G. spule, spool.] A piece of cane or reed, or a hollow cylinder of wood, &c., used to wind thread or yarn on. See BOBBIN. Spool (spöl), v.t. To wind on spools. Spooler (spöl'ér), n. One who uses a spool. Spool-holder (spöl'hol-dér), n. 1. A stand for a spool or spools of sewing-thread; a spool-stand.-2. In warping, a creel on which spools are placed on skewers.-3. A skewer on a sewing-machine to hold a spool of thread.

Spool-stand (spöl'stand), n. A frame for holding spools of fine thread, turning on pins, used by ladies at their work. Spoom (spöm), v.i. [Probably from spume, foam, to go foaming through the sea; comp. skim, scum.] Naut. to sail steadily and rapidly before the wind. Written also Spoon. When virtue spooms before a prosperous gale,, My heaving wishes help to fill the sail. Dryden. Spoon (spön), v.i. [See above.] To run before the wind; to spoom.

We might have spooned before the wind as well as they. Pepys. Spoon (spön), n. [A. Sax. spón, Icel. spónn, spánn, Dan. and D. spaan, G. span, a chip, a splinter, the meaning being originally a chip of wood for supping up liquids. Hence span-new.] 1. A small domestic utensil, with a bowl or concave part and a handle, used at table for taking up and conveying to the mouth liquids and liquid food. Spoons are made of various materials, sizes, and shapes, and for different purposes, as for cooking, serving food, for soup, tea, eggs, mustard, &c. Spoons, when made of silver or plated metal, are generally formed by stamping with dies, with more or less of ornamenting and finishing by hand. Spoons of Britannia metal and similar fusible alloys are formed by casting in brass moulds. Spoons for the administration of medicine to invalids in a recumbent posture and for the use of the moustached are made with a cover or shield which converts the pointed end into a funnel.

He must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil. Shak.

2. A foolish fellow; a simpleton; a spooney. [Slang.]

The man that's fond of early stirring
Must be a spoon.

Hood.

-Apostles' spoon. See under APOSTLE. Wooden spoon, in Cambridge University, a term applied to the student last on the list of mathematical honours.

We submit that a wooden spoon of our day would

SPOON

White Spoon-bill (Platalea leucorodia).

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 colour.-2. A name given to a kind of sturgeon (Polyodon spatula) found in the Ohio, Mississippi, &c. It is remarkable for the uncommonly elongated and flattened snout, which it uses for digging in the mud in search of food, and for wanting those bony plates which generally form so characteristic an adornment of the sturgeon. Spoon-bit (spön'bit), n. In carp. a hollow

bit with a taper point for boring wood. Spoon-drift (spön'drift), n. [For spoomdrift. See SPOOM.] Naut. a showery sprinkling of sea-water or fine spray swept from the tops of the waves by the violence of the wind in a tempest, and driven along before it, covering the surface of the sea. Written sometimes Spindrift.

Spooney (spön'i), n. A stupid or silly fellow; a noodle; a ninny; a spoon. [Slang.]

There is no doubt whatever that I was a lackadaisical young spooney. Dickens.

Spooney, a. See SPOONY.
Spoonful (spön'ful), n. 1. As much as

a spoon contains or is able to contain; as,

168

Sporades (spo'ra-dez), n. pl. [Gr. See SPORADIC.] 1. A group of scattered islands; especially applied to a cluster of islands in the Archipelago.-2. In anc. astron, a name given to stars which were not included in any constellation. They are now distinSporadial (spo-ra'di-al), a. Scattered; spoguished by the name of Unformed Stars. radic. [Rare.]

Sporadic, Sporadical (spo-rad'ik, spō-rad'ik-al), a. [Fr. sporadique, from Gr. sporadikos, from sporas, dispersed, from speiro, to sow, to scatter.] Separate; single; scattered; occurring singly or apart from other things of the same kind.-Sporadic disease, in med. a disease which occurs in single and scattered cases, in distinction from epidemic and endemic, which affect many persons at the same time.-Sporadic plants, in bot. species which occur in more than one of the separate districts assigned to particular floras. Henslow. Sporadically (spo-rad'ik-al-li), adv. In a sporadic or scattered manner; separately; singly; dispersedly.

