Chapter 1604

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 <Xpage=1391>

Spon*ta"ne*ous (?) , a. [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.

Spontoon <Xpage=1391>

Spon*toon" (?) , n. [F. sponton , esponton , it. spontone , spuntone .] (Mil.) A kind of half-pike, or halberd, formerly borne by inferior officers of the British infantry, and used in giving signals to the soldiers.

Spook <Xpage=1391>

Spook (?) , n. [D. spook ; akin to G. spuk , Sw. sp\'94ke , Dan. sp\'94gelse a specter, sp\'94ge to play, sport, joke, sp\'94g a play, joke.] 1. A spirit; a ghost; an apparition; a hobgoblin. [Written also spuke .]

Ld. Lytton.

2. (Zo\'94l.) The chim\'91ra.

Spool <Xpage=1391>

Spool (?) , n. [OE. spole , OD. spoele , D. spoel ; akin to G. spule , OHG . spuola , Dan. & Sw. spole .] A piece of cane or red with a knot at each end, or a hollow cylinder of wood with a ridge at each end, used to wind thread or yarn upon.

Spool stand , an article holding spools of thread, turning on pins, -- used by women at their work.

Spool <Xpage=1391>

Spool , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Spooled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Spooling .] To wind on a spool or spools.

Spooler <Xpage=1391>

Spool"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, spools.

Spoom <Xpage=1391>

Spoom (?) , v. i. [Probably fr. spum foam. See Spume .] (Naut.) To be driven steadily and swiftly, as before a strong wind; to be driven before the wind without any sail, or with only a part of the sails spread; to scud under bare poles. [Written also spoon .]

When virtue spooms before a prosperous gale, My heaving wishes help to fill the sail. Dryden.

Spoon <Xpage=1391>

Spoon (?) , v. i. (Naut.) See Spoom . [Obs.]

We might have spooned before the wind as well as they. Pepys.

Spoon <Xpage=1391>

Spoon , n. [OE. spon , AS. sp<?/n , a chip; akin to D. spaan , G. span , Dan. spaan , Sw. sp\'86n , Icel. sp\'a0nn , sp\'a2nn , a chip, a spoon. &root;170. Cf. Span-new .] 1. An implement consisting of a small bowl (usually a shallow oval) with a handle, used especially in preparing or eating food.

"Therefore behoveth him a full long spoon That shall eat with a fiend," thus heard I say. Chaucer.

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

2. Anything which resembles a spoon in shape; esp. (Fishing) , a spoon bait.

3. Fig.: A simpleton; a spooney. [Slang]

Hood.

Spoon bait (Fishing) , a lure used in trolling, consisting of a glistening metallic plate shaped like the bowl of a spoon with a fishhook attached. -- Spoon bit , a bit for boring, hollowed or furrowed along one side. -- Spoon net , a net for landing fish. -- Spoon oar . see under Oar .

Spoon <Xpage=1391>

Spoon , v. t. To take up in, a spoon.

Spoon <Xpage=1391>

Spoon , v. i. To act with demonstrative or foolish fondness, as one in love. [Colloq.]

Spoonbill <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"bill` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) (a) Any one of several species of wading birds of the genera Ajaja and Platalea , and allied genera, in which the long bill is broadly expanded and flattened at the tip.

&hand; The roseate spoonbill of America ( Ajaja ajaja ), and the European spoonbill ( Platalea leucorodia ) are the best known. The royal spoonbill ( P. regia ) of Australia is white, with the skin in front of the eyes naked and black. The male in the breeding season has a fine crest.

(b) The shoveler. See Shoveler , 2. (c) The ruddy duck. See under Ruddy . (d) The paddlefish .

Spoon-billed <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"-billed` (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Having the bill expanded and spatulate at the end.

Spoondrift <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"drift (?) , n. [ Spoom + drift .] Spray blown from the tops waves during a gale at sea; also, snow driven in the wind at sea; -- written also spindrift .

Spooney <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"ey (?) , a. Weak-minded; demonstratively fond; as, spooney lovers . [Spelt also spoony. ] [Colloq.]

