Chapter CDXXIV: Prologue (75)

1. To animate with vigor; to excite; to encourage; to inspirit; as, civil dissensions often spirit the ambition of private men; -- sometimes followed by up. Many officers and private men spirit up and assist those obstinate people to continue in their rebellion. Swift .

2. To convey rapidly and secretly, or mysteriously, as if by the agency of a spirit; to kidnap; -- often with away, or off. The ministry had him spirited away, and carried abroad as a dangerous person. Arbuthnot & Pope. I felt as if I had been spirited into some castle of antiquity. Willis. Spiriting away (Law), causing to leave; the offense of inducing a witness to leave a jurisdiction so as to evade process requiring attendance at trial.

SPIRITALLY Spir"it*al*ly, adv.Etym: [L. spiritalis belonging to breathing.]

Defn: By means of the breath. [Obs.] Holder.

SPIRITED Spir"it*ed, a.

1. Animated or possessed by a spirit. [Obs.] "So talked the spirited, sly snake." Milton.

2. Animated; full of life or vigor; lively; full of spirit or fire; as, a spirited oration; a spirited answer.

Note: Spirited is much used in composition; as in high-spirited, low- spirited, mean-spirited, etc.

Syn. -- Lively; vivacious; animated; ardent; active; bold; courageous. -- Spir"it*ed*ly, adv. -- Spir"it*ed*ness, n.

SPIRITFUL Spir"it*ful, a.

Defn: Full of spirit; spirited. [R.] The spiritful and orderly life of our own grown men. Milton. -- Spir"it*ful*ly, adv. -- Spir"it*ful*ness, n.

SPIRITISM Spir"it*ism, n.

Defn: Spiritualsm.

SPIRITIST Spir"it*ist, n.

Defn: A spiritualist.

SPIRITLESS Spir"it*less, a.

1. Destitute of spirit; wanting animation; wanting cheerfulness; dejected; depressed.

2. Destitute of vigor; wanting life, courage, or fire. A men so faint, so spiritless, So dull, so dead in lock, so woebegone. Shak.

3. Having no breath; extinct; dead. "The spiritless body." Greenhill. -- Spir"it*less*ly, adv. -- Spir"it*less*ness, n.

SPIRITOSO Spi`ri*to"so, a. & adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Spirited; spiritedly; -- a direction to perform a passage in an animated, lively manner.

SPIRITOUS Spir"it*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. Spirituous.]

1. Like spirit; refined; defecated; pure. [R.] More refined, more spirituous and pure. Milton.

2. Ardent; active. [R.]

SPIRITOUSNESS Spir"it*ous*ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being spiritous. [R.]

SPIRITUAL Spir"it*u*al, a. Etym: [L. spiritualis: cf. F. spirituel. See Spirit.]

1. Consisting of spirit; not material; incorporeal; as, a spiritual substance or being. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 1 Cor. xv. 44.

2. Of or pertaining to the intellectual and higher endowments of the mind; mental; intellectual.

3. Of or pertaining to the moral feelings or states of the soul, as distinguished from the external actions; reaching and affecting the spirits. God's law is spiritual; it is a transcript of the divine nature, and extends its authority to the acts of the soul of man. Sir T. Browne.

4. Of or pertaining to the soul or its affections as influenced by the Spirit; controlled and inspired by the divine Spirit; proceeding from the Holy Spirit; pure; holy; divine; heavenly-minded; -- opposed to carnal. That I may impart unto you some spiritual gift. Rom. i. ll. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings. Eph. i. 3. If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one. Gal. vi. 1.

5. Not lay or temporal; relating to sacred things; ecclesiastical; as, the spiritual functions of the clergy; lords spiritual and temporal; a spiritual corporation. Spiritual coadjuctor. (Eccl.) See the Note under Jesuit. -- Spiritual court (Eccl. Law), an ecclesiastical court, or a court having jurisdiction in ecclesiastical affairs; a court held by a bishop or other ecclesiastic.

SPIRITUAL Spir"it*u*al, n.

Defn: A spiritual function, office, or affair. See Spirituality, 2. He assigns supremacy to the pope in spirituals, and to the emperor in temporals. Lowell.

SPIRITUALISM Spir"it*u*al*ism, n.

1. The quality or state of being spiritual.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: The doctrine, in opposition to the materialists, that all which exists is spirit, or soul -- that what is called the external world is either a succession of notions impressed on the mind by the Deity, as maintained by Berkeley, or else the mere educt of the mind itself, as taught by Fichte.

3. A belief that departed spirits hold intercourse with mortals by means of physical phenomena, as by rappng, or during abnormal mental states, as in trances, or the like, commonly manifested through a person of special susceptibility, called a medium; spiritism; the doctrines and practices of spiritualists. What is called spiritualism should, I think, be called a mental species of materialism. R. H. Hutton.

SPIRITUALIST Spir"it*u*al*ist, n.

1. One who professes a regard for spiritual things only; one whose employment is of a spiritual character; an ecclesiastic.

2. One who maintains the doctrine of spiritualism.

3. One who believes in direct intercourse with departed spirits, through the agency of persons commonly called mediums, by means of physical phenomena; one who attempts to maintain such intercourse; a spiritist.

SPIRITUALIST Spir"it*u*al*ist, a.

Defn: Spiritualistic. Taylor.

SPIRITUALISTIC Spir`it*u*al*is"tic, a.

Defn: Relating to, or connected with, spiritualism.

SPIRITUALITY Spir`it*u*al"i*ty, n.; pl. Spiritualities. Etym: [L. spiritualitas: cf. F. spiritualité.]

1. The quality or state of being spiritual; incorporeality; heavenly- mindedness. A pleasure made for the soul, suitable to its spirituality. South. If this light be not spiritual, yet it approacheth nearest to spirituality. Sir W. Raleigh. Much of our spirituality and comfort in public worship depends on the state of mind in which we come. Bickersteth.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: That which belongs to the church, or to a person as an ecclesiastic, or to religion, as distinct from temporalities. During the vacancy of a see, the archbishop is guardian of the spiritualities thereof. Blackstone.

3. An ecclesiastical body; the whole body of the clergy, as distinct from, or opposed to, the temporality. [Obs.] Five entire subsidies were granted to the king by the spirituality. Fuller.

SPIRITUALIZATION Spir`it*u*al*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of spiritualizing, or the state of being spiritualized.

SPIRITUALIZE Spir"it*u*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spiritualized; p. pr. & vb. n. Spiritualizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. spiritualiser.]

1. To refine intellectiually or morally; to purify from the corrupting influence of the world; to give a spiritual character or tendency to; as, to spiritualize soul. This seen in the clear air, and the whole spiritualized by endless recollections, fills the eye and the heart more forcibly than I can find words to say. Carlyle.

2. To give a spiritual meaning to; to take in a spiritual sense; -- opposed to literalize.

3. (Old Chem.)

Defn: To extract spirit from; also, to convert into, or impregnate with, spirit.

SPIRITUALIZER Spir"it*u*al*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who spiritualizes.

SPIRITUALLY Spir"it*u*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a spiritual manner; with purity of spirit; like a spirit.

SPIRITUAL-MINDED Spir"it*u*al-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Having the mind set on spiritual things, or filled with holy desires and affections. -- Spir"it*u*al-mind`ed*ness, n.

