SPRIG

nature of a branch in embroidery, or woven or printed on textile fabrics.-4. A small brad or nail without a head. [Local.]-5. A triangular piece of tin plate, to confine a pane of glass in a sash until the putty dries.6. Naut. a small eye-bolt ragged at the point. Sprig (sprig), r.t. 1. To mark or adorn with the representation of small branches; to work with sprigs; as, to sprig muslin.2. To drive sprigs into.

Sprig-bolt (sprig bolt), n. See RAG-BOLT. Sprig-crystal (sprig kris-tal), n. In mineral. a crystal or cluster of prismatic crystals of quartz, adhering to the stone at one end, and terminating at the other end in a point. Woodward.

Spriggy (sprig'i), a. Full of sprigs or small branches.

Spright (sprit), n. [Contr. for spirit, and spelle erroneously, sprite being the better spelling.] 1. A spirit or sprite; a shade; a soul; an incorporeal agent; an apparition; a ghost. Legions of sprights. Spenser. And gaping graves receiv'd the guilty spright Dryden.

The ideas of goblins and sprights have no more to do with darkness than light; yet let but a foolish maid inculcate these often on the mind of a child, possibly he shall never be able to separate them again. Locke.

The word now usually means a kind of elf, goblin, or fairy, and the spelling spright may be regarded as obsolete or obsolescent. Sprightly and not spritely, however, is still the common spelling.-2.+ Power which gives cheerfulness or courage; that which produces mental excitement; spirit.

Hold thou my heart, establish thou my sprights. Sir P. Sidney. 3 Mood; mental disposition or condition; temper or state of mind. 'Weariness with heavy spright.' Shak.-4. An arrow.

We had in use for sea fight short arrows called sprights, without any other heads save wood sharp. ened; which were discharged out of muskets, and weald pierce through the sides of ships where a bullet would not.

Васон.

Spright (sprit), v.t. To haunt, as a spright. I am sprighted with a fool.' Shak Sprightful (sprit ful), a. Sprightly; lively; brisk; nimble; vigorous; gay. Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman.' Shak. 'Steeds sprightful as the light.' Cowley. Sprightfully+ (sprit ful-li), adv. In a sprightTy manner; briskly; vigorously; with great spirit. Shak

Sprightfulness (sprit'ful-nes), n. Sprightliness; briskness; liveliness; vivacity. Sprightless (sprit'les), a. Destitute of life or spirit; dull; sluggish; as, virtue's sprightless cold' Surrey.

Sprightliness (sprit'li-nes), n. The state or quality of being sprightly; liveliness; life; briskness; vigour; activity; gaiety; vivacity.

In dreams it is wonderful to observe with what a sprightness and alacrity she (the soul) exerts herself! Addison.

Sprightly (spritli),a. [Also written spritely. See SPRIGHT.] 1. Having the quality of a spirit or spright. Shak.-2. Lively; spirited; brisk: animated; vigorous; airy; gay; as, a sprightly youth; a sprightly air; a sprightly dance. And sprightly wit and love inspires. Dryden.

The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green. Pope. Used adverbially.

See your guests approach, Address yourself to entertain them sprightly, And let's be red with mirth. Shak SYN. Lively, brisk, animated, vigorous, airy, gay, active, agile, assiduous, alert. Spring (spring), v.i. pret. sprung, sprang; pp. sprung; ppr. springing. [A. Sax. springan, pret, sprang, pl sprungon, pp. sprung. en; common to the Teutonic languages: D. and G. springen, Sw. and Icel. springa, Dan springe. From a root seen also in sprinkle, sprig, spray.] 1. To rise or come forth, as out of the ground; to shoot up, out, or forth; to begin to appear; to come to light; to emerge; to come into existence; to issue into sight or knowledge: used of any manner of growing, rising, or appearing, as a plant from its seed, rivers from their source, and the like: often or usually followed by up, forth, or out. 'Cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth.' Job xxxviii. 27. When the day began to spring.' Judg. xix. 25. 'The teeth of the young not sprung." Kay. And the blood sprang to her face.' Tennyson.

Hadst thou sway'd as kings should do, ...
Giving no ground unto the house of York,
They never then had sprung like summer flies.
O spring to light! auspicious babe, be born. Pope.

Shak

171

2. To issue, proceed, or originate, as from parents, ancestors, or from a country; as, sprung from a noble family. 'Our Lord sprang out of Juda.' Heb. vii. 14. --3. To result, as from a cause, motive, reason, principle, or the like; as, the noblest title springs from virtue. My only love sprung from my only hate.' Shak. Strength added from above; new hope to spring Out of despair. Milton.

4. To grow; to thrive.

What makes all this but Jupiter the king,
At whose command we perish and we spring.
Dryden.

5. To leap; to bound; to jump.
Away he springs and hasteth to his horse. Shak.
The mountain stag that springs
From height to height, and bounds along the plains.
7. Philips.

To the altar-stone she sprang alone. Tennyson. 6. To fly back; to start; as, a bow, when bent, springs back by its elastic power.7. To start or rise suddenly, as from a covert. 'A covey of partridges springing in our front.' Addison. 'Watchful as fowlers when their game will spring.' Otway.-8. To shoot; to issue with speed and violence. And sudden light

Sprung through the vaulted roof.

Dryden.

9. To warp or become warped; to bend or wind from a straight or plane surface, as a piece of timber or plank in seasoning.-To spring at, to leap toward; to attempt to reach by a leap.-To spring forth, to leap out; to rush out. To spring in, to rush in; to enter with a leap or in haste.-To spring on or upon, to leap on; to rush on with haste or violence; to assault. Spring (spring), v. t.

1. To start or rouse, as game; to cause to rise from the earth or from a covert; as, to spring a pheasant. The scent grows warm; he stops, he springs the prey. Gay.