Sporangiophorum (spo-ran'ji-of"ō-rum), n. [L. sporangium, and Gr. phoreo, to bear.] In bot. the axis or columella on which are borne the spore-cases of some ferns.

Sporangia.

Sporangium (spō-ran'jium), n. pl. Sporangia (spo-ran'ji-a). [Gr. spora, a seed, and angos, a vessel.] In bot. the case in which the spores or reproductive germs of cryptogams are formed. The woodcut shows (1) the sporangium of the male-fern, (2) sporangium burst and the spores escaping. Spore (spor), n. [Gr. sporos, spora, seed.] 1. In bot. the reproductive body of a cryptogam. As this body does not contain an embryo, but consists merely of one or more cells variously combined together, it is called a spore to distinguish it from a true seed. Amongst fungi the name is restricted to those reproductive bodies which are produced either singly or in little chains at the tips of the fruit-bearing threads. See SPORULE. The woodcut shows (a) spores of Agaricus grammocephalus, (b) sporophores or stalks supporting spores of ditto, (c) sterigmata or spicules of ditto, (d) trama (network) of spawn of ditto. 2. In zool. a term applied to one of the germs of many of the lower animals, such as Infusoria, which may be borne in immense quantities by the atmosphere.

a

Spores.

Spore,t n. [See SPUR.] A spur. Chaucer. Spore-case (spor'kās), n. In bot. the sporangium or immediate covering of the spores of cryptogams.

Sporid (spo'rid), n. In bot. same as Spore. Lindley

buthnot.

Spoon-gouge (spön'gouj), n.

In carp. a gouge with a crooked end used in hollowing out deep parts of wood.

Spoonily (spön'i-li), adv. In a weak or

spoony manner.

Spoon-meat (spön'mět), n. Food that is or must be taken with a spoon; liquid food. 'Diet most upon spoon-meats." Harvey. Spoon-worm (spön'werm), n. A radiated animal of the class Echinodermata and genus Thalassema (T. Neptuni), so called on account of the spoon-like appendage to the proboscis. All the species are remarkable for the wonderful power of contraction and expansion possessed by the skin and the extraordinary manner in which they can alter their shape. See SIPUNCULOI

DEA.

Spoonwort (spön' wert), n. Cochlearia officinalis. See SCURVY-GRASS. A plant, Spoony, Spooney (spön'i), a. Soft; silly; weak-minded; specifically, weakly or foolishly fond; showing calf love. Not actually in love, but only spoony.' Lever.

His grandson was not to his taste; amiable no doubt, but spoony. Disraeli.

Spoor (spör), n. [Borrowed from D. spoor, G. spur, a track; the same word as A. Sax. and Icel. spor, a track.] The track or trail of a wild animal or animals, especially such as are pursued as game: used originally by travellers in South Africa.

a

spores.

Sporidia.

SPORT

a branch on which the reproductive bodies Sporocyst (spo'ro-sist), n. In bot. the sporeof some algals are found. case of algals. In bot. the

Sporoderm (spō'rō-dérm), n. skin of a spore. Sporogen (spō'rō-jen), n. [Gr. sporos, seed, and gennao, I produce.] In bot. a plant Sporophore (spo'rō-för), n. [Gr. sporos, seed, producing spores instead of seed. and phoros, bearing.] In bot. (a) a name given to the fertile cells in the naked-spored fungi. (b) A filamentous process supporting

Sporophyllum (spo-rof'il-um), n. [Gr. sporos, seed, and phyllon, a leaf.] In bot, the little leaflet or leaf-like receptacle which in Sporosac (spo'ro-sak), n. [Gr. sporos, seed, some algæ bears the tetraspores. and sakkos, a bag.] In zool. the simple generative buds of certain hydrozoa on which the medusoid structure is not developed. H. A. Nicholson. Sporozoïd (spō-rō-zō'id), n. In physiol. a moving spore furnished with cilia or vibratile processes.

