Chapter 1595

Nothing new hass happened in this quarter, except the setting in of a severe spell of cold weather. Washington.

3. One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells. [R.]

Their toil is so extreme that they can not endure it above four hours in a day, but are succeeded by spells . Garew.

4. A gratuitous helping forward of another's work; as, a logging spell . [Local, U.S.]

Spell <Xpage=1382>

Spell (?) , n. [AS. spell a saying, tale, speech; akin to OS. & OHG. spel , Icel. spjall ,Goth. spill . Cf. Gospel , Spell to tell the letters of.] 1. A story; a tale. [Obs.] "Hearken to my spell ."

Chaucer.

2. A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm.

Start not; her actions shall be holy as You hear my spell is lawful. Shak.

Spell <Xpage=1382>

Spell , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spelled (<?/) or Spelt (<?/) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling .] [OE. spellen , spellien , tell, relate, AS. spellian , fr. spell a saying, tale; akin to MHG. spellen to relate, Goth. spill<?/n .e Spell a tale. In sense 4 and those following, OE. spellen , perhaps originally a different word, and from or influenced by spell a splinter, from the use of a piece of wood to point to the letters in schools: cf. D. spellen to spell. Cf. Spell splinter.] 1. To tell; to relate; to teach. [Obs.]

Might I that legend find, By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes. T. Warton.

2. To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm. " Spelled with words of power."

Dryden.

He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot. Sir G. Buck.

3. To constitute; to measure. [Obs.]

The Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect. Fuller.

4. To tell or name in their proper order letters of, as a word; to write or print in order the letters of, esp. the proper letters; to form, as words, by correct orthography.

The word "satire" ought to be spelled with i , and not with y . Dryden.

5. To discover by characters or marks; to read with difficulty; -- usually with out ; as, to spell out the sense of an author; to spell out a verse in the Bible.

To spell out a God in the works of creation. South.

To sit spelling and observing divine justice upon every accident. Milton.

Spell <Xpage=1382>

Spell , v. i. 1. To form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally or in writing.

When what small knowledge was, in them did dwell, And he a god, who could but read or spell . Dryden.

2. To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study. [Obs.]

Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew. Milton.

Spellable <Xpage=1382>

Spell"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being spelt.

Carlyle.

Spellbound <Xpage=1382>

Spell"bound` (?) , a. Bound by, or as by, a spell.

Speller <Xpage=1382>

Spell"er (?) , n. 1. One who spells.

2. A spelling book. [U. S.]

Spellful <Xpage=1382>

Spell"ful (?) , a. Abounding in spells, or charms.

Here, while his eyes the learned leaves peruse, Each spellful mystery explained he views. Hoole.

Spelling <Xpage=1382>

Spell"ing , n. The act of one who spells; formation of words by letters; orthography.

Spelling <Xpage=1382>

Spell"ing , a. Of or pertaining to spelling.

Spelling bee , a spelling match. [U.S.] -- Spelling book , a book with exercises for teaching children to spell; a speller. -- Spelling match , a contest of skill in spelling words, between two or more persons.

Spellken <Xpage=1382>

Spell"ken (?) , n. A theater. [Slang]

Byron.

Spellwork <Xpage=1382>

Spell"work` (?) , n. Power or effect of magic; that which is wrought by magic; enchantment.

Like those Peri isles of light That hang by spellwork in the air. Moore.

Spelt <Xpage=1382>

Spelt (?) , imp. & p. p. of Spell . Spelled.

Spelt <Xpage=1382>

Spelt , n. [AS. spelt , fr. L. spelta .] (Bot.) A species of grain ( Triticum Spelta ) much cultivated for food in Germany and Switzerland; -- called also German wheat .

Spelt <Xpage=1382>

Spelt , n. [See Spalt .] (Metal.) Spelter. [Colloq.]

Spelt <Xpage=1382>

Spelt , v. t. & i. [See Spell a splinter.] To split; to break; to spalt. [Obs.]

Mortimer.

Spelter <Xpage=1382>

Spel"ter (?) , n. [Cf. LG. spialter , G. & D. spiauter . Cf. Pewter .] (Metal.) Zinc; -- especially so called in commerce and arts.

Spelunc <Xpage=1382>

Spe*lunc" (?) , n. [L. spelunca cave.] A cavern; a cave. [Obs.]