2. To produce quickly or unexpectedly. The nurse,.. surprised with fright, Starts up and leaves her bed, and springs a light. Dryden.

3. To contrive, produce, or propose on a sudden; to produce unexpectedly; to start or set on foot.

The friends to the cause sprang a new project.

Swift.

4. To cause to explode; to discharge; as, to spring a mine.

I sprung a mine, whereby the whole nest was overthrown. Addison.

5. To cause to open; as, to spring a leak. — 6. To crack; to bend or strain so as to weaken; as, to spring a mast or a yard. — 7. To cause to close suddenly or come together violently, as the parts of an instrument which are acted upon by a spring; as, to spring a rattle; to spring a trap.-8. To bend by force, as something stiff or strong; to insert, as a beam in a place too short for it, by bending it so as to bring the ends nearer together, and allowing it to straighten when in place: usually with in; as, to spring in a slat or bar. Goodrich-9. In arch. to commence from an abutment or pier; as, to spring an arch.-10. To pass by leaping; to jump; to leap. To spring the fence.' Thomson.-To spring a butt (naut.), to loosen the end of a plank in a ship's bottom. To spring the luff (naut.), to yield to the helm and sail nearer to the wind than before: said of a ship. Spring (spring), n. 1. A leap; a bound; a violent effort; a sudden struggle.

The pris'ner with a spring from prison broke

Dryden.

2. A flying back; the resilience of a body recovering its former state by its elasticity; as, the spring of a bow.-3. Elastic power or force.

Heav'ns! what a spring was in his arm. Dryden. The soul is gathered within herself and recovers that spring which is weakened when she operates more in concert with the body. Addison.

4. An elastic body, made of various materials, as a strip or wire of steel coiled spirally, a steel rod or plate, strips of steel suitably joined together, a mass or strip of indiarubber, &c., which, when bent or forced from its natural state, has the power of recovering it again in virtue of its elasticity. Springs are used for various purposes-diminishing concussion, as in carriages; for motive power, acting through the tendency of a metallic coil to unwind itself, as in clocks and watches; or to communicate motion by sudden release from a state of tension, as the bow to the arrow, the spring of a gun-lock, &c.; others are employed to measure weight and other force,

SPRING

as in the spring-balance, as regulators to control the movement of wheel-works, &c. 5. Any active power; that by which action or motion is produced or propagated.

Our author shuns by vulgar springs to move The hero's glory. Pope. These are the daily causes of war and springs of negotiation with absolute princes. Brougham. 6. A natural fountain of water; an issue of water from the earth, or the basin of water at the place of its issue. Springs have their origin in the water which falls upon the earth, and sinks through porous soils till it arrives at a stratum impervious to water, where it forms subterranean reservoirs at various depths. When confined in this manner it is subject to the pressure of the water which fills the channels through which it has descended, and when this pressure is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the superincumbent mass of earth the water breaks through the superficial strata, and gushes forth in a spring. In descending downwards and rising upwards through various mineral masses the water of springs becomes impregnated with gaseous, saline, earthy, or metallic admixtures, as carbonic acid gas, sulphuretted hydrogen gas, nitrogen, carbonate of lime, silica, carbonate of iron, &c. When these substances are present in considerable quantity the springs become what are known as mineral springs, acquiring the peculiar properties which give them their medicinal value. Warm and hot springs are common, especially in volcanic countries, where they are sometimes distinguished by violent ebullitions. (See GEYSER.) As a general rule springs are permanent in proportion to the depth to which the water which supplies them has descended from the surface. Some springs run for a time and then stop altogether, and after a time run again, and again stop; these are called intermittent springs. (See under INTERMITTENT.) Others do not cease to flow, but only discharge a much smaller quantity of water for a certain time, and then give out a greater quantity; these are called variable or reciprocating springs.

His steeds to water at those springs
On chaliced flowers that lies.

Used adjectively.

Shak.

He bathed himself in cold spring water in the midst of winter. Locke.

7. Any source of supply; that from which supplies are drawn; as, the real Christian has in his own breast a perpetual and inexhaustible spring of joy. The sacred spring whence right and honour stream.' Sir J. Davies.-8. One of the four seasons of the year; the season in which plants begin to vegetate and rise; the vernal season. For the northern hemisphere the spring season commences when the sun enters Aries, or about the 21st of March, and ends at the time of the summer solstice, or about the 22d of June. In common language, spring commences in February or March and ends in April or May. Hence-9. The early part; the first and freshest part of any state or time; as, the spring of one's life. 'Love's gentle spring." Shak. 10. Naut. (a) the start, as of a plank; an opening in a seam; a leak. How to shift his sails; Where her springs are, her leaks, and how to stop B. Jonson. (b) A crack in a mast or yard, running obliquely or transversely. (c) A rope passed out of a ship's stern, and attached to a cable proceeding from her bow, when she is at anchor. It is intended to bring her broadside to bear upon some object. (d) A rope extending diagonally from the stern of one ship to the head of another, to make one ship sheer off to a greater distance.-11. A plant; a shoot; a young tree; also, a grove of trees; a small shrubbery. When the spring is of two years' growth.' Evelyn. Time's glory is

'em.

To dry the old oak's sap and cherish springs. Skak. Yonder spring of roses intermix'd

Milton.

With myrtle. 12. A youth; a springal. Spenser.-13. A race. Who on all the human spring conferred confusion.' Chapman. -14. That which causes one to spring; specifically, a quick and cheerful tune. Beau. & Fl [Old English and Scotch.1-Spring of pork, the lower part of the fore-quarter, which is divided from the neck, and has the leg and foot, without the shoulder.