Sporran, Sporan (spor'an), n. [Gael.sporan.] The pouch or large purse worn by Highlanders in full dress, usually made of the

93

Sporrans.

1, Fancy dress Sporran. 2, Sporran as worn by the 93d Regiment.

skin of some animal with the hair on, and often ornamented with silver and stones. It is worn in front of the kilt or philibeg.

'Bring me my sporran.-The person he addressed brought.. a large leathern pouch, such as Highlanders of rank wear before them when in full dress, made of the skin of the sea-otter, richly garnished with silver ornaments and studs. Sir W. Scott.

Sport (sport), n. [An abbrev. of disport; O.Fr. desport. See DISPORT.] 1. A pastime or amusement in which a person engages; a play; a game; a diversion; a merry-making; a mirthful proceeding; as, the sports of which children are so fond. Think it but a minute spent in sport.' Shak.

Her sports were such as carried riches of knowledge upon the stream of delight. Sir P. Sidney.

2. Amusement or entertainment which a
person receives from something; fun or
enjoyment experienced; diversion.
They called for Samson out of the prison-house;
and he made them sport.
Judg. xvi. 25.

For 'tis the sport to have the engineer
Hoist with his own petar.

Shak.

3. In a restricted sense, an out-of-door recreation such as grown men indulge in, more especially hunting or fishing, also horse-racing, &c. often such amusements collectively; as, to be very fond of sport. The king, who was excessively affected to hunting and the sports of the field.' Clarendon.-4. Jest, as opposed to earnest; a joke.

In a merry sport,... let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh.

Shak.

5. Mockery; mock; contemptuous or derisive mirth; ridicule; derision.

They made a sport of his prophets. 1 Esdras i. 51. 6. That with which one plays, or which is driven about; a toy; a plaything. 'Flitting leaves, the sport of every wind." Dryden. Men are sport of circumstances, when The circumstances seem the sport of men. Byron. 7. Play; idle jingle. An author who should introduce such a sport of words upon our stage, would meet with small applause. W. Broome.

8. Any organism deviating from the normal or natural condition; an aberrant natural production; a monstrosity; a lusus naturæ. Yes-I nursed thee, . . . thou monstrous sport of Byron. Specifically, in bot. a plant that assumes a character and appearance distinct from the normal type; a bud or portion of a plant

nature.

SPORT

that assumes such a form.-9. Amorous dallying; wantonness. Shak.-In sport, in jest; for play or diversion.

So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and Prov. xxvi. 19. saith, Am not I in sport!

SYN. Play, game, diversion, amusement, frolic, mock, mockery, mirth, jest, joke. Sport (sport), v.t. 1. To divert; to make merry: used with the reflexive pronoun.

Against whom do ye sport yourselves! Is. Ivii. 4. 2. To represent by any kind of play. Now sporting on thy lyre the love of youth.' Dryden.-3. To exhibit or bring out in publie; to wear; as, to sport a new equipage; to sport a new hat. [Colloq.]

A man could not go about his duties in a natural way, and take every one as he came, but was obliged to take part in questions, .. and must sport an opinion when he really had none to give. 7. H. Newman. -To sport off, to utter sportively; to throw off with easy and playful copiousness.

He thus sports off a dozen epigrams. Addison. -To sport one's oak, to keep the outer door of one's chambers, rooms, or apartments shut: a slang phrase much used by barristers of the Temple or Inns of Court and students at the universities.

Sport (sport), v.i. 1. To play; to frolic; to wanton; to make merry.

If all the year were playing holidays, To sport would be as tedious as to work. 2. To trifle.

Shak.

