SPLEEN, spl[=e]n, _n._ a soft, pulpy, blood-modifying gland near the large extremity of the stomach, supposed by the ancients to be the seat of anger and melancholy--hence spite: ill-humour: melancholy.--_adj._ SPLEEN'FUL, displaying spleen, angry, fretful.--_adv._ SPLEEN'FULLY.--_adj._ SPLEEN'ISH, affected with spleen, fretful, peevish.--_adv._ SPLEEN'ISHLY, in a spleenish manner.--_ns._ SPLEEN'ISHNESS, the state of being spleenish; SPLEEN'-STONE, jade or nephrite; SPLEEN'WORT, any fern of the genus _Asplenium_.--_adj._ SPLEEN'Y (_Shak._), spleenish.--_ns._ SPL[=E]NAL'GIA, pain in the region of the spleen; SPLEN'CULE, SPLEN'C[=U]LUS, a supplementary spleen; SPL[=E]NEC'TOMIST, one who excises the spleen; SPL[=E]NEC'TOMY, excision of the spleen; SPL[=E]NECT[=O]'PIA, displacement of the spleen; SPL[=E]N'ETIC, a splenetic person.--_adjs._ SPL[=E]NET'IC, -AL, affected with spleen: peevish: melancholy.--_adv._ SPL[=E]NET'ICALLY.--_adj._ SPLEN'IC, pertaining to the spleen.--_n._ SPL[=E]NIS[=A]'TION, a diseased condition of the lung, in which its tissue resembles that of the spleen, in softness, &c.--_adj._ SPL[=E]NIT'IC.--_n._ SPL[=E]N[=I]'TIS, inflammation of the spleen.--_adj._ SPLEN'ITIVE, full of spleen, passionate, irritable.--_ns._ SPLEN'OCELE, a splenic tumour; SPL[=E]NOG'RAPHY, the description of the spleen.--_adjs._ SPL[=E]'NOID, like the spleen; SPL[=E]NOLOG'ICAL.--_ns._ SPL[=E]NOL'OGY, knowledge about the spleen; SPL[=E]NOP'ATHY, disease of the spleen; SPL[=E]NOT'OMY, splenological anatomy.--SPLENIC FEVER (see ANTHRAX). [L. _splen_--Gr.
_spl[=e]n_.]
SPLENDID, splen'did, _adj._ magnificent: famous: illustrious: heroic.--_adj._ SPLEN'DENT, splendid, bright.--_adv._ SPLEN'DIDLY.--_ns._ SPLEN'DIDNESS; SPLEN'DOUR, the appearance of anything splendid: brilliance: magnificence. [L. _splendidus_--_splend[=e]re_, to shine.]
SPLENIAL, spl[=e]'ni-al, _adj._ acting like a splint: pertaining to the splenium or the splenius.--_ns._ SPL[=E]'NIUM, the round pad-like posterior border of the _corpus callosum_; SPL[=E]'NIUS, a large thick muscle on the back of the neck. [Gr. _spl[=e]nion_, bandage.]
SPLENT=_Splint_ (q.v.).
SPLEUCHAN, spl[=oo]h'an, _n._ a pouch, a tobacco-pouch.--Also SPLEUGH'AN.
[Gael. _spliuchan_.]
[Illustration]
SPLICE, spl[=i]s, _v.t._ to unite two ends of a rope by interweaving the strands: to join together two pieces of timber by overlapping.--_n._ act of splicing: joint made by splicing.--SPLICE THE MAINBRACE (_nautical slang_), to serve out an allowance of spirits, to fall to drinking. [Old Dut.
_splissen_--_splitsen_, _splijten_; cf. _Split_, and Ger. _splissen_.]
SPLINE, spl[=i]n, _n._ in machines, the slot to receive a feather, the feather itself: a long flexible strip of wood or rubber used by draftsmen in laying out railway-curves, &c.--_v.t._ to fit with a spline.