Can you be such an ass, my reverend master,
To think these springs of pork will shoot up Cæsars.
Beau. & Fl

SPRINGAL

-Spring of day, the dawn; the dayspring. 'Came to pass about the spring of the day.' 1 Sam. ix. 26.

Springal, Springald + (spring'al, springald), n. [Perhaps from spring, the season, and ald,old.] An active young man; a youth. Springal (spring'al), n. [0. Fr. espringale, from G. springen, to spring.] An ancient warlike engine, used for shooting large arrows, pieces of iron, &c. It is supposed to have resembled the cross-bow in its construction. Written also Springald

Spring-back (spring bak), n. In book-binding, 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 springbalance 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. Spring-beetle (spring be-tl), n. In entom. an insect of the family Elaterida. See ELATERIDE

Spring-block (spring' blok), n. Naut. a common block or dead-eye connected to a ring-bolt by a spiral spring. It is attached to the sheets, so as to give a certain amount of elasticity.

Spring-board (spring bord), n. An elastic board used in vaulting, &c. Spring-bok, Spring-boc (springbok), n. [D., lit. the springing buck.] Antilope euchore, a species of antelope, nearly allied to the gazelle, very abundant in South Africa. It is a very beautiful animal, of graceful form and fine colours-fulvous brown on

Sprink-buck (spring'buk), n. Spring-bok (which see). Spring-carriage (spring'kar-rij), n. A wheel carriage mounted upon springs. Spring-cart (spring kärt), n. A light cart mounted upon springs. Spring-crocus (spring kro-kus), n. A spring flowering plant, the Crocus vernus. Springe (sprinj), n. [From spring; comp. D. spring-net, a net to catch birds; O.E. springle, G. sprinkel, a springe.] A noose, which being fastened to an elastic body is drawn close with a sudden spring, by which means it catches a bird or other animal; a gin; a snare. 'A woodcock to my own springe.' Shak.

For the wild bird the busy springes set, Or spread beneath the sun the dripping net. Byron. Springe (sprinj), v.t. pret. & pp. springed; ppr. springeing. To catch in a springe; to

SPRIT

Sprinkler (springk'ler), n. One who or that which sprinkles.

Sprinkling (springk'ling), n. 1. The act of scattering in small drops or particles.-2. A small quantity falling in distinct drops or parts, or coming moderately; as, a sprinkling of rain or snow. Hence-3. A small or a moderate number or quantity distributed like separate drops, or as if scattered like drops.

In none of these languages (Italian, French and Spanish) is there more than a mere sprinkling of the modern element. Craik

Sprint (sprint), pp. of old springen, to sprinkle. Sprinkled; sprent. The leaf well sprint with honey-dew. Sir J. Harington. Sprint-race (sprint'ras), n. A short race run at full speed.

Sprint-runner (sprint'run-êr), n. One who runs sprint-races. Spritt (sprit), v.t. [A form of spirt, spurt.] Sprit (sprit), v. i. [A. Sax. spryttan, to sprout, To throw out with force from a narrow orifice; to eject; to spirt. Sir T. Browne. to bud; a form closely allied to sprout (which see).] To sprout; to bud; to germinate, as barley steeped for malt. Sprit (sprit), n. [In meaning 1 from A. Sax.

spreót, a sprout, a shoot, spryttan, to sprout; in meaning 2 from D. spriet, a sprit, boeg

SPRITE

sprit, the bowsprit; but the two words are really the same.] 1. A shoot; a sprout.2 Naut. (a) a small boom, pole, or spar which crosses the sail of a boat diagonally from the mast to the upper aftmost corner, which it is used to extend and elevate. The lower end of the sprit rests in a sort of wreath, called the snotter, which encircles the mast at that place. (b) The bowsprit. Sprite (sprit), n. The same as Spright, but in modern usage the common meaning is a kind of fairy, elf, or goblin, and in this sense the spelling sprite is much more common than spright. See SPRIGHT.

Pope.

Of these am I, who thy protection claim, A watchful sprite, and Ariel is my name. Spritefult (sprit'ful). Same as Sprightful. Spritefully (sprit'ful-li). Same as Sprightfully.

Spritelesst (sprit'les), a. Same as Sprightless.

Spriteliness (sprit'li-nes). Same as Sprightliness.

Spritely (sprit'li) Same as Sprightly (which is now the more common spelling). Spriting (sprit'ing), n. Same as Spiriting. Sprit-sail (sprit'sal), n. Naut. (a) the sail extended by a sprit, chiefly used in small

Sprit-sails.

a, Sprit-sail. b, Sprit-sail topsail. c, Sprit-sail topgallant sail.

boats. See under SPRIT. (b) A sail, now disused, attached to a yard which hangs under the bowsprit of large vessels. It was furnished with a large hole at each of its lower corners, to evacuate the water with which the cavity or belly of it is frequently filled by the surges of the sea when the ship pitches.- Sprit-sail top-sails and sprit-sail top-gallant sails were also formerly used, but not now. -Sprit-sail yard, a yard slung across the bowsprit. A sprit-sail used to be rigged on it. See cut JIB-BOOM. Sprocket-wheel (sprok'et-whel), n. In mach. same as Rag-wheel.

Sprod (sprod), n. A salmon in its second year. [Provincial English.]

Sprong (sprong), old pret. of spring. Sprot (sprot), n. The Scotch name for a kind of rush. See SPRAT.

Sprout (sprout), v. i. [O. E. sprouten, spruten, in form more closely connected with L.G. sprutten, D. spruiten, to sprout, than with A. Sax. spreótan (sprytan), to sprout, to sprit, from spreot, a sprout, a sprit. See the noun. Akin spirt, sprit, spurt.] 1. To shoot, as the seed of a plant; to germinate; to begin to grow; to push out new shoots.