If any man turn religion into raillery, by bold jests, he renders himself ridiculous, because he sports with his own life. Abp. Tillotson.

3. To practise the diversions of the field.4. In bot. to assume a character different from the specific or varietal type: said of a plant, bud, or shoot.-SYN. To play, frolic, game, wanton.

Sportability (sport-a-bil'i-ti), n. someness. Sterne. [Rare.] Sportal (sport'al), a.

Frolic

169

sues the sports of the field; one skilled in hunting, shooting, fishing, &c.

The

Gray dawn appears; the sportsman and his train Cowper. Speckle the bosom of the distant plain. Sportsmanship (sports'man-ship), n. practice of sportsmen; skill in field-sports. Sportulary (spor'tū-la-ri), a. [See SPORTULE] Subsisting on alms or charitable contributions. These sportulary preachers.' Bp. Hall.

Sportulet (spōr'tūl), n. [L. sportula, a little basket, dim. of sporta, a wicker basket] 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.

Sporule (spor'ül), n. [A dim. from spore.] 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. Sporuliferous (spor-ü-lif ́ér-us), a. rule, and L. fero, to produce.] In bot. bearing sporules.

[E. spo

Spot (spot), n. [The same word as D. spat, a spot, a speckle; Dan. spætte, a spot, a fleck; Icel. spotti, spottr, a bit, a small piece. Perhaps from same root as spit, spatter.] 1. A mark on a substance made by foreign matter; a speck; a blot; a place discoloured; as, the least spot is visible on white paper. Out, damned spot! out, I say!

Shak. 2. A stain on character or reputation; something that soils purity; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish. Eph. v. 27.

Yet Chloe sure was form'd without a spot. Pope. They will have it (our character) free from spot and Dickens. speck.

3. A small extent of space; a place; a locality; any particular place. Fix'd to one spot." Otway.

The spot to which I point is paradise. Milton.
'A jolly place,' said he, 'in times of old!
But something ails it now; the spot is cursed.'
Wordsworth.

4. A small part of a different colour from the ground on which it is; as, the spots on cards; the spots of a leopard. The drowsy east with spots of gray.' Shak.-5. A variety of the common domestic pigeon, so called from a spot on its head just above its beak. 6. A dark place on the disc or face of the sun or of a planet. See SOLAR, SUN.-Upon the spot, immediately; before moving; without changing place.

It was determined upon the spot. Swift. SYN. Stain, flaw, speck, blot, disgrace, reproach, fault, blemish, place, site, locality. Spot (spot), v.t. pret. & pp. spotted; ppr. spotting. 1. To make a spot, speck, or fleck upon; to discolour; to stain; as, to spot a garment; to spot paper.-2. To mark with 'A a colour different from the ground. handkerchief spotted with strawberries.' Shak.-3. To put a patch or patches on (the face) by way of ornament. 'Faces spotted Addisonafter the Whiggish manner.'

4. To stain; to blemish; to disgrace; to tar-
nish, as reputation.

My virgin life no spotted thoughts shall stain.
Sir P. Sidney.
Shame
Which, like a canker in the fragrant rose,
Doth spot the beauty of thy budding name. Shak.

5. To mark, as with a spot; to mark as of
suspicious or doubtful character; to mark
or note, so as to ensure recognition; to note
something as peculiar to, in order to iden-
tify; hence, to catch with the eye; to recog-
nize. [Colloq.]

A person has spotted another through the blinds.
O. W. Holmes.
At length he became spotted. The police got to
know him, and he was apprehended, tried, and con-
Mayhew.

victed.

6. In horse-racing, to indicate, give a hint as to, or name; as, to spot the winner of a future race. To spot timber, to cut or chip it, in preparation for hewing. Spot-lens (spot'lenz), n. In optics, a condensing lens in a microscope, in which the light is confined to an annular opening, the circular middle portion being obstructed by a spot, which forms the dark background behind the semi-translucent illuminated object. Spotless (spot'les), a. 1. Free from spots, This palfoul matter, or discoloration. liament of white and spotless hue.' Shak.2. Free from stain or impurity; pure; immaculate; as, a spotless mind; spotless behaviour. A spotless virgin and a faultless wife.' Waller.-SYN. Unspotted, blameless,

SPOUT

unblemished, pure, immaculate, irreproachable.