SPLINT, splint, _n._ a small piece of wood split off: a thin piece of padded wood, &c., for keeping a fractured limb in its proper position: a bony enlargement on the horse's leg, between the knee and the fetlock, usually appearing on the inside of one or both forelegs, frequently situated between the large and small canon bones, depending upon concussion--also SPLENT.--_v.t._ to confine with splints.--_ns._ SPLINT'AGE, use of splints; SPLINT'-ARM'OUR, armour made of splints or narrow overlapping plates; SPLINT'-COAL, cannel-coal of slaty structure; SPLINT'ER, a piece of wood, &c., split off.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ to split into splinters.--_ns._ SPLINT'ER-BAR, the cross-bar of a coach, supporting the springs; SPLINT'ER-BONE, the fibula.--_adjs._ SPLINT'ER-PROOF, proof against the splinters of bursting shells; SPLINT'ERY, made of, or like, splinters: apt to splinter. [Sw. _splint_--_splinta_, to splinter; cf.
_Split_.]
SPLIT, split, _v.t._ to cleave lengthwise: to tear asunder violently: to divide: to throw into discord.--_v.i._ to divide or part asunder: to be dashed to pieces: to divulge secrets: to vote for candidates of opposite parties: to burst with laughter:--_pr.p._ split'ting; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ split.--_n._ a crack or rent lengthwise: a schism: a half-bottle of aerated water, a half-glass of spirits: (_pl._) the acrobatic feat of going down to the floor with the legs spread out laterally.--_adj._ SPLIT'-NEW (_Scot._), brand-new.--_n.pl._ SPLIT'-PEASE, husked pease split for making pea-soup, &c.--_n._ SPLIT'TER, one who, or that which, splits: one who splits hairs in argument, &c.: (_U.S._) a wheaten cake split and buttered when hot.--_adj._ SPLIT'TING, very severe: very rapid.--SPLIT ON A ROCK, to meet some unforeseen and disastrous difficulty, to go to ruin; SPLIT ONE'S SIDES, to laugh immoderately; SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE, to divide equally the sum or matter in dispute, to take the mean. [Scand., Dan. _splitte_, to split; Dut. _splijten_; Ger. _spleissen_.]
SPLORE, spl[=o]r, _n._ (_Scot._) a frolic, a spree.
SPLOTCH, sploch, _n._ a large spot, a stain.--_adj._ SPLOTCH'Y.
SPLURGE, splurj, _n._ any boisterous display.--_v.i._ to make such a display.--_adj._ SPLUR'GY, given to such.
SPLUTTER, splut'[.e]r, _v.i._ to eject drops of saliva while speaking: to scatter ink upon a paper, as a bad pen.--_n._ bustle.--_n._ SPLUTT'ERER, one who splutters. [For _sprutter_, a freq. of _sprout_, orig. form of _spout_.]
SPODIUM, sp[=o]'di-um, _n._ a powder obtained from calcination, as ivory-black, &c.--_n._ SPODE, animal or bone charcoal, of which ornaments may be made.
SPODOGENOUS, sp[=o]-doj'e-nus, _adj._ caused by waste-products, applied esp. to an enlargement of the spleen caused by waste red blood-corpuscles.
[Gr. _spodos_, ashes, _gen[=e]s_, producing.]
SPODOMANCY, spod'[=o]-man-si, _n._ divination by means of ashes.--_adj._ SPODOMAN'TIC. [Gr. _spodos_, ashes, _manteia_, divination.]
SPODUMENE, spod'[=u]-m[=e]n, _n._ a silicate of aluminium and lithium. [Gr.
_spodoun_, to burn to ashes, _spodos_, ashes.]
SPOFFISH, spof'ish, _adj._ fussy, officious--also SPOFF'Y.--_v.i._ SPOFF'LE, to fuss or bustle.
SPOIL, spoil, _v.t._ to take by force: to plunder.--_v.i._ to practise robbery.--_n._ prey, plunder: pillage: robbery.--_n._ SPOIL'ER, one who spoils, a plunderer.--_n.pl._ SP[=O]'LIA OP[=I]'MA, the most valued spoils--taken by a Roman commander from the enemy's commander in single combat; hence supreme rewards or honours generally. [O. Fr. _espoille_--L.
_spolium_, spoil.]
SPOIL, spoil, _v.t._ to corrupt: to mar: to make useless.--_v.i._ to decay: to become useless.--_ns._ SPOIL'ER, a corrupter; SPOIL'-FIVE, a round game of cards played with the whole pack, each one of the three to ten players receiving five cards.--_adj._ SPOIL'FUL (_Spens._), wasteful, rapacious.--_n._ SPOILS'MAN, one who looks for profit out of politics.
[Same as above word.]
SPOKE, sp[=o]k, _pa.t._ of _speak_.