But the young buds sprouted on.' Bacon. Sprouting with sudden leaves of sprightly green.' Dryden.-2. To shoot into ramifications.

Vitriol is apt to sprout with moisture. Bacon. 3. To grow, like shoots of plants; as, a deer's horn begins to sprout. Sprout (sprout), n. [A. Sax. sprote, Icel. sproti, D. spruit, a sprout, a sprig; A. Sax. also spreôt. See the verb.] 1. The shoot or bud of a plant; a shoot from the seed, or from the stump, or from the root of a plant or tree; a shoot from the end of a branch. 'The tender sprouts of shrubs.' Ray.

Stumps of trees lying out of the ground, will put forth sprouts for a time. Bacon.

2. pl. Young coleworts. Spruce (sprös), a. [According to some authorities corrupted from Pruce, that is, Prussian, the form spruce leather, as well as pruce leather being found, and this leather having been regarded as particularly fine and elegant. Others prefer O. E. prous, preus, O. Fr. pruz, N. Fr. preux, brave, valiant. Perhaps rather akin to sprug, sprack, or to sprunt, sprout.] 1. Brisk; dashing; active. Now my spruce companions, is all ready, and all things neat?

Shak.

173

2. Trim; neat without elegance or dignity; smug; dandified: formerly applied to things with a serious meaning; now chiefly applied to persons with a slight degree of contempt. 'The spruce and jocund spring.' Milton.

Taller.

He is so spruce, that he never can be genteel. Spruce (sprös), v.t. pret. & pp. spruced; ppr. sprucing. To trim or dress in a spruce manner, or with affected or finical neatness; to prink. To spruce his plumes.' Dr. H. More.

Spruce (sprös), 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, Spruce-fir (sprös, sprös'fèr), n. [According to one view from O. E. Spruce, Pruce, Prussian, because the tree was first known as a native of Prussia. But comp. G. sprossen-fichte, the spruce-fir, lit. sprout fir, 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).] 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 4. 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 antiscorbutic. The red spruce is A. rubra. The hemlock spruce-fir is the 4. 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

Norway Spruce (Abies excelsa).

coarse in-door work. The bark is exceedingly valuable for tanning. Spruce-beer (sprös'ber), n. [See SPRUCE, 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.

Spruce-leathert (sprös'leTH-ér), n. [Pruce or Prussian leather. See SPRUCE, a. and n.] A corruption of Prussian leather; pruce. Sprucely (sprös'li), adv. In a spruce manner; with extreme or affected neatness. Spruceness (sprös'nes), n. The state or quality of being spruce; neatness without taste or elegance; trimness; fineness. Spruce-ochre (sprös'o-kér), n. Brown or yellow ochre.

Sprue (sprö), n. 1. In founding, (a) the ingate through which melted metal is poured into the mould. (b) The waste piece of

SPUNGER

metal cast in the ingate; hence, dross; scoria. (c) A piece of metal or wood used by a moulder in making the ingate through the sand.-2. In med. same as Sprew. Sprugt (sprug), v.t. [Comp. sprack, quick, lively, active, and spruce.] To make smart. -To sprug up, to dress neatly. [Provincial.] Sprug (sprug), n. [Perhaps from its liveli ness. See SPRUG, v.] A sparrow. [Scotch.] John Wilson was a blustering fellow, without the heart of a sprug. Sir W. Scott.

Sprung (sprung), pret. & pp. of spring. Spruntt (sprunt), v.i. [From root of sprout, with insertion of nasal. Compare flitter, flinder; split,splint; strut, Sc. strunt; spreckle, sprinkle.] 1. To spring up; to germinate. 2. To spring forward or outward. Somerville.-To sprunt up, to bristle up; to show sudden resentment. [Colloq. United States.] 1.t A leap; a spring. Sprunt (sprunt), n.

2. A steep ascent in a road. [Local.]3. Anything short and not easily bent. Spruntt (sprunt), a. Active; vigorous; strong; lively; brisk. E. Phillips. Spruntly t (sprunt'li), adv. 1. Vigorously; youthfully; like a young man.-2. Neatly; gayly; bravely.

How do I look to-day? Am I not drest spruntly! B. Jonson.

Spry (spri), a. [Allied to spree, sprack (which see). Having great power of leaping or running; nimble; active; vigorous; lively. [Provincial English; United States colloq.] If I'm not as large as you, You are not so small as I, And not half so spry.

Emerson.

Spud (spud), n. [Perhaps a form of spade; but comp. Dan. spyd, Icel. spjót, a spear, E. a spit.] 1. A short knife. A spud or dagger.' Holland.-2. Any short and thick thing: in contempt; specifically, (a) a piece of dough boiled in fat. [United States.] (b) A potato. [Scotch slang.1-3. A sharp, straight, narrow spade with a long handle used for digging out heavy rooted weeds, &c.-4. A kind of small spade with a short handle for using with one hand.

Spue (spu), v. t. and i. Same as Spew. Rev.

iii. 16.

Spuilzie, Spulzie (spül'ye), n. [Fr. spolier, from L. spoliare, to strip, to plunder. See SPOIL.] Spoil; booty. In Scots law, the taking away of movable goods in the possession of another, against the declared will of the person, or without the order of law. Written also Spulyie.

Spuilzie, Spulzie (spül'ye), v. t. and i. To carry off a prey; to spoil; to plunder. Sir W. Scott.

Spuke (spük), n. [See SPOOK.] A spirit or spectre; a spook.

Spule-bane (spül'ban), n. [0. Fr. espaule; Fr. épaule, the shoulder. See SPAULD.] The shoulder-bone. [Scotch.]

Spuller (spul'èr), n. [For spooler, from spool.] One employed to inspect yarn, to see that it is well spun and fit for the loom. [Local.]