Spotlessly (spot'les-li), adv. In a spotless

manner.

The state or

Spotlessness (spot'les-nes), n. The state or quality of being spotless; freedom from spot or stain; freedom from reproach. Marked with Spotted (spot'ed), p. and a. spots or places of a different colour from the ground; as, a spotted garment. The spotted panther.' Spenser.-Spotted fever, the name given to a species of typhus fever accompanied by a rash or eruption of red spots. Spottedness (spot'ed-nes), n. quality of being spotted. Spotter (spot'èr), n. One that makes spots. Spottiness (spot'i-nes), n. The state or quality of being spotty. Full of spots; marked Spotty (spot'i), a. with discoloured places; spotted. To descry new lands, rivers or mountains in her (the moon's) spotty globe.' Milton. Spousaget (spouz'aj), n. [See SPOUSE.] The act of espousing. Wheatley.

Spousal (spouz'al), a. [From spouse.] Pertaining to espousal or marriage; nuptial; matrimonial; conjugal; connubial; bridal; as, spousal rites; spousal ornaments. Would chant, in lonely peace, the spousal verse.' Wordsworth.

Spousal (spouz'al), n. Espousal; marriage; nuptials: generally used in the plural; as, the spousals of Hippolita.

The amorous bird of night
Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening star.

Milton.

Spouse (spouz), n. [O. Fr. espouse; Mod. Fr. époux (masc.), épouse (fem.), from L. sponsus, betrothed, pp. of spondeo, to promise solemnly, to engage one's self; akin to Gr. spendo, to pour out a libation, libations being often made in solemn engagements.] One engaged or joined in wedlock; a married person, husband or wife. That I that lady to my spouse had won.' Spenser.

Ladies, even of the most uneasy virtue,
Prefer a spouse whose age is short of thirty.

Say if ever maid or spouse,
As fair as my Olivia, came

To rest beneath thy boughs.

Byron.

Tennyson.

[Formerly spouse was sometimes used distinctively for a bridegroom or husband, spousess for a bride or wife.]

Spouset (spouz), v. t. pret. & pp. spoused; ppr. spousing. To wed; to espouse. Milton. See ESPOUSE.

Spouse-breach† (spouz'brěch), n.

tery.

Adul

Destitute of a Spouseless (spouz'les), a. husband or of a wife; unmarried; as, a spouseless king or queen.

The spouseless Adriatic mourns her lord. Byron. Spousesst (spouz'es), n. A bride or wife; a married woman. Fabyan.

Spout (spout), n. [A word from root of spit, spew, perhaps directly from D. spuit, a spout, spuiten, to spout.] 1. A nozzle or a projecting mouth of a vessel, used in directing the stream of a liquid poured out; an ajutage; as, the spout of a pitcher, of a tea-pot or water-pot. A fountain with a hundred spouts.' Shak.-2. A pipe or conduit; a pipe for conducting water as from a roof.

In this single cathedral the very spouts are loaded Addison. with ornaments,

3. A kind of sloping trough for conveying coal, grain, &c., into a particular receptacle; a shoot; specifically, the lift or shoot in a pawnbroker's shop; and hence, vulgarly, the pawnbroker's shop itself. -Up the spout, at the pawnbroker's. [Slang.]-4. A waterspout. The dreadful spout which shipmen do the hurricano call.'

TH, then; th, thin; w, wig; wh, whig; zh, azure.-See KEY.

SPOUTER

2. To make a speech, especially in a pompous manner. [Colloq.] Spouter (spout'èr), n. One who spouts; one who makes speeches in a pompous or affected manner; a speechifier; hence, a mean actor.