Spooney <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"ey , n. ; pl. Spooneye (<?/) . A weak-minded or silly person; one who is foolishly fond. [Colloq.]

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

Spoonful <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"ful (?) , n. ; pl. Spoonfuls (<?/) . 1. The quantity which a spoon contains, or is able to contain; as, a tea spoonful ; a table spoonful .

2. Hence, a small quantity.

Arbuthnot.

Spoonily <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"i*ly (?) , adv. In a spoony manner.

Spoon-meat <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"-meat` (?) , n. Food that is, or must be, taken with a spoon; liquid food. "Diet most upon spoon-meats ."

Harvey.

Spoonwood <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"wood` (?) , n. (Bot.) The mountain laurel ( Kalmia latifolia ).

Spoonworm <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"worm` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A gephyrean worm of the genus Thalassema , having a spoonlike probiscis.

Spoonwort <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"wort` (?) , n. (Bot.) Scurvy grass.

Spoony <Xpage=1391>

Spoon"y (?) , a. & n. Same as Spooney .

Spoor <Xpage=1391>

Spoor (?) , n. [D. spoor ; akin to AS. spor , G. spur , and from the root of E. spur . &root;171. See Spur .] The track or trail of any wild animal; as, the spoor of an elephant; -- used originally by travelers in South Africa .

Spoor <Xpage=1391>

Spoor , v. i. To follow a spoor or trail. [R.]

Sporades <Xpage=1391>

Spor"a*des (?) , n. pl. [L., fr. Gr. spora`des . Cf. Sporadic .] (Astron.) Stars not included in any constellation; -- called also informed , or unformed , stars.

Sporadial <Xpage=1391>

Spo*ra"di*al (?) , a. Sporadic. [R.]

Sporadic <Xpage=1391>

Spo*rad"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ scattered, fr. <?/, <?/, scattered, fr. <?/ to sow seed, to scatter like seed: cf. F. sporadique . See Spore .] Occuring singly, or apart from other things of the same kind, or in scattered instances; separate; single; as, a sporadic fireball; a sporadic case of disease; a sporadic example of a flower.

Sporadic disease (Med.) , a disease which occurs in single and scattered cases. See the Note under Endemic , a.

Sporadical <Xpage=1391>

Spo*rad"ic*al (?) , a. Sporadic.

Sporadically <Xpage=1391>

Spo*rad"ic*al*ly , adv. In a sporadic manner.

Sporangiophore <Xpage=1391>

Spo*ran"gi*o*phore (?) , n. [ Sporangium + Gr. <?/ to bear.] (Bot.) The axis or receptacle in certain ferns (as Trichomanes ), which bears the sporangia.

Sporangium <Xpage=1391>

Spo*ran"gi*um (?) , n. ; pl. Sporangia (#) . [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ a sowing, seed + <?/ a receptacle.] (Bot.) A spore case in the cryptogamous plants, as in ferns, etc.

Spore <Xpage=1391>

Spore (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ a sowing, seed, from <?/ to sow. Cf. Sperm .] 1. (Bot.) (a) One of the minute grains in flowerless plants, which are analogous to seeds, as serving to reproduce the species.

&hand; Spores are produced differently in the different classes of cryptogamous plants, and as regards their nature are often so unlike that they have only their minuteness in common. The peculiar spores of diatoms (called auxospores ) increase in size, and at length acquire a siliceous coating, thus becoming new diatoms of full size. Compare Macrospore , Microspore , O\'94spore , Restingspore , Sph\'91rospore , Swarmspore , Tetraspore , Zo\'94spore , and Zygospore .

(b) An embryo sac or embryonal vesicle in the ovules of flowering plants .

2. (Biol.) (a) A minute grain or germ; a small, round or ovoid body, formed in certain organisms, and by germination giving rise to a new organism; as, the reproductive spores of bacteria, etc. (b) One of the parts formed by fission in certain Protozoa. See Spore formation , belw.

Spore formation . (a) (Biol) A mode of reproduction resembling multitude fission, common among Protozoa, in which the organism breaks up into a number of pieces, or spores, each of which eventually develops into an organism like the parent form. Balfour. (b) The formation of reproductive cells or spores, as in the growth of bacilli.