Piers Plowman.

Spence <Xpage=1382>

Spence (?) , n. [OF. despense , F. d\'82pense , buffet, buttery, fr. OF. despendre to spend, distribute, L. dispendere , dispensum . See Dispense , Spend .] 1. A place where provisions are kept; a buttery; a larder; a pantry. <-- Chiefly Brit. dial. [MW10] -->

In . . . his spence , or "pantry" were hung the carcasses of a sheep or ewe, and two cows lately slaughtered. Sir W. Scott.

Bluff Harry broke into the spence , And turned the cowls adrift. Tennyson.

2. The inner apartment of a country house; also, the place where the family sit and eat. [Scot.]

Jamieson.

Spencer <Xpage=1382>

Spen"cer (?) , n. [OF. despensier . See Spence , and cf. Dispenser .] One who has the care of the spence, or buttery. [Obs.]

Promptorium Parvulorum.

Spencer <Xpage=1382>

Spen"cer , n. [From the third Earl Spencer , who first wore it, or brought it into fashion.] A short jacket worn by men and by women.

Ld. Lutton.

Spencer <Xpage=1382>

Spen"cer , n. (Naut.) A fore-and-aft sail, abaft the foremast or the mainmast, hoisted upon a small supplementary mast and set with a gaff and no boom; a trysail carried at the foremast or mainmast; -- named after its inventor, Knight Spencer , of England [1802].

Spencer mast , a small mast just abaft the foremast or mainmast, for hoisting the spencer. R. H. Dana, Jr.

Spend <Xpage=1382>

Spend (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spent (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Spending .] [AS. spendan (in comp.), fr. L. expendere or dispendere to weigh out, to expend, dispense. See Pendant , and cf. Dispend , Expend , Spence , Spencer .] 1. To weigh or lay out; to dispose of; to part with; as, to spend money for clothing .

Spend thou that in the town. Shak.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? Isa. lv. 2.

<page="1383"> Page 1383

2. To bestow; to employ; -- often with on or upon .

I . . . am never loath To spend my judgment. Herbert.

3. To consume; to waste; to squander; to exhaust; as, to spend an estate in gaming or other vices .

4. To pass, as time; to suffer to pass away; as, to spend a day idly; to spend winter abroad .

We spend our years as a tale that is told. Ps. xc. 9.

5. To exhaust of force or strength; to waste; to wear away; as, the violence of the waves was spent .

Their bodies spent with long labor and thirst. Knolles.

Spend <Xpage=1383>

Spend (?) , v. i. 1. To expend money or any other possession; to consume, use, waste, or part with, anything; as, he who gets easily spends freely .

He spends as a person who knows that he must come to a reckoning. South.

2. To waste or wear away; to be consumed; to lose force or strength; to vanish; as, energy spends in the using of it .

The sound spendeth and is dissipated in the open air. Bacon.

3. To be diffused; to spread.

The vines that they use for wine are so often cut, that their sap spendeth into the grapes. Bacon.

4. (Mining) To break ground; to continue working.

Spender <Xpage=1383>

Spen"der (?) , n. One who spends; esp., one who spends lavishly; a prodigal; a spendthrift.

Spending <Xpage=1383>

Spend"ing , n. The act of expending; expenditure.

Spending money , money set apart for extra (not necessary) personal expenses; pocket money. [Colloq.]

Spendthrift <Xpage=1383>

Spend"thrift` (?) , n. One who spends money profusely or improvidently; a prodigal; one who lavishes or wastes his estate. Also used figuratively.

A woman who was a generous spendthrift of life. Mrs. R. H. Davis.

Spendthrift <Xpage=1383>

Spend"thrift , a. Prodigal; extravagant; wasteful.

Spendthrifty <Xpage=1383>

Spend"thrift`y (?) , a. Spendthrift; prodigal. [R.]

Spenserian <Xpage=1383>

Spen*se"ri*an (?) , a. Of or pertaining to the English poet Spenser ; -- specifically applied to the stanza used in his poem "The Fa\'89rie Queene."

Spent <Xpage=1383>

Spent (?) , a. 1. Exhausted; worn out; having lost energy or motive force.

Now thou seest me Spent , overpowered, despairing of success. Addison.

Heaps of spent arrows fall and strew the ground. Dryden.