The quoters imitate parrots or professed spouters, in committing words only to memory, purposely for the sake of ostentation. Dr. Knox.

Spout-fish (spout'fish), n. A fish or marine animal that spouts water; specifically, a name given to several species of bivalve mollusca, especially Mya arenaria, M. truncata, and Solen siliqua, because on retiring into their holes they squirt out water. Spout-hole (spout'hôl), n. An orifice for the discharge of water. Spoutless (spout'les), a.

Having no spout. The spoutless tea-pot.' Cowper. Spout-shell (spout'shel), n. A name sometimes given to the pelican's foot (Aporrhais pes-pelicani), a British mollusc: so called from the manner in which the aperture of the shell is lengthened into a kind of spout in front. See also SPOUT-FISH. Sprack (sprak), a. [Icel. sprækr, brisk, sprightly, also sparkr, brisk, lively. Comp. also Ir. and Gael. spraic, strength, vigour, spraiceach, vigorous, strong; E spree.] Vigorous; sprightly; spruce; lively; animated; quick; alert. [Old and provincial English.] [Shakspere 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 fes tivity and jocularity. Sir W. Scott.

Sprag (sprag), n. [Comp. Icel. spraka, a small flounder.] A young salmon." [Local.] Sprag (sprag), n. [Allied to sprig.] A billet of wood; specifically, in mining, a diagonal prop or stay for preventing the roof of a mine from sinking in. Edin. Rev. Sprag (sprag), v.t. pret. & pp. spragged; ppr. spragging. 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 (spräch), n. 1. A cry; a shriek.2. A collection; a multitude, from the idea of the noise made; as, a spraich of bairns. Jamieson. [Scotch.]

Spraich (spráčh), v.i. To cry; to shriek. [Scotch.]

Spraickle, Sprackle (sprak'l, sprak'l), v.i. [Icel, sprokla. See SPRAWL.] To clamber; to get on with difficulty. Sir W. Scott; Burns. [Scotch.] Written also Sprachle. Sprain (spran), v.t. [0.Fr. espreindre, to force out, to strain, from L. exprimere. See EXPRESS.] To overstrain, as the muscles or ligaments of a joint so as to injure them, but without luxation or dislocation. Sprain (spran), n. A violent straining or twisting of the soft parts surrounding a joint, without dislocation. The ordinary consequence of a sprain is to produce some degree of swelling and inflammation in the injured part.

Spraints (spränts), n. pl. [0. Fr. espraintes, Mod. Fr. épreintes, lit outpressings, from O Fr. espreindre. See SPRAIN.] The dung of an otter. Kingsley.

Sprang (sprang), pret. of spring. Sprat (sprat), n. [Formerly also sprot, from D. and L.G. sprot, G. sprotte, sprat, from root of verb to sprout.] A small fish, Harengula (Clupea) sprattus, family Clupeidæ, At one time the sprat was thought to be the young of the herring, pilchard, or shad; but it can be easily distinguished from the young of either of these fishes by means of the sharply notched edge of the abdomen. It is also distinguishable by the ventral fins beginning beneath the first ray of the dorsal fin, and not beneath the middle of it, and by the want of axillary scales to the ventral fins. It is found in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. It is also found in great abundance on many parts of the British coasts. It is generally considered as a delicious, wellflavoured, and wholesome fish. It is known in Scotland by the name of garvie, or garvie herring.

Sprat (sprat), n. [Also called sprot; the same word as sprout.] The name given in Scotland to a coarse rush (Juncus articulatus) which grows on marshy ground. is used for fodder and for thatch. Sprattle (sprat'l), v.i. [See SPRAWL.] To scramble. [Scotch.]

It

Sprattle (sprat'l), n. A scramble; a struggle;

a sprawl. Sir W. Scott. [Scotch.]