Spume (spum), n. [L. spuma, from spuo, to spit out. See SPEW.] Froth; foam; scum; frothy matter raised on liquors or fluid substances by boiling, effervescence, or agitation. A froth and spume.' Sir T. Browne. The billows green Toss'd up the silver spume against the clouds. Keats. Spume (spum), v.i. 1. To froth; to foam.2. Same as Spoom.

Spumeous t (spu'mē-us), a. [L. spumeus, from spuma, spume.] Foamy; spumous; spumy. Spumescence (spu-mes'ens), n. Frothiness; the state of foaming or being foamy. Spumescent (spu-mes'ent), a. [L. spumescens, ppr. of spumesco, to grow foamy, from spuma, foam.] Resembling froth or foam; foaming. Spumidt (spu'mid), a. Spumous; frothy. Spumiferous (spu-mif'èr-us), a. [L. spuma, foam, and fero, to produce. ] Producing

SPUNGING-HOUSE

Spunging-house (spunj'ing-hous), n. Same as Sponging-house. Spun-gold (spun'gold), n.

Flattened gold,

or silver-gilt wire wound on a thread of yellow silk.

Spunk (spungk), n. [Ir. spone, tinder, touchwood, sponge, Gael, spong; from L. spongia, a sponge.] 1. Touchwood; tinder; a kind of tinder made from a species of fungus; amadou. Spunk, or touchwood prepared.' Sir T. Browne. 2. A quick, ardent temper; mettle; spirit; pluck. Thy girl, perhaps a lass of spunk.' Wolcot. Men of spunk, and spirit, and power, both of mind and body.' Prof. Wilson.-3. A very small fire; a fiery spark or small flame; also, a lucifer-match. [Scotch.]

Spunkie (spungk'i), n. [From spunk. ] [Scotch.] 1. The ignis fatuus, or Will-witha-wisp. Burns.-2. A person of a fiery or irritable temper. Galt.

Spunky, Spunkie (spungk'i). a. [Scotch.] 1. Spirited; fiery; irritable; brisk.-2. An epithet applied to a place supposed to be haunted, from the frequent appearance of the ignis fatuus. The spunkie howe.' Tannahill.

Spun-silk (spun'silk), n. See under SILK. Flattened Spun-silver (spun'sil-vér), n. silver wire wound round a thread of coarse silk.

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. Spun-yarn is used for various purposes, as serving ropes, weaving mats, &c.

Spun-yarn (spun'yärn), n.

Spur (sper), n. [A. Sax. spura, spor, spora, a spur; Icel. spori, Dan. spore,O. G. spor, Mod. G. sporn; probably of same root as spear. Spurn is a derivative form.] 1. An instrument having a rowel or little wheel with sharp points, worn on horsemen's heels to prick the horses for hastening their pace. In early times it took the simple form of a

a, Frankish Spur (tenth cent.). b, Brass Spur (temp. Henry IV.). , Long-spiked rowel Spur (temp. Edw. IV.) d, Long-necked brass Spur (temp. Henry VII.). e, Steel Spur (temp. Henry VIII.).

sharp-pointed goad, the rowel first appearing in the end of the thirteenth century. Spurs were especially the badge of knighthood. Hence, to win one's spurs, to become a knight; to achieve the utmost one can in any line or profession; to become especially and notably distinguished.-2. That which goads, impels, or urges to action; incitement; instigation; incentive; stimulus.

What need we any spur but our own cause
To prick us to redress?
Shak

3. The largest or principal root of a tree. By the spurs plucked up the pine and cedar.' Shak.

My chestnut-woods
Of Vallombrosa, cleaving by the spurs
To the precipices.
E. B. Browning.

4. Something that projects; a snag.-5. The hard-pointed projection on a cock's leg which serves as an instrument of defence and annoyance.-6. In geog, a mountain, or mountain mass, that shoots from a range of mountains or from another mountain and extends for some distance in a lateral or rectangular direction.-7. A spiked iron worn by sailors upon the bottom of their boots to help them when standing upon the carcass of a whale, and stripping off the blubber.-8. In carp. a brace connecting or strengthening a post and some other part, as a rafter or cross-beam.— 9. A sea-swallow. [Provincial. ]-10. In bot. (a) any projecting appendage of a flower resembling a spur. (b) A seed of rye affected with some species of fungus and assuming

174

the appearance of a spur; ergot.-11. In fort. a wall that crosses a part of the rampart and joins it to an interior work.-12. In shipbuilding, (a) a shore or piece of timber extending from the bilge-way, and fayed and bolted to the bottom of the ship on the stocks. (b) A curved piece of timber serving as a halfbeam to support the deck where a whole beam cannot be placed.-13. In med. the angle at which the arteries leave a cavity or trunk. Dunglison.

Spur (sper), v.t. pret. & pp. spurred; ppr. spurring. 1. To prick with spurs; to incite to a more hasty pace; as, to spur a horse.2. To urge or encourage to action or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object; to incite; to instigate; to impel; to drive; to stimulate. That affection may spur them to their duty.' Locke.

Love will not be spurr'd to what it loathes. Shak. 3. To put spurs on; to furnish with spurs; as, a traveller booted and spurred. Spur (spèr), v.i. 1. To spur one's horse to make it go fast; to ride fast.

Now spurs the 'lated traveller apace
To gain the timely inn.

Shak.

The roads leading to the capital were covered with multitudes of yeomen spurring hard to Westminster. Macaulay. 2. To press forward. Some bold men, by spurring on, refine themselves. Grew. Spurgall (sper'gal), v.t. To gall or wound with a spur. Shak.