SPIRITUALNESS Spir"it*u*al*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being spiritual or spiritual-minded; spirituality.

SPIRITUALTY Spir"it*u*al*ty, n. Etym: [See Spirituality.] (Eccl.)

Defn: An ecclesiastical body; a spirituality. Shak.

SPIRITUELLE Spi`ri`tu`elle", a. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Of the nature, or having the appearance, of a spirit; pure; refined; ethereal.

SPIRITUOSITY Spir`it*u*os"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being spirituous; spirituousness. [R.]

SPIRITUOUS Spir"it*u*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. (for sense 2) F. spiritueux. Cf. Spiritous.]

1. Having the quality of spirit; tenuous in substance, and having active powers or properties; ethereal; immaterial; spiritual; pure.

2. Containing, or of the nature of, alcoholic (esp. distilled) spirit; consisting of refined spirit; alcoholic; ardent; as, spirituous liquors.

3. Lively; gay; vivid; airy. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton. The mind of man is of that spirituous, stirring nature, that it is perpetually at work. South.

SPIRITUOUSNESS Spir"it*u*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being spirituous. [R.] Boyle.

SPIRKETING Spirk"et*ing, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The planking from the waterways up to the port sills. Totten.

SPIRLING Spirl"ing, n.

Defn: Sparling. [Prov. Eng.]

SPIROBACTERIA Spi`ro*bac*te"ri*a, n. pl.; sing. Spirobacterium (. Etym: [NL. See 4th Spire, and Bacterium.] (Biol.)

Defn: See the Note under Microbacteria.

SPIROCHAETA; SPIROCHAETE Spi`ro*chæ"ta, Spi`ro*chæ"te, n. Etym: [L. spira a coil + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A genus of Spirobacteria similar to Spirillum, but distinguished by its motility. One species, the Spirochæte Obermeyeri, is supposed to be the cause of relapsing fever.

SPIROGRAPH Spi"ro*graph, n. Etym: [L. spirare to breathe + -graph.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An instrument for recording the respiratory movements, as the sphygmograph does those of the pulse.

SPIROMETER Spi*rom"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. spirare to breathe + -meter.]

Defn: An instrument for measuring the vital capacity of the lungs, or the volume of air which can be expelled from the chest after the deepest possible inspiration. Cf. Pneumatometer.

SPIROMETRY Spi*rom"e*try, n.

Defn: The act or process of measuring the chest capacity by means of a spirometer.

SPIROSCOPE Spi"ro*scope, n. Etym: [L. spirare to breathe + -scope.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A wet meter used to determine the breathing capacity of the lungs.

SPIROYLIC; SPIROYLOUS Spi*royl"ic, Spi*royl"ous, a. Etym: [NL. Spir meadowsweet (a source of salicylal) + -yl + -ic, -ous.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a substance now called salicylal. [Obs.]

SPIRT Spirt, v. & n.

Defn: Same as Spurt.

SPIRTLE Spir"tle, v. t.

Defn: To spirt in a scattering manner.

SPIRULA Spir"u*la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. spira a coil.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of cephalopods having a multilocular, internal, siphunculated shell in the form of a flat spiral, the coils of which are not in contact.

SPIRULATE Spir"u*late, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the color spots, or structural parts, arranged spirally.

SPIRY Spir"y, a. Etym: [From Spire a winding line.]

Defn: Of a spiral form; wreathed; curled; serpentine. Hid in the spiry volumes of the snake. Dryden.

SPIRY Spir"y, a. Etym: [FR. Spire a steeple.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a spire; like a spire, tall, slender, and tapering; abounding in spires; as, spiry turrets. "Spiry towns." Thomson.

SPISS Spiss, a. Etym: [L. spissus.]

Defn: Thick; crowded; compact; dense. [Obs.] This spiss and . . . copious, yet concise, treatise. Brerewood.

SPISSATED Spis"sa*ted, a.

Defn: Rendered dense or compact, as by evaporation; inspissated; thickened. [R.] The spissated juice of the poppy. Bp. Warburton.

SPISSITUDE Spis"si*tude, n. Etym: [L. spissitudo.]

Defn: The quality or state of being spissated; as, the spissitude of coagulated blood, or of any coagulum. Arbuthnot.

SPIT Spit, n. Etym: [OE. spite, AS. spitu; akin to D. spit, G. spiess, OHG. spiz, Dan. spid. Sw. spett, and to G. spitz pointed. sq. root170.]

1. A long, slender, pointed rod, usually of iron, for holding meat while roasting.

2. A small point of land running into the sea, or a long, narrow shoal extending from the shore into the sea; as, a spit of sand. Cook.

3. The depth to which a spade goes in digging; a spade; a spadeful. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

SPIT Spit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Spitting.] Etym: [From Spit, n.; cf. Speet.]

1. To thrust a spit through; to fix upon a spit; hence, to thrust through or impale; as, to spit a loin of veal. "Infants spitted upon pikes." Shak.

2. To spade; to dig. [Prov. Eng.]

SPIT Spit, v. i.

Defn: To attend to a spit; to use a spit. [Obs.] She's spitting in the kitchen. Old Play.

SPIT Spit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spit (Spat, archaic); p. pr. & vb. n. Spitting.] Etym: [AS. spittan; akin to G. spützen, Dan. spytte, Sw. spotta,Icel. sp, and prob. E. spew. The past tense spat is due to AS. sp, from sp to spit. Cf. Spat, n., Spew, Spawl, Spot, n.]

1. To eject from the mouth; to throw out, as saliva or other matter, from the mouth. "Thus spit I out my venom." Chaucer.

2. To eject; to throw out; to belch.

Note: Spitted was sometimes used as the preterit and the past participle. "He . . . shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on." Luke xviii. 32.

SPIT Spit, n.

Defn: The secretion formed by the glands of the mouth; spitle; saliva; sputum.

SPIT Spit, v. i.

1. To throw out saliva from the mouth.

2. To rain or snow slightly, or with sprinkles. It had been spitting with rain. Dickens. To spit on or upon, to insult grossly; to treat with contempt. "Spitting upon all antiquity." South.

SPITAL Spit"al, n. Etym: [Abbreviated from hospital.] [Written also spittle.]

Defn: A hospital. [Obs.] Shak.

SPITALHOUSE Spit"al*house`, n.

Defn: A hospital. [Obs.]

SPITBALL Spit"ball`, n.

Defn: Paper chewed, and rolled into a ball, to be thrown as a missile.

SPIT BALL Spit ball. (Baseball)

Defn: A pitched ball in throwing which the pitcher grips the ball between two, or three, fingers on one side (which is made slippery, as by saliva) and the thumb on the other side, and delivers it so that it slips off the fingers with the least possible friction. When pitched directly overhand a spit ball darts downward, when pitched with the arm extended sidewise it darts down and out. [Cant] -- Spit baller.

SPITBOX Spit"box`, n.

Defn: A vessel to receive spittle.

SPITCHCOCK Spitch"cock`, v. t. Etym: [1st spit + cock.] (Cookery)

Defn: To split (as an eel) lengthwise, and broil it, or fry it in hot fat.