170

Sprawl (spral), v.i. [Probably a contr. word allied to Sc. sprattle, sprackle, sprachle, to scramble, Dan. sprälle, spralde, to sprawl; Sw. sprattla, to palpitate; Icel. sprokla, spraukla, to kick with the feet; sprathka, to sprawl.] 1. To spread and stretch the body carelessly in a horizontal position; to lie with the limbs stretched out or struggling; hence, to struggle in the agonies of death; as, a person sprawls on a bed or on the ground.

First hang the child that he may see it sprawl.
Shak

Some lie sprawling on the ground,
With many a gash and bloody wound.

Hudibras.

2. To progress when lying down with awkward extension and motions of the limbs; to scramble in creeping.

The birds were not fledged; but in sprawling and struggling to get clear of the flame, down they tum bled. Sir R. L'Estrange.

3. To spread irregularly, as vines, plants, or trees; to spread ungracefully, as handwriting.-4. To widen or open irregularly, as a body of cavalry. Sprawl (spral), n. A small twig or branch of a tree; a spray. [Local.]

Spray (sprá), n. [A. Sax. spree, a spray, a branch; Icel. sprek, a twig; O.G. spraioh, twigs; allied to sprig (which see).] 1.A small shoot or branch; the extremity of a branch; a twig. Two fast-growing sprays.' Shak. 'The blue-bird balanced on some topmost spray. Longfellow.-2. The small branches of a tree collectively; as, the tree has a beautiful spray.

Spray (spra), n. [From A. Sax. spregan, to pour; D. spreijen, to spread, to scatter; from root of spring, sprinkle.] 1. Water flying in small drops or particles, as by the force of wind, or the dashing of waves, or from a waterfall and the like.

Winds raise some of the salt with the spray.
Arbuthnot.
Down a little freshet sprang
From mossy trough

And splashed into a rain of spray.
Fean Ingelow.

2. The vapour from an atomizer. Spray (sprá), v. t. To let fall in the form of spray. Matt. Arnold. [Poetical.] Spray-drain (sprä'drán), n. In agri. a drain formed by burying the spray of trees in the earth, which serves to keep open a channel. Drains of this sort are much in use in grass lands.

Sprayey (sprā'i), a. Full of or laden with sprays or twigs; consisting of sprays; bushy.

Heaths and ferns that would have overtopped a tall horseman mingled their sprayey leaves with the wild myrtle and the arbutus. Lever.

Spreacherie, Spreachery (sprech'er-i), n. Same as Spreagherie. Sir W. Scott. Spread (spred), v. t. pret. & pp. spread; ppr. spreading. [A. Sax. sprædan, L.G. spreden, D. spreiden (and spreijen), Dan. sprede, G. spreiten, to spread, to scatter, &c.; not im probably from same root as broad, with prefixed 8.] 1. To extend in length and breadth, or in breadth only; to stretch or expand to a broader surface; as, to spread a carpet or a table-cloth; to spread a sheet on the ground.

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaż. Jer. x. 9.

2. To open; to unfold; to unfurl; to stretch; as, to spread the sails of a ship. A parcel of land where he had spread his tent.' Gen. xxxiii. 19.

Love, free as air, at sight of human ties,
Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies.

Pope.

3. To cover by extending something; to cover; to extend over; to overspread. The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold. Is. xl. 19. And an unusual paleness spreads her face. Granville.

4. To extend; to shoot to a greater length in every direction; to reach out; to put forth; as, to spread one's arms.

Rose, as in dance, the stately trees, and spread Milton. Their branches hung with copious fruit.

5. To divulge; to publish, as news or fame; to cause to be more extensively known; as, to spread a report.

They, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. Mat. ix. 31.

Great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread. Shak.

6. To propagate; to cause to affect greater numbers; as, to spread a disease.-7. To emit; to diffuse, as emanations or effluvia;

SPRIG

as, odoriferous plants spread their fra-
grance.
They with speed

Their course through thickest constellations held,
Spreading their bane.
Milton.