2. (Zo\'94l.) Exhausted of spawn or sperm; -- said especially of fishes.

Spent ball , a ball shot from a firearm, which reaches an object without having sufficient force to penetrate it.

Sper, Sperre <Xpage=1383>

Sper (?) , Sperre , v. t. [See Spar bar.] To shut in; to support; to inclose; to fasten. [Obs.] "To sperre the gate."

Spenser.

Sperable <Xpage=1383>

Spe"ra*ble (?) , a. [L. spearabilis , fr. sperare to hope.] Within the range of hpe; proper to be hoped for. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Sperable <Xpage=1383>

Sper"a*ble (?) , n. See Sperable .

Sperage <Xpage=1383>

Sper"age (?) , n. Asperagus. [Obs.]

Sylvester.

Sperate <Xpage=1383>

Spe"rate (?) , a. [L. speratus , p. p. of sperare to hope.] Hoped for, or to be hoped for. [R.]

Bouvier.

Spere <Xpage=1383>

Spere (?) , v. i. [AS. spyrian to inquire, properly, to follow the track; akin to D. speuren , G. sp\'81ren , Icel. spyrja . &root;171. See Spoor.] To search; to pry; to ask; to inquire. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] [Written also speer , speir .]

Jamieson.

Spere <Xpage=1383>

Spere , n. [See Sphere .] A sphere. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Sperge <Xpage=1383>

Sperge (?) , n. (Distilling) A charge of wash for the still.

Knight.

Sperling <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ling (?) , n. [See Sparling .] (Zo\'94l.) (a) A smelt; a sparling. [Prov. Eng.] (b) A young herring. [Local, U.S.]

Sperm <Xpage=1383>

Sperm (?) , n. [F. sperme , L. sperma , Gr. <?/<?/<?/, <?/<?/<?/, from <?/<?/<?/<?/ to sow. Cf. Spore .] (Physiol.) The male fecundating fluid; semen. See Semen .

Sperm cell (Physiol.) , one of the cells from which the spermatozoids are developed. -- Sperm morula . (Biol.) Same as Spermosphere .

Sperm <Xpage=1383>

Sperm , n. [Contr. fr. spermaceti .] Spermaceti.

Sperm oil , a fatty oil found as a liquid, with spermaceti, in the head cavities of the sperm whale. -- Sperm whale . (Zo\'94l.) See in the Vocabulary.

Spermaceti <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*ce"ti (?) , n. [L. sperma sperm + cetus ,gen. ceti , any large sea animal, a whale, Gr. <?/<?/<?/. See Sperm , Cetaceous .] A white waxy substance obtained from cavities in the head of the sperm whale, and used making candles, oilments, cosmetics, etc. It consists essentially of ethereal salts of palmitic acid with ethal and other hydrocarbon bases. The substance of spermaceti after the removal of certain impurities is sometimes called cetin .

Spermaceti whale (Zo\'94l.) , the sperm whale.

Spermalist <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mal*ist (?) , n. (Biol.) See Spermist .

Spermaphore <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*phore (?) , n. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/ sperm + <?/<?/<?/<?/ to bear.] (Bot.) That part of the ovary from which the ovules arise; the placenta.

Spermary <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*ry (?) , n. (Anat.) An organ in which spermatozoa are developed; a sperm gland; a testicle.

Spermatheca <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*the"ca (?) , n. ; pl. Spermathec\'91 (#) . [NL., from Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/ seed + <?/<?/<?/<?/ case, or receptacle.] (Zo\'94l.) A small sac connected with the female reproductive organs of insects and many other invertebrates, serving to receive and retain the spermatozoa.

Spermatic <Xpage=1383>

Sper*mat"ic (?) , a. [L. spermaticus , Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/: cf. F. spermatique . See Sperm .] (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to semen; as, the spermatic fluid, the spermatic vessels, etc.

Spermatic cord (Anat.) , the cord which suspends the testicle within the scrotum. It is made up of a connective tissue sheath inclosing the spermatic duct and accompanying vessels and nerves.

Spermatical <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mat"ic*al (?) , a. Spermatic.

Spermatin <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*tin (?) , n. (Physiol. Chem.) A substance allied to alkali albumin and to mucin, present in semen, to which it is said to impart the mucilaginous character.

Spermatism <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*tism (?) , n. (Physiol.) The emission of sperm, or semen.