SPITCHCOCK Spitch"cock`, n. (Cookery)

Defn: An eel split and broiled.

SPITCHCOCKED Spitch"cocked`, a. (Cookery)

Defn: Broiled or fried after being split lengthwise; -- said of eels.

SPIT CURL Spit" curl`.

Defn: A little lock of hair, plastered in a spiral form on the temple or forehead with spittle, or other adhesive substance. [Colloq.]

SPITE Spite, n. Etym: [Abbreviated fr. despite.]

1. Ill-will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart; petty malice; grudge; rancor; despite. Pope. This is the deadly spite that angers. Shak.

2. Vexation; chargrin; mortification. [R.] Shak. In spite of, or Spite of, in opposition to all efforts of; in defiance or contempt of; notwithstanding. "Continuing, spite of pain, to use a knee after it had been slightly ibnjured." H. Spenser. "And saved me in spite of the world, the devil, and myself." South. "In spite of all applications, the patient grew worse every day." Arbuthnot. See Syn. under Notwithstanding. -- To owe one a spite, to entertain a mean hatred for him.

Syn. -- Pique, rancor; malevolence; grudge. -- Spite, Malice. Malice has more reference to the disposition, and spite to the manifestation of it in words and actions. It is, therefore, meaner than malice, thought not always more criminal. " Malice . . . is more frequently employed to express the dispositions of inferior minds to execute every purpose of mischief within the more limited circle of their abilities." Cogan. "Consider eke, that spite availeth naught." Wyatt. See Pique.

SPITE Spite, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spited; p. pr. & vb. n. Spiting.]

1. To be angry at; to hate. [Obs.] The Danes, then . . . pagans, spited places of religion. Fuller.

2. To treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart.

3. To fill with spite; to offend; to vex. [R.] Darius, spited at the Magi, endeavored to abolish not only their learning, but their language. Sir. W. Temple.

SPITEFUL Spite"ful, a.

Defn: Filled with, or showing, spite; having a desire to vex, annoy, or injure; malignant; malicious; as, a spiteful person or act. Shak. -- Spite"ful*ly, adv. Spite"ful*ness, n.

SPITFIRE Spit"fire`, n.

Defn: A violent, irascible, or passionate person. [Colloq.] Grose.

SPITFUL Spit"ful, n.; pl. Spitfuls (.

Defn: A spadeful. [Prov. Eng.]

SPITOUS Spit"ous, a.

Defn: Having spite; spiteful. [Obs.]

SPITOUSLY Spit"ous*ly, adv.

Defn: Spitefully. [Obs.] Chaucer.

SPITSCOCKED Spits"cocked`, a.

Defn: Spitchcocked.

SPITTED Spit"ted, a. Etym: [From Spit.]

1. Put upon a spit; pierced as if by a spit.

2. Shot out long; -- said of antlers. Bacon.

SPITTED Spit"ted,

Defn: p. p. of Spit, v. i., to eject, to spit. [Obs.]

SPITTER Spit"ter, n. Etym: [See Spit to eject from the mouth.]

Defn: One who ejects saliva from the mouth.

SPITTER Spit"ter, n. Etym: [See Spit an iron prong.]

1. One who puts meat on a spit.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A young deer whose antlers begin to shoot or become sharp; a brocket, or pricket.

SPITTLE Spit"tle, n.

Defn: See Spital. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

SPITTLE Spit"tle, v. t. Etym: [See Spit to spade.]

Defn: To dig or stir with a small spade. [Prov. Eng.]

SPITTLE Spit"tle, n.

Defn: A small sort of spade. [Prov. Eng.]

SPITTLE Spit"tle, n. Etym: [From Spit to eject from the mouth: cf. Spattle, and AS. spatl.]

Defn: The thick, moist matter which is secreted by the salivary glands; saliva; spit. Spittle insect. (Zoöl.) See Cuckoo spit (b), under Cuckoo.

SPITTLY Spit"tly, a.

Defn: Like spittle; slimy. [Obs.]

SPITTOON Spit*toon", n.

Defn: A spitbox; a cuspidor.

SPIT-VENOM Spit"-ven"om, n.

Defn: Poison spittle; poison ejected from the mouth. [R.] Hooker.

SPITZ DOG Spitz" dog". Etym: [G. spitz, spitzhund.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A breed of dogs having erect ears and long silky hair, usually white; -- called also Pomeranian dog, and louploup.

SPITZENBURGH Spitz"en*burgh, n.

Defn: A kind of red and yellow apple, of medium size and spicy flavor. It originated at Newtown, on Long Island.

SPLANCHNAPOPHYSIS Splanch`napoph"y*sis, n.; pl. Splanchnapophyses. Etym: [NL. See Splanchnic, and Apophysis.] (Anat.)

Defn: Any element of the skeleton in relation with the alimentary canal, as the jaws and hyoidean apparatus. -- Splanch`nap`o*phys"i*al, a. Mivart.

SPLANCHNIC Splanch"nic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the viscera; visceral.

SPLANCHNOGRAPHY Splanch*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: Splanchnology.

SPLANCHNOLOGY Splanch*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: That part of anatomy which treats of the viscera; also, a treatise on the viscera.

SPLANCHNOPLEURE Splanch"no*pleure, n. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The inner, or visceral, one of the two lamellæ into which the vertebrate blastoderm divides on either side of the notochord, and from which the walls of the enteric canal and the umbilical vesicle are developed. See Somatopleure. -- Splanch`no*pleu"ric, a.

SPLANCHNO-SKELETON Splanch`no-skel"e*ton, n. Etym: [Gr. skeleton.] (Anat.)

Defn: That part of the skeleton connected with the sense organs and the viscera. Owen.

SPLANCHNOTOMY Splanch*not"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The dissection, or anatomy, of the viscera.

SPLANDREL Splan"drel, n.

Defn: See Spandrel. [R.]

SPLASH Splash, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Splashed; p. pr. & vb. n. Splashing.] Etym: [Akin to plash.]

1. To strike and dash about, as water, mud, etc.; to plash.

2. To spatter water, mud, etc., upon; to wet.

SPLASH Splash, v. i.

Defn: To strike and dash about water, mud, etc.; to dash in such a way as to spatter.

SPLASH Splash, n.

1. Water, or water and dirt, thrown upon anything, or thrown from a puddle or the like; also, a spot or daub, as of matter which wets or disfigures.

2. A noise made by striking upon or in a liquid.

SPLASHBOARD Splash"board`, n.

Defn: A guard in the front part of vehicle, to prevent splashing by a mud or water from the horse's heels; -- in the United States commonly called dashboard.

SPLASHER Splash"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, splashes.

2. One of the guarde over the wheels, as of a carriage, locomotive, etc. Weale.

3. A guard to keep off splashes from anything.

SPLASHY Splash"y, a.

Defn: Full of dirty water; wet and muddy, so as be easily splashed about; slushy.

SPLATTER Splat"ter, v. i. & t.

Defn: To spatter; to splash.

SPLATTERDASH Splat"ter*dash`, n .

Defn: Uproar. Jamieson.

SPLAY Splay, v. t. Etym: [Abbrev. of display.]