Spurgall (spêr'gal), n. A place galled or excoriated by much using of the spur. Spurge (spérj), n. [O. Fr. espurge, spurge, from L. expurgare, to purge-ex, out of, and purgo, to purge.] The common name of the different species of British plants of the genus Euphorbia. They abound with an acrid, milky juice. The caper-spurge is the E. Lathyris, the oil of the seeds of which is a substitute for croton-oil; the cypress spurge is the E. Cyparissias, a virulent poison; the petty spurge is the E. Peplus, once used as a powerful purgative. See EUPHORBIA.

Spur-gear, Spur-gearing (spêr'ger, spêr' ger-ing), n. Gearing in which spur-wheels are employed.

A plant,

Spurge-flax (spèrj'flaks), n.
Daphne Gnidium, a native of Spain.
Spurge-laurel (spèrj ́la - rel), n. The
Daphne Laureola, a shrub, a native of
Britain, possessing acrid properties. See
DAPHNE

Spurgewort (spėrj'wêrt), n. Spurge (which see).

Spurging (sperj'ing), n. Purging. B.

Jonson.

Spurious (spū'ri-us), a. [L spurius, bastard, from same root as Gr. speiro, to sow seed.] 1. Not legitimate; bastard; as, spurious issue. Your Scipios, Cæsars, Pompeys, and your Catos, These gods on earth, are all the spurious brood Of violated maids. Addison.

2. Not proceeding from the true source or from the source pretended; not being what it pretends or appears to be; not genuine; counterfeit; false; adulterate.

I never could be imposed on to take your genuine poetry for their spurious productions.

Dryden.

A London minister could still (circa 1650) undertake to prove the doctrine of the Trinity by a syllogism, supported by a spurious text: 'There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and

the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.'

Ellice Hopkins. -Spurious disease, a disease commonly mistaken for and called by the name of something which it is not; as, spurious pleurisy, i.e. rheumatism of the intercostal muscles. -Spurious wing, in ornith, three or five quilllike feathers placed at a small joint rising at the middle part of the wing; the bastard wing Swainson.-SYN. Counterfeit, false, adulterate, supposititious, fictitious, bastard. Spuriously (spū'ri-us-li), adv. In a spurious manner; counterfeitly; falsely. Spuriousness (spū'ri-us-nes), n. 1. The state or quality of being spurious, counterfeit, false, or not genuine; as, the spuriousness of drugs, of coin, or of writings. 2. Illegitimacy; the state of being bastard or not of legitimate birth; as, the spuriousness of issue.

Spurless (spèr❜les), a. Having no spurs. Spurling (spér'ling), n. A smelt or spirling. Spurling-line (sper'ling-lin), n. Naut. the line which forms the communication between the wheel and the tell-tale. Spurn (spèrn), v.t. [A derivative of spur; A. Sax. spurnan, to spurn; Icel. sporna, spyrna, to kick, to spurn; O.H.G. spurnan,

SPUR-WING

spornan, to kick.] 1. To drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick. And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur.' Shak.-2. To reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept; to treat with contempt.

Domestics will pay a more cheerful service when they find themselves not spurned because fortune Locke. has laid them at their masters' feet.

Spurn (spèrn), v.i. 1. To kick or toss up the heels.

The drunken chairman in the kennel spurns. Gay. 2. To dash the foot against something; to strike with the foot; to stumble.

The maid... ran upstairs, but, spurning at the dead body, fell upon it in a swoon.

Pope & Arbuthnot. 3. To manifest disdain or contempt in rejecting anything; to make contemptuous opposition; to manifest contempt or disdain in resistance. Nay more, to spurn at your most royal image.' Shak. Spurn (spern), n.

a kick. [Rare.]

1. A blow with the foot;

Shak.

Spenser. One who spurns. A plant: probably a

The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes. Spurnet (spern), v.t. To spur. Spurner (spern'èr), n. Spurney (sper'ni), n. corruption of spurrey. Spur-pruning (spér'prön-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. Spurre (spér), n. A name of the sea-swallow. Spurred (spérd), a. 1. Wearing spurs; as, a spurred horseman.-2. Having prolongations or shoots like spurs. Spurred corolla, a corolla which has at its base a hollow prolongation like a horn, as in antirrhinum. -Spurred rye, rye affected with ergot. See ERGOT.

Spurrer (spèr'èr), n. 1. One who uses spurs. 2. Something that incites or urges on; as, a spurrer to exercise and amusement. Swift. Spurrey (sper'ri), n. [D. and O. Fr. spurrie, G. spurrey, spurre.] The common name of plants of the genus Spergula. See SPER

GULA.

Spur-rial, Spur-ryal (spèr'ri-al), n. See SPUR-ROYAL.

Spurrier (spèr'ri-ér), n. One whose occupation is to make spurs. Macaulay. Spur-royal (spèr'roi-al), n. A gold coin, first made in the reign of Edward IV. In the reign of James I. its value was 158. 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.

Spurry (sper'ri), n. Same as Spurrey. Spurt (spert), v. t. [A form of spirt (which see).] To throw out in a stream or jet, as water; to drive or force out with violence; to spout; to squirt; as, to spurt water from the mouth or from a tube. Spurt (spert), v. i. 1. To gush out in a small stream suddenly and forcibly, or at intervals, as blood from an artery; to spirt. 2. To make a short extraordinary effort, as in running, &c.; to spirt. Spurt (spert), n. 1. A forcible gush of liquid from a confined place; a jet.-2. † A shoot; a bud.-3. A short sudden outbreak.

A sudden spurt of woman's jealousy. Tennyson. 4. A sudden extraordinary effort for an emergency; a short sudden act.

The long, steady sweep of the so-called 'paddle tried him almost as much as the breathless strain of the spurt. 1. Hughes.