Spermatium <Xpage=1383>

Sper*ma"ti*um (?) , n. ; pl. Spermatia (#) . [NL.] (Bot.) One of the motionless spermatozoids in the conceptacles of certain fungi.

J. H. Balfour.

Spermatize <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*tize (?) , v. i. [Gr. <?/<?/<?/. See Sperm .] To yield seed; to emit seed, or sperm. [Obs.]

Sir T. Browne.

Spermato-, Spermo- <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*to- (?) , Sper"mo- (?) . Combining forms from Gr. <?/<?/<?/, <?/<?/<?/, seed , sperm , semen (of plants or animals); as, spermato blast, spermo blast .

Spermatoblast <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*to*blast (?) , n. Same as Spermoblast .

Spermatocyte <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*to*cyte (?) , n. [ Spermato- + Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/ a hollow vessel.] (Physiol.) Same as Spermoblast .

Spermatogemma <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to*gem"ma (?) , n. [NL. See Spermato- , and Gemma .] (Physiol.) Same as Spermosphere .

Spermatogenesis <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to*gen"e*sis (?) , n. [ Spermato- + genesis .] (Biol.) The development of the spermatozoids.

Spermatogenetic <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to*ge*net"ic (?) , a. (Physiol.) Relating to, or connected with, spermatogenesis; as, spermatogenetic function .

Spermatogenous <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*tog"e*nous (?) , a. [ Spermato- + -genous .] (Physiol.) Sperm-producing.

Spermatogonium <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to*go"ni*um (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/, <?/<?/<?/, sperm + <?/<?/<?/ offspring.] (Physiol.) A primitive seminal cell, occuring in masses in the seminal tubules. It divides into a mass (spermosphere) of small cells (spermoblast), which in turn give rise to spermatozoids.

Spermatoid <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*toid (?) , a. [ Spermato- + -oid .] (Physiol.) Spermlike; resembling sperm, or semen.

Spermato\'94n <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to"\'94n (?) , n. ; pl. Spermatoa (#) . [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/, <?/<?/<?/, seed + <?/<?/<?/ an egg.] (Anat.) A spermoblast. -- Sper`ma*to"al (#) , a. Owen .

Spermatophore <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*to*phore (?) , n. [ Spermato- + Gr. <?/<?/<?/ to bear.] 1. (Physiol.) Same as Spermospore .

2. (Zo\'94l.) A capsule or pocket inclosing a number of spermatozoa. They are present in many annelids, brachiopods, mollusks, and crustaceans. In cephalopods the structure of the capsule is very complex.

Spermatophorous <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*toph"o*rous (?) , a. (Physiol.) Producing seed, or sperm; seminiferous; as, the so-called spermatophorous cells .

Spermatorrhea, Spermatorrh\'d2a <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*tor*rhe"a , Sper`ma*tor*rh\'d2"a , (<?/) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/, <?/<?/<?/, seed + <?/<?/<?/ to flow.] (Med.) Abnormally frequent involuntary emission of the semen without copulation.

Spermatospore <Xpage=1383>

Sper"ma*to*spore (?) , n. Same as Spermospore .

Spermatozoid <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to*zo"id (?) , n. [ Spermatozo\'94n + Gr. <?/<?/<?/ form.] (Biol.) The male germ cell in animals and plants, the essential element in fertilization; a microscopic animalcule-like particle, usually provided with one or more cilia by which it is capable of active motion. In animals, the familiar type is that of a small, more or less ovoid head, with a delicate threadlike cilium, or tail. Called also spermatozo\'94n . In plants the more usual term is antherozoid .

Spermatozooid <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to*zo"oid (?) n. (Biol.) A spermatozoid.

Spermatozo\'94n <Xpage=1383>

Sper`ma*to*zo"\'94n (?) , n. ; pl. Spermatozoa (#) . [NL., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/, sperm + <?/<?/<?/ an animal.] (Biol.) Same as Spermatozoid .

Spermic <Xpage=1383>

Sper"mic (?) , a. Of or pertaining to sperm, or semen.

Spermidium <Xpage=1383>

Sper*mid"i*um (?) , n. ; pl. Spermidia (#) . [Nl., fr. Gr. <?/<?/<?/<?/ seed.] (Bot.) An achenium.

Spermist <Xpage=1383>