1. To display; to spread. [Obs.] "Our ensigns splayed." Gascoigne.

2. To dislocate, as a shoulder bone.

3. To spay; to castrate. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

4. To turn on one side; to render oblique; to slope or slant, as the side of a door, window, etc. Oxf. Gloss.

SPLAY Splay, a.

Defn: Displayed; spread out; turned outward; hence, flat; ungainly; as, splay shoulders. Sonwthing splay, something blunt-edged, unhandy, and infelicitous. M. Arnold.

SPLAY Splay, a. (Arch.)

Defn: A slope or bevel, especially of the sides of a door or window, by which the opening is made larged at one face of the wall than at the other, or larger at each of the faces than it is between them.

SPLAYFOOT Splay"foot`, n.; pl. Splayfeet (.

Defn: A foot that is abnormally flattened and spread out; flat foot.

SPLAYFOOT; SPLAYFOOTED Splay"foot`, Splay"foot`ed a.

Defn: Having a splayfoot or splayfeet.

SPLAYMOUTH Splay"mouth`, n.; pl. Splaymouths (.

Defn: A wide mouth; a mouth stretched in derision. Dryden.

SPLAYMOUTHED Splay`mouthed", a.

Defn: Having a splaymouth. T. Brown.

SPLEEN Spleen, n. Etym: [L. splen, Gr. lien, plihan, plihan.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: A peculiar glandlike but ductless organ found near the stomach or intestine of most vertebrates and connected with the vascular system; the milt. Its exact function in not known.

2. Anger; latent spite; ill humor; malice; as, to vent one's spleen. In noble minds some dregs remain, Not yet purged off, of spleen and sour disdain. Pope.

3. A fit of anger; choler. Shak.

4. A sudden motion or action; a fit; a freak; a whim. [Obs. or R.] A thousand spleens bear her a thousand ways. Shak.

5. Melancholy; hypochondriacal affections. Bodies changed to various forms by spleen. Pope. There is a luxury in self-dispraise: And inward self-disparagement affords To meditative spleen a grateful feast. Wordsworth.

6. A fit of immoderate laughter or merriment. [Obs.] Thy silly thought enforces my spleen. Shak.

SPLEEN Spleen, v. t.

Defn: To dislke. [Obs.] Bp. Hacket.

SPLEENED Spleened, a.

1. Deprived of the spleen.

2. Angered; annoyed. [Obs.] R. North.

SPLEENFUL Spleen"ful, a.

Defn: Displaying, or affected with, spleen; angry; fretful; melancholy. Myself have calmed their spleenful mutiny. Shak. Then rode Geraint, a little spleenful yet, Across the bridge that spann'd the dry ravine. Tennyson.

SPLEENISH Spleen"ish, a.

Defn: Spleeny; affected with spleen; fretful. -- Spleen"ish*ly, adv. -- Spleen"ish*ness, n.

SPLEENLESS Spleen"less, a.

Defn: Having no spleen; hence, kind; gentle; mild. [Obs.] Chapman.

SPLEENWORT Spleen"wort`, n. Etym: [Spleen + wort; cf. L. splenium, asplenium, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Any fern of the genus Asplenium, some species of which were anciently used as remedies for disorders of the spleen.

SPLEENY Spleen"y, a.

1. Irritable; peevish; fretful. Spleeny Lutheran, and not wholesome to Our cause. Shak.

2. Affected with nervous complaints; melancholy.

SPLEGET Spleg"et, n. Etym: [Cf. Pledget.] (Med.)

Defn: A cloth dipped in a liquid for washing a sore. Crabb.

SPLENALGIA Sple*nal"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Pain over the region of the spleen.

SPLENCULUS Splen"cu*lus, n.; pl. Splenculi. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. splen.] (Anat.)

Defn: A lienculus.

SPLENDENT Splen"dent, a. Etym: [L. splendens, -entis, p. pr. of splendere to shine.]

1. Shining; glossy; beaming with light; lustrous; as, splendent planets; splendent metals. See the Note under 3d Luster, 4.

2. Very conspicuous; illustrious. "Great and splendent fortunes." Sir H. Wotton.

SPLENDID Splen"did, a. Etym: [L. splendidus, fr. splendere shine; cf. Lith. splendëti: cf. F. splendide.]

1. Possessing or displaying splendor; shining; very bright; as, a splendid sun.

2. Showy; magnificent; sumptuous; pompous; as, a splendid palace; a splendid procession or pageant.

3. Illustrious; heroic; brilliant; celebrated; famous; as, a splendid victory or reputation.

SPLENDIDIOUS Splen*did"i*ous, a.

Defn: Splendid. [Obs.]

SPLENDIDLY Splen"did*ly, adv.

Defn: In a splendid manner; magnificently.

SPLENDIDNESS Splen"did*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being splendid.

SPLENDIDOUS Splen"did*ous, a.

Defn: Splendid. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

SPLENDIFEROUS Splen*dif"er*ous, a.

Defn: Splendor-bearing; splendid. Bale (1538). "A splendiferous woman." Haliburton. [Now used humorously.]

SPLENDOR Splen"dor, n.Etym: [L. fr. splendere to shine: cf. F. splendeur.]

1. Great brightness; brilliant luster; brilliancy; as, the splendor ot the sun. B. Jonson.

2. Magnifience; pomp; parade; as, the splendor of equipage, ceremonies, processions, and the like. "Rejoice in splendor of mine own." Shak.

3. Brilliancy; glory; as, the splendor of a victory.

Syn. -- Luster; brilliancy; magnifience; gorgeousness; display; showiness; pomp; parade; grandeur.

SPLENDROUS; SPLENDOROUS Splen"drous, Splen"dor*ous, a.

Defn: Splendid. Drayton.

SPLENETIC Splen"e*tic, a. Etym: [L. spleneticus: cf. F. splénétique. See Spleen.]

Defn: Affected with spleen; malicious; spiteful; peevish; fretful. "Splenetic guffaw." G. Eliot. You humor me when I am sick; Why not when I am splenetic Pope.

Syn. -- Morese; gloomy; sullen; peevish; fretful.

SPLENETIC Splen"e*tic, n.

Defn: A person affected with spleen.

SPLENETICAL Sple*net"ic*al, a.

Defn: Splenetic.

SPLENETICALLY Sple*net"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a splenetical manner.

SPLENIAL Sple"ni*al, a. Etym: [L. splenium a plaster, a patch, Gr. (Anat.) (a) Designating the splenial bone. (b) Of or pertaining to the splenial bone or splenius muscle. Splenial bone (Anat.), a thin splintlike bone on the inner side of the proximal portion of the mandible of many vertebrates.

SPLENIAL Sple"ni*al, n. (Anat.)

Defn: The splenial bone.

SPLENIC Splen"ic, a. Etym: [L. splenicus, Gr. splénique.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the spleen; lienal; as, the splenic vein. Splenic apoplexy or fever. (Med.) See Anthrax, n., 3.

SPLENICAL Splen"ic*al, a.

Defn: Splenic.

SPLENISH Splen"ish, a.

Defn: Spleenish. [Obs.] Drayton.

SPLENITIS Sple*ni"tis, n.Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the spleen.

SPLENITIVE Splen"i*tive, a.

Defn: Splenetic. Shak. Even and smooth as seemed the temperament of the nonchalant, languid Virginian -- not splenitive or rash. T. N. Page.