SPOKE, sp[=o]k, _n._ one of the bars from the nave to the rim of a wheel.--PUT A SPOKE IN ONE'S WHEEL, to thwart a person by some impediment.
[A.S. _spaca_; Dut. _speek_, Ger. _speiche_.]
SPOKEN, sp[=o]k'n, _pa.p._ of _speak_, used as _adj._ in 'civil-spoken,'
&c.
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SPOKESHAVE, sp[=o]k'sh[=a]v, _n._ a carpenter's tool having a plane-bit between two bandies for curved work, &c.
SPOKESMAN, sp[=o]ks'man, _n._ one who speaks for another, or for others, an advocate.
SPOLE, sp[=o]l, _n._ the small wheel near the distaff in the spinning-wheel. [A variant of _spool_.]
SPOLIATE, sp[=o]'li-[=a]t, _v.t._ to spoil, to plunder, to pillage.--_v.i._ to practise robbery.--_ns._ SP[=O]'LIARY, the place in a Roman amphitheatre where the bodies of slaughtered gladiators were dragged to be stripped; SPOLI[=A]'TION, act of spoiling: robbery.--_adj._ SP[=O]'LI[=A]TIVE, serving to take away or diminish.--_n._ SP[=O]'LI[=A]TOR, one who spoliates.--_adj._ SP[=O]'LI[=A]TORY, tending to spoil: destructive.--_n._ SP[=O]'LIUM, the property of a beneficed ecclesiastic not transmissible by will. [L. _spoliatus_, _pa.p._ of _spoli[=a]re_--_spolium_, spoil.]
SPONDEE, spon'd[=e], _n._ in classical poetry, a foot of two long syllables, as _f[=a]t[=o]_.--_adjs._ SPOND[=A]'IC, -AL, pertaining to, or consisting of, spondees. [Fr.,--L. _spond[=e]us_ (_pes_)--Gr. _spondeios_ (_pous_), (a foot) of two syllables, so called because much used in the slow solemn hymns sung at a _spond[=e]_ or drink-offering--_spendein_, to pour out, make a libation.]
SPONDYL, -E, spon'dil, _n._ a joint, joining.--_ns._ SPONDYLAL'GIA, pain in the spine; SPONDYL[=I]'TIS, arthritis of a vertebra.--_adj._ SPON'DYLOUS, vertebral. [Gr. _spondylos_, a joint.]
SPONGE, spunj, _n._ a fixed, usually marine, animal with pores in the body-wall and without tentacles: the fibrous framework of such, remarkable for its power of sucking up water: any sponge-like substance, as dough before it is kneaded and formed: any cringing hanger-on or parasite, a drunken fellow: an instrument for cleaning cannon after a discharge: the heel of a horse's shoe.--_v.t._ to wipe with a sponge: to wipe out, absorb up, with a sponge: to wipe out completely: to destroy.--_v.i._ to suck in, as a sponge: to gain by mean tricks, to live on others by some mean subterfuge or other.--_ns._ SPONGE'CAKE, a very light sweet cake of flour, eggs, and sugar; SPONGE'LET, a little sponge.--_adjs._ SPONGE'OUS, SPON'GI[=O]SE, SPONGIOLIT'IC.--_n._ SPONG'ER, one who uses a sponge: a person or vessel engaged in fishing for sponges: an apparatus for sponging cloth by means of a perforated adjustable cylinder: a sponge or parasite.--_adjs._ SPONGIC'OLOUS, inhabiting sponges; SPONG'IFORM, resembling a sponge: porous.--_ns._ SPONG'INESS, porous quality; SPONG'ING-HOUSE, a bailiff's lodging-house for debtors in his custody before their committal to prison; SPON'GI[=O]LE, the spongy tissue of a root-tip; SPON'GIOLITE, a fossil sponge spicule.--_adj._ SPONGOID (spong'goid).--_ns._ SPONGOLOGIST (spong-gol'[=o]-jist), one devoted to the study of sponges; SPONGOLOGY (spong-gol'[=o]-ji), the knowledge about sponges.--_adj._ SPONG'Y, like a sponge, absorptive: of open texture, porous: wet and soft: drunken.--SET A SPONGE, to leaven a small mass of dough with which to leaven a large quantity; THROW UP THE SPONGE, to acknowledge defeat by throwing into the air the sponge with which a boxer is rubbed down between rounds: to give up any contest. [O. Fr.