Spurtle (spêr'tl), v.t. [Freq. from spurt.] To shoot in a scattering manner. Drayton. Spur-way (spér’wā), n. A horse-path; a narrow way; a bridle road; a way for a single beast. Spur-wheel (sperwhel), n. In mach. a wheel in which the teeth are perpendicular to the axis, and in the direction of radii. A train of such wheels working into each

Spur-wheel.

other is called spur-gear. Spur-wing (spèr'wing), n. 1. The English name for a species of wading birds of the

SPURWORT

genus Parra, having the wing armed with a bony spur. They inhabit Africa and South America.-2. The name given to the species of geese of the genus Plectropterus. They are natives of Africa, and have two strong spurs on the shoulder of the wing. Spurwort (sper'wert), n. A British plant of the genus Sherardia, the S. arvensis, called also Field-madder. See FIELD-MADDER.

Sputation (spu-ta'shon), n. [L. sputo, sputatum, to spit.] The act of spitting; that which is spit up. A moist sputation or expectoration.' Harvey. Sputative (spu'ta-tiv), a.

[See above.] Spitting much; inclined to spit. Wotton. Sputet (sput), v.t. To dispute. Wickliffe. Sputter (sput'ér), v. i. [From root of spout and spit, and closely akin to spatter; L.G. sputtern, to sputter.] 1. To spit, or to emit saliva from the mouth in small or scattered portions, as in rapid speaking; to speak so rapidly as to emit saliva.

They could neither of them speak their rage; and so fell a sputtering at one another, like two roasting apples.

Congreve.

175

Spy-money (spi'mun-i), n. Money paid to a spy; a reward for secret intelligence. Addison.

Spyret (spir), v.i. [See SPIRE.] To shoot forth. Spenser.

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), a. [A word which also occurs without the 8. According to Wedgwood, from the sound made by a soft lump falling.] 1. Fat; short and stout; plump; bulky. 2. 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. Squab (skwob), n. 1. A young pigeon or dove.-2. A short fat person.

Gorgonius sits abdominous and wan,

Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan. Cowper. 3. A kind of sofa or couch; a stuffed cushion. Punching the squab of chairs and sofas with their dirty fists.' Dickens. Pope.

On a large squad you find her spread.

SQUAMATA

varies with that of the component troops, but it ranges from 120 to 200 sabres. A squadron is divided into two troops, each of which is commanded by its captain, assisted by a lieutenant and sub-lieutenant. Each regiment of cavalry consists of three or four squadrons.-3. A division of a fleet; a detachment of ships of war employed on a particular service or station, and under the command of a commodore or junior flag-officer.

Squadroned (skwod'rond), a. Formed into squadrons or squares. Milton.

Squalid (swol'id), a. (L. squalidus, stiff with dirt, filthy, squalid, from squaleo, to be foul or filthy.] Foul; filthy; extremely dirty; as, a squalid beggar; a squalid house. 'Uncomb'd his locks, and squalid his attire.' Dryden.

Squalidæ (skwā'li-dē), n. pl. [L. squalus, a fish of the shark or dog-fish family, and Gr. eidos, resemblance.] A family of elasmobranchiate fishes, which includes the various species of sharks. The type of this family is the Linnæan genus Squalus. See SHARK.

parts.

tears.

Like the green wood, That, sputtering in the flame, works outward into Dryden. 3. To fly off in small particles with some crackling or noise. When sparkling lamps their sputtering lights advance.' Dryden. Sputter (sput'èr), v.t. To utter rapidly and with indistinctness; to jabber. 'In the midst of caresses .. to sputter out the basest accusations. Swift.

Sputter (sput'êr), n. 1. Moist matter thrown out in small particles.-2. A noise; a bustle; an uproar.

Sputterer (sput'èr-èr), n. One that sput

ters.

Sputum (spū'tum), n. [L., from spuo, to spit out.] 1. Spittle; salival discharges from the mouth.-2. In med. that which is expectorated or ejected from the lungs. Spy (spi), n. [O.Fr. espie, a spy, a scout, from the verb (which see).] 1. A person who keeps a constant watch on the actions, motions, conduct, &c., of others; one who secretly watches what is going on. Shak.

Every corner was possessed by diligent spies upon their master and mistress. Clarendon.

2. A secret emissary sent into the enemy's camp or territory to inspect their works, ascertain their strength and their intentions, to watch their movements, and report thereon to the proper officer. By the laws of war among all civilized nations a spy is subjected to capital punishment.-3. The pilot of a vessel.

Spy (spi), v.t. pret. & pp. spied; ppr. spying, [O. Fr. espier, to spy or espy, from O.H.G. spehón, spiohon, to search out, examine, investigate the root being the same as in L. specio, to see, Skr. spaç, to look. See SPECIES.] 1. To gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state of concealment; to see; to espy; as, to spy land from the masthead of a ship.

Millon.

As a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight crouches close, One, in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration. Swift.

2. To gain a knowledge of by artifice; to discover by close search or examination.

Look about with your eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the Church of England. Latimer.

3. To explore; to view, inspect, and examine secretly, as a country: usually with out.

Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof Num. xxi. 32. Spy (spi), vi. To search narrowly; to scrutinize; to pry.

Shak.

It is my nature's plague To spy into abuses. Spyalt (spi'al), n. A spy. Spenser. Spyboat (spi'bōt), n. A boat sent to make discoveries and bring intelligence.

Giving the colour of the sea to their spyboats, to keep them from being discovered, came from the Veneti, Arbuthnot.

Spycraft (spi'kraft), n. The art or practices of a spy; the act or practice of spying.

All attempts to plot against the Government were rendered impracticable by a system of vigilance, jealousy, spycraft, sudden arrest, and summary punBrougham.

ishment.