SPLENIUM Sple"ni*um, n.Etym: [L., a plaster, a patch, from Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The thickened posterior border of the corpus callosum; -- so called in allusion to its shape.

SPLENIUS Sple"ni*us, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: A flat muscle of the back of the neck.

SPLENIZATION Splen`i*za"tion, n. (Med.)

Defn: A morbid state of the lung produced by inflammation, in which its tissue resembles that of the spleen.

SPLENOCELE Splen"o*cele, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Hernia formed by the spleen.

SPLENOGRAPHY Sple*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

Defn: A description of the spleen.

SPLENOID Sple"noid, a.Etym: [Gr. -oid.] (Anat.)

Defn: Resembling the spleen; spleenlike.

SPLENOLOGY Sple*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: The branch of science which treats of the spleen.

SPLENOTOMY Sple*not"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (a) (Anat.) Dissection or anatomy of the spleen. (b) (Med.) An incision into the spleen; removal of the spleen by incision.

SPLENT Splent, n.

1. See Splent.

2. See Splent coal, below. Splent coal, an inferior kind of cannel coal from Scotch collieries; -- called also splent, splint, and splint coal.

SPLEUCHAN Spleu"chan, n. Etym: [Gael. spliuchan.]

Defn: A pouch, as for tobacco. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

SPLICE Splice, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spliced; p. pr. & vb. n. Splicing.] Etym: [D. splitsen, splitten; akin to G. splissen, Sw. splissa, Dan. splisse, and E. split; -- from the dividing or splitting the ends into separate strands. See Split, v. t.]

1. To unite, as two ropes, or parts of a rope, by a particular manner of interweaving the strands, -- the union being between two ends, or between an end and the body of a rope.

2. To unite, as spars, timbers, rails, etc., by lapping the two ends together, or by applying a piece which laps upon the two ends, and then binding, or in any way making fast.

3. To unite in marrige. [Slang] Splice grafting.ee under Grafting. -- To splice the main brace (Naut.), to give out, or drink, an extra allowance of spirits on occasion of special exposure to wet or cold, or to severe fatigue; hence, to take a dram.

SPLICE Splice, n.

Defn: A junction or joining made by splicing.

SPLINE Spline, n.

1. A rectangular piece fitting grooves like key seats in a hub and a shaft, so that while the one may slide endwise on the other, both must revolve together; a feather; also, sometimes, a groove to receive such a rectangular piece.

2. A long, flexble piece of wood sometimes used as a ruler.

SPLINING Splin"ing, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a spline. Splining machine, a machine tool for cutting grooves, key seats, or slots; a slotting machine.

SPLINT Splint, n. Etym: [Akin to D. splinter,G. splinter, splitter, Dan. splint, Sw. splint a kind of spike, a forelock (in nautical use), Sw. splintato splint, splinter, Dan. splinte, and E. split. See Split, v. t., and cf. Splent.]

1. A piece split off; a splinter.

2. (Surg.)

Defn: A thin piece of wood, or other substance, used to keep in place, or protect, an injured part, especially a broken bone when set.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: A splint bone.

4. (Far.)

Defn: A disease affecting the splint bones, as a callosity or hard excrescence.

5. (Anc. Armor.)

Defn: One of the small plates of metal used in making splint armor. See Splint armor, below. The knees and feet were defended by splints, or thin plates of steel. Sir. W. Scott.

6. Splint, or splent, coal. See Splent coal, under Splent. Splint armor,a kind of ancient armor formed of thin plates of metal, usually overlapping each other and allowing the limbs to move freely. -- Splint bone (Anat.), one of the rudimentary, splintlike metacarpal or metatarsal bones on either side of the cannon bone in the limbs of the horse and allied animals. -- Splint coal. See Splent coal, under Splent.

SPLINT Splint, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Splinted; p. pr. & vb. n. Splinting.]

Defn: To split into splints, or thin, slender pieces; to splinter; to shiver. [Obs. or R.] Florio.

2. To fasten or confine with splints, as a broken limb. See Splint, n., 2. [R.] Shak.

SPLINTER Splin"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Splintered; p. pr. & vb. n. Splintering.] Etym: [Cf. LG. splittern, splinteren. See Splint, n., Split.]

1. To split or rend into long, thin pieces; to shiver; as, the lightning splinters a tree. After splintering their lances, they wheeled about, and . . . abandoned the field to the enemy. Prescott.

2. To fasten or confine with splinters, or splints, as a broken limb. Bp. Wren.

SPLINTER Splin"ter, v. i.

Defn: To become split into long pieces.

SPLINTER Splin"ter, n. Etym: [See Splinter, v., or Splint, n.]

Defn: A thin piece split or rent off lengthwise, as from wood, bone, or other solid substance; a thin piece; a sliver; as, splinters of a ship's mast rent off by a shot.

Splinter bar. (a) A crossbar in a coach, which supports the springs. (b) The bar to which the traces are attached; a roller bolt; a whiffletree.

SPLINTERPROOF Splin"ter*proof` (splîn"ter*proof`), a. (Mil.)

Defn: Proof against the splinters, or fragments, of bursting shells.

SPLINTERY Splin"ter*y (-y), a.

Defn: Consisting of splinters; resembling splinters; as, the splintery fracture of a mineral.

SPLIT Split (splît), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Split (Splitted, R.); p. pr. & vb. n. Splitting.] Etym: [Probably of Scand. or Low german origin; cf. Dan. splitte, LG. splitten, OD. splitten, spletten, D. splijten, G. spleissen, MHG. splizen. Cf. Splice, Splint, Splinter.]

1. To divide lengthwise; to separate from end to end, esp. by force; to divide in the direction of the grain layers; to rive; to cleave; as, to split a piece of timber or a board; to split a gem; to split a sheepskin. Cold winter split the rocks in twain. Dryden.

2. To burst; to rupture; to rend; to tear asunder. A huge vessel of exceeding hard marble split asunder by congealed water. Boyle.

3. To divide or break up into parts or divisions, as by discord; to separate into parts or parties, as a political party; to disunite. [Colloq.] South.

4. (Chem.)

Defn: To divide or separate into components; -- often used with up; as, to split up sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid. To split hairs, to make distinctions of useless nicety.

SPLIT Split, v. i.

1. To part asunder; to be rent; to burst; as, vessels split by the freezing of water in them.

2. To be broken; to be dashed to pieces. The ship splits on the rock. Shak.

3. To separate into parties or factions. [Colloq.]

4. To burst with laughter. [Colloq.] Each had a gravity would make you split. Pope.

5. To divulge a secret; to betray confidence; to peach. [Slang] Thackeray. To split on a rock, to err fatally; to have the hopes and designs frustrated.

SPLIT Split, n.

Defn: A crack, or longitudinl fissure.

2. A breach or separation, as in a political party; a division. [Colloq.]

3. A piece that is split off, or made thin, by splitting; a splinter; a fragment.

4. Specif (Leather Manuf.), one of the sections of a skin made by dividing it into two or more thicknesses.

5. (Faro)

Defn: A division of a stake happening when two cards of the kind on which the stake is laid are dealt in the same turn.

SPLIT Split, a.