_esponge_--L. _spongia_--Gr. _sponggia_.]
SPONSAL, spon'sal, _adj._ pertaining to a betrothal, a marriage, or a spouse.--_n._ SPON'SION, the act of becoming surety for another.--_adj._ SPON'SIONAL. [L.,--_spond[=e]re_, _sponsum_, to promise.]
SPONSIBLE, spon'si-bl, _adj._ (_Scot._) reliable: respectable.
SPONSON, spon'son, _n._ the curve of the timbers and planking towards the outer part of the wing, before and abaft each of the paddle-boxes of a steamer.--Also SPON'SING. [Ety. dub.]
SPONSOR, spon'sur, _n._ one who promises solemnly for another: a surety: a godfather or godmother.--_adj._ SPONS[=O]'RIAL.--_n._ SPON'SORSHIP.
[L.,--_spond[=e]re_, _sponsum_, to promise.]
SPONTANEOUS, spon-t[=a]'n[=e]-us, _adj._ of one's free-will: involuntary: acting by its own impulse or natural law: produced of itself or without interference.--_ns._ SPONTAN[=E]'ITY, SPONT[=A]'NEOUSNESS, the state or quality of being spontaneous.--_adv._ SPONT[=A]'NEOUSLY.--SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION, a phenomenon that occasionally manifests itself in mineral and organic substances; SPONTANEOUS GENERATION, a term applied to the real or imaginary development of lowly organisms from non-living matter. [L.
_spontaneus_--_sponte_, of one's own accord.]
SPONTOON, spon-t[=oo]n', _n._ a weapon somewhat like a halberd, which used to be carried by certain officers of foot. [Fr. _sponton_--It.
_spontone_--_spuntare_, to break off the point--_puntone_--_punto_, a point--L. _pung[)e]re_, _punctum_, to point.]
SPOOK, sp[=oo]k, _n._ a ghost.--_v.i._ to play the spook.--_adjs._ SPOOK'ISH, SPOOK'Y, like a ghost, haunted by ghosts: sensitive to the dread of ghosts, suggesting the presence of ghosts. [Dut. _spook_; Ger. (obs.) _spuch_, Sw. _spoke_; not related to _puck_.]
SPOOL, sp[=oo]l, _n._ a hollow cylinder for winding yarn, &c., upon.--_v.t._ to wind on spools. [Low Ger. _spole_, Dut. _spoel_; Ger.
_spule_.]
SPOOM, sp[=oo]m, _v.i._ to scud before the wind.--_adj._ SPOOM'ING (_Keats_), foaming.
SPOON, sp[=oo]n, _n._ an instrument with a shallow bowl and handle for use in preparing, serving, or in eating food: anything like a spoon or its bowl, as an oar: in golf, a wooden-headed club of varying length, having the face more or less spooned, used in approaching the holes from varying distances.--_v.t._ to use a spoon upon: to lie spoon fashion with.--_v.i._ to fish with a spoon-hook: in croquet, to shove or scoop with the mallet: to be foolishly fond, to indulge in endearments openly.--_ns._ SPOON'-BAIT, a revolving metallic lure attached to a fishing-line by a swivel, used in trolling for fish; SPOON'BILL, a family of birds (_Plataleidae_) allied to the _Ibididae_, and more distantly to the storks, with a bill long, flat, and broad throughout, and much dilated in a spoon form at the tip; SPOON'-DRIFT, light spray borne on a gale; SPOON'FUL, as much as fills a spoon: a small quantity:--_pl._ SPOON'FULS.--_adv._ SPOON'ILY, in a spoony or silly way.--_n._ SPOON'MEAT, food taken with a spoon, such as is given to young children.--_adv._ SPOON'WAYS, applied to a way of packing slaves in ships very closely together.--_adjs._ SPOON'Y, SPOON'EY, silly, weakly affectionate, foolishly fond.--_n._ a simple fellow: one foolishly fond of a sweetheart.--APOSTLE SPOON (see APOSTLE); DESSERT-SPOON (see DESSERT); EUCHARISTIC SPOON, the cochlear or labis; TABLESPOON (see TABLE).--BE SPOONS ON, to be silly in the manifestation of one's love for a woman.
[A.S. _spon_; Ger. _span_, a chip, Ice. _spann_, a chip, a spoon.]