Spy-glass (spi'glas), n. A telescope, especially a small telescope. Spyism (spi'ism), n. The act or business of spying; the system of employing spies.

a heavy fall; plump. [Colloq.]

being squalid; foulness; filthiness. Squalidly (swol'id-li), adv. In a squalid, filthy manner. Squalidness (skwol'id-nes), n. Same as Squalidity.

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, Squabby (skwob'ish, skwob'i), a. Thick; fat; heavy.

Diet renders them of a squabbish or lardy habit of body. Harvey. Squabble (skwob'l), v. i. pret & pp. squabbled; ppr. squabbling. [Perhaps imitative of confused sound; comp. Sw. kabbla, to quarrel; D. kibbelen, to wrangle, kabbelen, to dash as waves; L.G. kabbeln, to quarrel; G. quabbeln, to vibrate.] 1. To engage in a low noisy quarrel or row; to quarrel and fight noisily; to brawl; to scuffle; to wrangle.

Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow?

2. To debate peevishly; to dispute.

Shak.

The sense of these propositions is very plain, though logicians might squabble a whole day whether they should rank themselves under negative or affirmative. Watts.

SYN. To dispute, contend, scuffle, wrangle, quarrel, brawl.

Squabble (skwob1), v.t. In typog. to put awry; to disarrange or knock off the straight line, as types that have been set up. A page is said to be squabbled when the letters stand much awry, and require painstaking readjustment.

Squabble (skwobl), n. A scuffle; a wrangle; a brawl; a petty quarrel.

Pragmatic fools commonly begin the squabble, and crafty knaves reap the benefit. Sir R. L'Estrange. Squabbler (skwob'ler), n. One who squabbles; a contentious person; a brawler; a noisy disputant.

Squabby. See SQUABBISH.

Squab-chick (skwob'chik), n. A chicken not fully feathered. [Local.] Squab-pie (skwob'pi), n. A pie made of squabs or young pigeons; also, a pie made of meat, apples, and onions. Squacco (skwak’ō), n. A species of heron, Ardea comata.

Squad (skwod), n. [Abbrev. of squadron, or directly from Fr. escouade.] 1. Milit. any small number of men assembled for drill or inspection.- Awkward squad, the body of recruits not yet fitted to take their place in the regimental line.-2. Any small party of men; as, a squad of navvies; a set of people in general.

Squaddy (skwod'i), a. Squabby. A fatte squaddy monke that had beene well fedde in some cloyster.' Greene. [Old English and American.]

Squadron (skwod'ron), n. [O. Fr. esquadron, Mod. Fr. escadron, from It. squadrone, a squadron, from squadra, a square-L. ex, and quadra, a square, from quatuor, four.] 1. In its primary sense, a square or square form; and hence, a square body of troops; a body drawn up in a square. [Rare.] Those half-rounding guards Just met, and closing stood in squadron join'd. Milton.

2. The principal division of a regiment of cavalry. The actual strength of a squadron

Icel. skval, a squall or scream, skvala, to scream. Akin squeal.] To cry out; to scream or cry violently, as a woman frightened or a child in anger or distress; as, the infant squalled.

I put five (of the Lilliputians) into my coat pocket; and as to the fifth, I made a countenance as if I would eat him alive. The poor man squalled ter ribly. Swift. Squall (skwal),n. 1. A loud scream; a harsh cry. The short, thick sob, loud scream, and shriller squall.' Pope.-2. A sudden gust of wind, frequently occasioned by the interruption and reverberation of the wind from high mountains; a sudden and vehement succession of gusts, often accompanied by rain, snow, or sleet; a flaw.

A lowering squall obscures the northern sky. Falconer. -A black squall, one attended with a dark cloud, diminishing the usual quantity of light.-A thick squall, one accompanied with hail, sleet, &c.-A white squall, one which produces no diminution of light. To look out for squalls, to be on one's guard; to be on the watch. [Colloq.] Squaller (skwal'ér), n. One who squalls; one that shrieks or cries loud. Squally (skwal'i), a. 1. Abounding with squalls; disturbed often with sudden and violent gusts of wind; as, squally weather. 2. Having unproductive spots interspersed throughout: said of a field of turnips or corn. [Provincial.]-3. In weaving, faulty or uneven, as cloth.

Squaloid (skwa'loid),a. [L. squalus, a shark, and Gr. eidos, likeness.] Like a shark, or resembling a shark.

Squalor (skwoler or skwa'lor), n. [See SQUALID.] Foulness; filthiness; coarseness. 'Nastiness, squalor, ugliness, hunger.' Bur

ton.

Sir Leicester's gallantry concedes the point, though he still feels that to bring this sort of squalor among the upper classes is really-really-. Dickens. -Squalor carceris, in Scots law, a term meaning merely the strictness of imprisonment which a creditor is entitled to enforce, with the view of compelling the debtor to pay the debt, or disclose any funds which he may have concealed.

Squalus (skwa'lus), n. [L., a fish of the shark or dog-fish family.] The generic name given by Linnæus to the sharks. See SHARK. Squama (skwa'ma), n. pl. Squamæ (skwa'mě). [L., a scale. See SQUAMOUS.] 1. In bot. one of the bractes of an amentum or catkin; one of those parts which are arranged upon a plant in the same manner as the scales of fishes and other animals, as the undeveloped external leaves of the buds of most plants. 2. In anat. an opaque and thickened lamina of the cuticle; a horny scale. Squamaceous (skwa-ma'shus), a. Squamose. Squamata (skwa-ma'ta), n. pl. [L. See SQUAMA.] The division of reptiles compris ing the Ophidia (snakes) and Lacertilia (lizards), in which the integument develops horny scales, but there are no dermal ossifications.

Same as