1. Divided; cleft.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Divided deeply; cleft. Split pease, hulled pease split for making soup, etc. -- Split pin (Mach.), a pin with one end split so that it may be spread open to secure it in its place. -- Split pulley, a parting pulley. See under Pulley. -- Split ring, a ring with overlapped or interlocked ends which may be sprung apart so that objects, as keys, may be strung upon the ring or removed from it. -- Split ticket, a ballot containing the names of only a portion of the candidates regularly nominated by one party, other names being substituted for those omitted. [U.S.]

SPLIT DYNAMOMETER Split dynamometer. (Elec.)

Defn: An electric dynamometer having two coils so arranged that one carries the primary current, and the other the secondary current, of a transformer.

SPLITFEET Split"feet`, n. pl. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Fissipedia.

SPLIT INFINITIVE Split infinitive. (Gram.)

Defn: A simple infinitive with to, having a modifier between the verb and the to; as in, to largely decrease. Called also cleft infinitive.

SPLIT KEY Split key. (Mach.)

Defn: A key split at one end like a split pin, for the same purpose.

SPLIT SHOT; SPLIT STROKE Split shot or stroke .

Defn: In croquet, etc., a shot or stroke in which one drives in different directions one's own and the opponent's ball placed in contact.

SPLIT STITCH Split stitch.

Defn: A stitch used in stem work to produce a fine line, much used in old church embroidery to work the hands and faces of figures.

SPLIT STUFF Split stuff.

Defn: Timber sawn into lengths and then split.

SPLIT SWITCH Split switch. (Railroading)

Defn: = Point switch.

SPLIT-TAIL Split"-tail`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) A california market fish (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) belonging to the Carp family. (b) The pintail duck.

SPLITTER Split"ter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, splits.

SPLIT-TONGUED Split"-tongued`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a forked tongue, as that of snakes and some lizards.

SPLIT WHEEL Split wheel.

Defn: = Split pulley.

SPLOTCH Splotch, n. Etym: [Cf. Splash.]

Defn: A spot; a stain; a daub. R. Browning.

SPLOTCHY Splotch"y, a.

Defn: Covered or marked with splotches.

SPLURGE Splurge, n.

Defn: A blustering demonstration, or great effort; a great display. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.

SPLURGE Splurge, v. i.

Defn: To make a great display in any way, especially in oratory. [Slang, U.S.] splurge on a new hi-fi system.

SPLUTTER Splut"ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Spluttered; p. pr. & vb. n. Spluttering.] Etym: [Prov. E. splutter, eqivalent to sputter. Cf. Sputter.]

Defn: To speak hastily and confusedly; to sputter. [Colloq.] Carleton.

SPLUTTER Splut"ter, n.

Defn: A confused noise, as of hasty speaking. [Colloq.]

SPLUTTERER Splut"ter*er, n.

Defn: One who splutters.

SPODOMANCY Spod"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. spodo`s ashes + -mancy.]

Defn: Divination by means of ashes.

SPODOMANTIC Spod`o*man"tic, a.

Defn: Relating to spodomancy, or divination by means of ashes. C. Kingsley.

SPODUMENE Spod"u*mene, n. Etym: [Gr. spodo`s ashes; cf. F. spodumène.] (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of a white to yellowish, purplish, or emerald-green color, occuring in prismatic crystals, often of great size. It is a silicate of aluminia and lithia. See Hiddenite.

SPOFFISH Spof"fish, a. Etym: [probably from Prov. E. spoffle to be spoffish.]

Defn: Earnest and active in matters of no moment; bustling. [Colloq. Eng.] Dickens.

SPOIL Spoil (, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spoiled or Spoilt; p. pr. & vb. n. Spoiling.] Etym: [F. spolier, OF. espoilelier, fr. L. spoliare, fr. spolium spoil. Cf. Despoil, Spoliation.]

1. To plunder; to strip by violence; to pillage; to rob; -- with of before the name of the thing taken; as, to spoil one of his goods or possession. "Ye shall spoil the Egyptians." Ex. iii. 22. My sons their old, unhappy sire despise, Spoiled of his kingdom, and deprived of eues. Pope.

2. To seize by violence;; to take by force; to plunder. No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man. Mark iii. 27.

3. To cause to decay and perish; to corrput; to vitiate; to mar. Spiritual pride spils many graces. Jer. Taylor.

4. To render useless by injury; to injure fatally; to ruin; to destroy; as, to spoil paper; to have the crops spoiled by insects; to spoil the eyes by reading.

SPOIL Spoil, v. i.

1. To practice plunder or robbery. Outlaws, which, lurking in woods, used to break forth to rob and spoil. Spenser.

2. To lose the valuable qualities; to be corrupted; to decay; as, fruit will soon spoil in warm weather.

SPOIL Spoil, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. espoille, L. spolium.]

1. That which is taken from another by violence; especially, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty. Gentle gales, Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole Those balmy spoils. Milton.

2. Public offices and their emoluments regarded as the peculiar property of a successful party or faction, to be bestowed for its own advantage; -- commonly in the plural; as to the victor belong the spoils. From a principle of gratitude I adhered to the coalition; my vote was counted in the day of battle, but I was overlooked in the division of the spoil. Gibbon.

3. That which is gained by strength or effort. each science and each art his spoil. Bentley.

4. The act or practice of plundering; robbery; aste. The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treason, stratagems, and spoil. Shak.

5. Corruption; cause of corruption. [Archaic] Villainous company hath been the spoil of me. Shak.

6. The slough, or cast skin, of a serpent or other animal. [Obs.] Bacon. Spoil bank, a bank formed by the earth taken from an excavation, as of a canal. -- The spoils system, the theory or practice of regarding public and their emoluments as so much plunder to be distributed among their active partisans by those who are chosen to responsible offices of administration.

SPOILABLE Spoil"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being spoiled.

SPOILER Spoil"er, n.

1. One who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager; a robber; a despoiler.

2. One who corrupts, mars, or renders useless.

SPOILFIVE Spoil"five`, n.

Defn: A certain game at cards in which, if no player wins three of the five tricks possible on any deal, the game is said to be spoiled.

SPOILFUL Spoil"ful, a.

Defn: Wasteful; rapacious. [Poetic]

SPOILSMAN Spoils"man, n.; pl. Spoilsmen (.

Defn: One who serves a cause or a party for a share of the spoils; in United States politics, one who makes or recognizes a demand for public office on the ground of partisan service; also, one who sanctions such a policy in appointments to the public service.

SPOILSMONGER Spoils"mon`ger, n.

Defn: One who promises or distributes public offices and their emoluments as the price of services to a party or its leaders.

SPOKE Spoke,

Defn: imp. of Speak.

SPOKE Spoke, n. Etym: [OE. spoke, spake, AS, spaca; akin to D. speek, LG. speke, OHG. speihha, G. speiche. sq. root170. Cf. Spike a nail.]

1. The radius 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. (Naut.)

Defn: A projecting handle of a steering wheel.

3. A rung, or round, of a ladder.

4. A contrivance for fastening the wheel of a vehicle, to prevent it from turning in going down a hill. To put a spoke in one's wheel, to thwart or obstruct one in the execution of some design.

SPOKE Spoke, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spoked; p. pr. & vb. n. Spoking.]

Defn: To furnish with spokes, as a wheel.