8. To disperse; to scatter over a larger surface; as, to spread manure; to spread plaster or lime on the ground.--9. To set and furnish with provisions; as, to spread a table. SYN. To stretch, extend, unfold, diffuse, propagate, disperse, publish, distribute, scatter, circulate, disseminate. Spread (spred), v.i. 1. To extend itself in length and breadth, in all directions, or in breadth only; to be expanded to a broader surface or extent; to be extended or stretched; as, the larger elms spread over a space of 40 or 50 yards in diameter; or the shade of the larger elms spreads over that space. 'Jove's spreading tree.' Shak. Plants, if they spread much, are seldom tall. Bacon. My Eustace might have sat for Hercules; So muscular he spread, so broad of breast. Tennyson. 2. To be propagated or made known more extensively; as, ill reports sometimes spread with wonderful rapidity.-3. To be propagated from one to another; as, a disease spreads into all parts of a city.

Lest his infection, being of catching nature,
Shak
Spread further.

Spread (spred), n. 1. The act of spreading or state of being spread; extent; compass.

I have a fine spread of improvable land. Addison. The lines which bound the spread of particular vegetable productions do not coincide with any of the separate meteorological boundaries. Whowell. 2. Expansion of parts.

No flower has that spread of the woodbind. Bacon. 3. A cloth used as a cover; as, a bed spread. [United States.]-4. A table, as spread or furnished with a meal; a feast. To judge from the spread on the board.' R. H. Barham. [Colloq.1-5. The privilege of demanding shares of stock at a certain price, or of delivering shares of stock at another price, within a certain time agreed on. Spread-eagle (spred'égl), n. In her. same as an eagle displayed, or an eagle having the wings and legs extended on each side of the body. Spread-eagle (spred'ĕ-gl), a. Pretentious; boastful; defiantly bombastic; as, a spreadeagle style; a spread-eagle oration. Spreader (spred'èr), n. 1. One who or that which spreads, extends, expands, or propagates; as, a spreader of disease.-2. One who divulges; one who causes to be more generally known; a publisher.

Spread-eagle.

If it be a mistake, I desire I may not be accused for a spreader of false news. Swift. Spreadingly (spred'ing-li), ade. In a spreading manner; increasingly. Milton. Spreagh, Spreath (sprech, spreth), n. [Ir. and Gael. spreidh, cattle.] Prey; booty; lit. cattle. Written also Spreith. [Scotch.] Spreagherie, Sprechery (sprech'er-i), n. Cattle-lifting; prey-driving; also,small spoil; paltry booty of small articles. Sir W. Scott. [Scotch.] Written also Spreachery, Spreacherie.

Spree (spre), n. [Ir. spre, a spark, animation, spirit, vigour; comp. sprack.] A merry frolic; especially, a drinking frolic; a drinking bout; a carousal. Sir W. Scott. [Colloq.] Sprenget (sprenj), v.t. [A. Sax. sprengan, sprængan, to sprinkle.] To sprinkle; to scatter; to disperse. Chaucer. Sprent. Spreint (sprent), pp. [See above.] Sprinkled spread over. Otherwhere the snowy substance sprent with vermeil.' Spenser.

Sprew (sprö), n. [D. sprouw, spruw, Sc. sproo, the disease called thrush.] The name given in America to a disease of the mucous membrane; thrush (which see). Sprey (spra), a. Spruce; spry. [Local.] Sprig (sprig), n. [A. Sax. sprec; Sw. spricka, to sprout; from same root as spring, but non-nasalized. Allied also to spray, a twig.] 1. A small shoot or twig of a tree or other plant; a spray; as, a sprig of laurel or of parsley. 'Sprigs of rosemary.' Shak.-2. An offshoot; a slip; a scion; a youth; a lad: used as a term of slight disparagement; as, a sprig of nobility. A sprig whom I remember with a whey-face and a satchel not so many years ago." Sir W. Scott.-3. The representation of a small ornament of the