SPOKEN Spo"ken, a. Etym: [p.p. of Speak.]

1. Uttered in speech; delivered by word of mouth; oral; as, a spoken narrative; the spoken word.

2. Characterized by a certain manner or style in speaking; -- often in composition; as, a pleasant-spoken man. Methinks you 're better spoken. Shak.

SPOKESHAVE Spoke"shave`, n.

Defn: A kind of drawing knife or planing tool for dressing the spokes of wheels, the shells of blocks, and other curved work.

SPOKESMAN Spokes"man, n.; pl. Spokesmen. Etym: [Speak, spoke + man.]

Defn: One who speaks for another. He shall be thy spokesman unto the people. Ex. iv. 16.

SPOLIATE Spo"li*ate, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Spoliated; p. pr. & vb. n. Spoliating.] Etym: [L. spoliatus, p.p. of spoliare spoil. See Spoil, v. t.]

Defn: To plunder; to pillage; to despoil; to rob.

SPOLIATION Spo`li*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. spoliatio; cf. F. spoliation. See Spoil, v. t.]

1. The act of plundering; robbery; deprivation; despoliation. Legal spoliation, which will impoverish one part of the community in order to corrupt the remainder. Sir G. C. Lewis.

2. Robbery or plunder in war; especially, the authorized act or practice of plundering neutrals at sea.

3. (Eccl. Law) (a) The act of an incumbent in taking the fruits of his benefice without right, but under a pretended title. Blackstone. (b) A process for possession of a church in a spiritual court.

4. (Law)

Defn: Injury done to a document.

SPOLIATIVE Spo"li*a*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. spoliatif.]

Defn: Serving to take away, diminish, or rob; esp. (Med.), serving to diminish sensibily the amount of blood in the body; as, spoliative bloodletting.

SPOLIATOR Spo"li*a`tor, n.

Defn: One who spoliates; a spoiler.

SPOLIATORY Spo"li*a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Tending to spoil; destructive; spoliative.

SPONDAIC; SPONDAICAL Spon*da"ic, Spon*da"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. spondaicus, spondiacus, Gr. spondaïque.]

1. Or of pertaining to a spondee; consisting of spondees.

2. Containing spondees in excess; marked by spondees; as, a spondaic hexameter, i. e., one which has a spondee instead of a dactyl in the fifth foot.

SPONDEE Spon"dee, n. Etym: [L. spondeus, Gr. spondée. So called because at libations slow, solemn melodies were used, chiefly in this meter.] (pros.)

Defn: A poetic foot of two long syllables, as in the Latin word leges.

SPONDULICS Spon*du"lics, n.

Defn: Money. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.

SPONDYL; SPONDYLE Spon"dyl, Spon"dyle, n. Etym: [L. spondylus, Gr. spondyle.] (Anat.)

Defn: A joint of the backbone; a vertebra.

SPONG Spong, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: An irregular, narrow, projecting part of a field. [Prov. Eng.]

SPONGE Sponge, n. Etym: [OF. esponge, F. éponge, L. spongia, Gr. Fungus, Spunk.] [Formerly written also spunge.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of Spongiæ, or Porifera. See Illust. and Note under Spongiæ.

2. The elastic fibrous skeleton of many species of horny Spongiæ (keratosa), used for many purposes, especially the varieties of the genus Spongia. The most valuable sponges are found in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and on the coasts of Florida and the West Indies.

3. Fig.: One who lives upon others; a pertinaceous and indolent dependent; a parasite; a sponger.

4. Any spongelike substance. Specifically: (a) Dough before it is kneaded and formed into loaves, and after it is converted into a light, spongy mass by the agency of the yeast or leaven. (b) Iron from the puddling furnace, in a pasty condition. (c) Iron ore, in masses, reduced but not melted or worked.

5. (Gun.)

Defn: A mop for cleaning the bore of a cannon after a discharge. It consists of a cylinder of wood, covered with sheepskin with the wool on, or cloth with a heavy looped nap, and having a handle, or staff.

6. (Far.)

Defn: The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel. Bath sponge, any one of several varieties of coarse commercial sponges, especially Spongia equina. -- Cup sponge, a toilet sponge growing in a cup-shaped form. -- Glass sponge. See Glass-sponge, in the Vocabulary. -- Glove sponge, a variety of commercial sponge (Spongia officinalis, variety tubulufera), having very fine fibers, native of Florida, and the West Indies. -- Grass sponge, any one of several varieties of coarse commercial sponges having the surface irregularly tufted, as Spongia graminea, and S. equina, variety cerebriformis, of Florida and the West Indies. -- Horse sponge, a coarse commercial sponge, especially Spongia equina. -- Platinum sponge. (Chem.) See under Platinum. -- Pyrotechnical sponge, a substance made of mushrooms or fungi, which are boiled in water, dried, and beaten, then put in a strong lye prepared with saltpeter, and again dried in an oven. This makes the black match, or tinder, brought from Germany. -- Sheep's-wool sponge, a fine and durable commercial sponge (Spongia equina, variety gossypina) found in Florida and the West Indies. The surface is covered with larger and smaller tufts, having the oscula between them. -- Sponge cake, a kind of sweet cake which is light and spongy. -- Sponge lead, or Spongy lead (Chem.), metallic lead brought to a spongy form by reduction of lead salts, or by compressing finely divided lead; -- used in secondary batteries and otherwise. -- Sponge tree (Bot.), a tropical leguminous tree (Acacia Farnesiana), with deliciously fragrant flowers, which are used in perfumery. -- Toilet sponge, a very fine and superior variety of Mediterranean sponge (Spongia officinalis, variety Mediterranea); -- called also turkish sponge. -- To set a sponge (Cookery), to leaven a small mass of flour, to be used in leavening a larger quantity. -- To throw up the sponge, to give up a contest; to acknowledge defeat; -- from a custom of the prize ring, the person employed to sponge a pugilist between rounds throwing his sponge in the air in token of defeat. [Cant or Slang] "He was too brave a man to throw up the sponge to fate." Lowell. -- Vegetable sponge. (Bot.) See Loof. -- Velvet sponge, a fine, soft commercial sponge (Spongia equina, variety meandriniformis) found in Florida and the West Indies. -- Vitreous sponge. See Glass-sponge. -- Yellow sponge, a common and valuable commercial sponge (Spongia agaricina, variety corlosia) found in Florida and the West Indies.

SPONGE Sponge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sponged; p. pr. & vb. n. Sponging.]

1. To cleanse or wipe with a sponge; as, to sponge a slate or a cannon; to wet with a sponge; as, to sponge cloth.

2. To wipe out with a sponge, as letters or writing; to efface; to destroy all trace of. Hooker.

3. Fig.: To deprive of something by imposition. "How came such multitudes of our nation . . . to be sponged of their plate and their money" South.

4. Fig.: To get by imposition or mean arts without cost; as, to sponge a breakfast. Swift.

SPONGE Sponge, v. i.

1. To suck in, or imbile, as a sponge.

2. Fig.: To gain by mean arts, by intrusion, or hanging on; as, an idler sponges on his neighbor. E. Eggleston. The fly is an intruder, and a common smell-feast, that sponges upon other people's trenchers. L'Estrange.

3. To be converted, as dough, into a light, spongy mass by the agency of yeast, or leaven.

SPONGELET Sponge"let, n.

Defn: See Spongiole.

SPONGEOUS Spon"geous, a. Etym: [See Spongious.]

Defn: Resembling sponge; having the nature or qualities of sponge.

SPONGER Spon"ger, n.

1. One who sponges, or uses a sponge.

2. One employed in gathering sponges.

3. Fig.: A parasitical dependent; a hanger-on.

SPONGIAE Spon"gi*æ, n. pl. Etym: [See Sponge.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The grand division of the animal kingdom which includes the sponges; -- called also Spongida, Spongiaria, Spongiozoa, and Porifera.

Note: In the Spongiæ, the soft sarcode of the body is usually supported by a skeleton consisting of horny fibers, or of silleceous or calcareous spicules. The common sponges contain larger and smaller cavities and canals, and numerous small ampullæ which which are lined with ciliated cells capable of taking in solid food. The outer surface usually has minute pores through which water enters, and large openings for its exit. Sponges produce eggs and spermatozoa, and the egg when fertilized undergoes segmentation to form a ciliated embryo.

SPONGIDA Spon"gi*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: Spongiæ.

SPONGIFORM Spon"gi*form, a.

Defn: Resembling a sponge; soft and porous; porous.

SPONGILLA Spon*gil"la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of spongia a sponge.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of siliceous spongea found in fresh water.

SPONGIN Spon"gin, n. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: The chemical basis of sponge tissue, a nitrogenous, hornlike substance which on decomposition with sulphuric acid yields leucin and glycocoll.

SPONGINESS Spon"gi*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being spongy. Dr. H. More.

SPONGING Spon"ging,

Defn: a. & n. from Sponge, v. Sponging house (Eng. Law), a bailiff's or other house in which debtors are put before being taken to jail, or until they compromise with their creditors. At these houses extortionate charges are commonly made for food, lodging, etc.

SPONGIOLE Spon"gi*ole, n. Etym: [L. spongiola a rose gall, small roots, dim. of spongia: cf. F. spongiole.] (Bot.)

Defn: A supposed spongelike expansion of the tip of a rootlet for absorbing water; -- called also spongelet.

SPONGIOLITE Spon"gi*o*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite.] (Paleon.)

Defn: One of the microsporic siliceous spicules which occur abundantly in the texture of sponges, and are sometimes found fossil, as in flints.

SPONGIOPILIN Spon`gi*o*pi"lin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A kind of cloth interwoven with small pieces of sponge and rendered waterproof on one side by a covering of rubber. When moistend with hot water it is used as a poultice.

SPONGIOSE; SPONGIOUS Spon"gi*ose`, Spon"gi*ous, a. Etym: [L. spongious, spongeosus: cf. F. spongieux. See Sponge.]

Defn: Somewhat spongy; spongelike; full of small cavities like sponge; as, spongious bones.

SPONGIOZOA Spon`gi*o*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Sponglæ.

SPONGOBLAST Spon"go*blast, n. Etym: [Gr. -blast.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the cells which, in sponges, secrete the spongin, or the material of the horny fibers.

SPONGOID Spon"goid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.]

Defn: Resembling sponge; like sponge.

SPONGY Spon"gy, a.

1. Soft, and full of cavities; of an open, loose, pliable texture; as, a spongy excrescence; spongy earth; spongy cake; spongy bones.

2. Wet; drenched; soaked and soft, like sponge; rainy. "Spongy April." Shak.

3. Having the quality of imbibing fluids, like a sponge. Spongy lead (Chem.), sponge lead. See under Sponge. -- Spongy platinum. See under Platinum.

SPONK Sponk, n.

Defn: See Spunk.

SPONSAL Spon"sal, a. Etym: [L. sponsalis, fr. sponsus a betrothal, fr. spondere, sponsum, to betroth. See Spouse, and cf. Esousal, Spousal.]

Defn: Relating to marriage, or to a spouse; spousal.

SPONSIBLE Spon"si*ble, a. Etym: [Abbrev. from responsible.]

Defn: responsible; worthy of credit. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

SPONSION Spon"sion, n. Etym: [L. sonsio, fr. spondere, sponsum, to promise solemnly.]

1. The act of becoming surety for another.

2. (Internat. Law)

Defn: An act or engagement on behalf of a state, by an agent not specially authorized for the purpose, or by one who exceeds the limits of authority.

SPONSIONAL Spon"sion*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a pledge or agreement; responsible. [R.] He is righteous even in that representative and sponsional person he put on. Abp. Leighton.

SPONSON Spon"son, n. (Shipbuilding) (a) One of the triangular platforms in front of, and abaft, the paddle boxes of a steamboat. (b) One of the slanting supports under the guards of a steamboat. (c) One of the armored projections fitted with gun ports, used on modern war vessels.

SPONSOR Spon"sor, n. Etym: [L., from spondere, sponsum, to engage one's self. See Spose.]

1. One who binds himself to answer for another, and is responsible for his default; a surety.

2. One who at the baptism of an infant professore the christian faith in its name, and guarantees its religious education; a godfather or godmother.

SPONSORIAL Spon*so"ri*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a sponsor.

SPONSORSHIP Spon"sor*ship, n.

Defn: State of being a sponsor.

SPONTANEITY Spon`ta*ne"i*ty, n.; pl. Spontaneities. Etym: [Cf. F. spontanéité.]

1. The quality or state of being spontaneous, or acting from native feeling, proneness, or temperament, without constraint or external force. Romney Leigh, who lives by diagrams, And crosses not the spontaneities Of all his individual, personal life With formal universals. Mrs. Browning.

2. (Biol.) (a) The tendency to undergo change, characteristic of both animal and vegetable organisms, and not restrained or cheked by the environment. (b) The tendency to activity of muscular tissue, including the voluntary muscles, when in a state of healthful vigor and refreshment.

SPONTANEOUS Spon*ta"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. spontaneus, fr. sponte of free will, voluntarily.]

1. Proceding from natural feeling, temperament, or disposition, or from a native internal proneness, readiness, or tendency, without constraint; as, a spontaneous gift or proportion.

2. Proceeding from, or acting by, internal impulse, energy, or natural law, without external force; as, spontaneous motion; spontaneous growth.

3. Produced without being planted, or without human labor; as, a spontaneous growth of wood. Spontaneous combustion, combustion produced in a substance by the evolution of heat through the chemical action of its own elements; as, the spontaneous combustion of waste matter saturated with oil. -- Spontaneous generation. (Biol.) See under Generation.

Syn. -- Voluntary; uncompelled; willing. -- Spontaneous, Voluntary. What is voluntary is the result of a volition, or act of choice; it therefore implies some degree of consideration, and may be the result of mere reason without excited feeling. What is spontaneous springs wholly from feeling, or a sudden impulse which admits of no reflection; as, a spontaneous burst of applause. Hence, the term is also applied to things inanimate when they are produced without the determinate purpose or care of man. "Abstinence which is but voluntary fasting, and . . . exercise which is but voluntary labor." J. Seed. Spontaneous joys, where nature has its play, The soul adopts, and owns their firstborn away. Goldsmith. -- Spon*ta"ne*ous*ly, adv. -- Spon*ta"ne*ous*ness, n.