Sporid <Xpage=1391>

Spo"rid (?) , n. (Bot.) A sporidium.

Lindley.

Sporidiferous <Xpage=1391>

Spo`ri*dif"er*ous (?) , a. [ Sporidium + -ferous .] (Bot.) Bearing sporidia.

Sporidium <Xpage=1391>

Spo*rid"i*um (?) , n. ; pl. Sporidia (#) . [NL. See Spore .] (Bot.) (a) A secondary spore, or a filament produced from a spore, in certain kinds of minute fungi. (b) A spore.

Sporiferous <Xpage=1391>

Spo*rif"er*ous (?) , a. [ Spore + -ferous .] (Biol.) Bearing or producing spores.

Sporification <Xpage=1391>

Spo`ri*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [ Spore + L. -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy .] (Biol.) Spore formation. See Spore formation (b) , under Spore .

Sporocarp <Xpage=1391>

Spo"ro*carp (?) , n. [ Spore + Gr. <?/ fruit.] (Bot.) (a) A closed body or conceptacle containing one or more masses of spores or sporangia. (b) A sporangium.

Sporocyst <Xpage=1391>

Spo"ro*cyst (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ seed + <?/ bladder.] 1. (Zo\'94l.) An asexual zooid, usually forming one of a series of larval forms in the agamic reproduction of various trematodes and other parasitic worms. The sporocyst generally develops from an egg, but in its turn produces other larv\'91 by internal budding, or by the subdivision of a part or all of its contents into a number of minute germs. See Redia .

2. (Zo\'94l.) Any protozoan when it becomes encysted produces germs by sporulation.

Sporogenesis <Xpage=1391>

Spo`ro*gen"e*sis (?) , n. [ Spore + genesis .] (Biol.) reproduction by spores.

Sporogony <Xpage=1391>

Spo*rog"o*ny (?) , n. [ Spore + root of Gr. <?/ to be born.] (Zo\'94l.) The growth or development of an animal or a zooid from a nonsexual germ.

Sporophore <Xpage=1391>

Spo"ro*phore (?) , n. [ Spore + Gr. <?/ to bear.] (Bot.) (a) A placenta. (b) That alternately produced form of certain cryptogamous plants, as ferns, mosses, and the like, which is nonsexual, but produces spores in countless numbers. In ferns it is the leafy plant, in mosses the capsule. Cf. O\'94phore .

Sporophoric <Xpage=1391>

Spo`ro*phor"ic (?) , a. (Bot.) Having the nature of a sporophore.

<page="1392"> Page 1392

Sporosac <Xpage=1392>

Spo"ro*sac (?) , n. [ Spore + sac.] (Zo\'94l.) (a) A hydrozoan reproductive zooid or gonophore which does not become medusoid in form or structure. See Illust . under Athecata . (b) An early or simple larval stage of trematode worms and some other invertebrates, which is capable or reproducing other germs by asexual generation; a nurse; a redia.

Sporozoa <Xpage=1392>

Spo`ro*zo"a (?) , n. pl. [NL., from Gr. a spore + <?/ an animal.] (Zo\'94l.) An extensive division of parasitic Protozoa, which increase by sporulation. It includes the Gregarinida.

Sporozoid <Xpage=1392>

Spo`ro*zo"id (?) , n. [ Spore + Gr . <?/ an animal .] (Bot.) Same as Zo\'94spore .

Sporran <Xpage=1392>

Spor"ran (?) , n. [Gael. sporan .] A large purse or pouch made of skin with the hair or fur on, worn in front of the kilt by Highlanders when in full dress.

Sport <Xpage=1392>

Sport (?) , n. [Abbreviated frm disport .] 1. That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement.

It is as sport a fool do mischief. prov. x. 23.

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

Think it but a minute spent in sport . Shak.

2. Mock; mockery; contemptuous mirth; derision.

Then make sport at me; then let me be your jest.Shak.

3. That with which one plays, or which is driven about in play; a toy; a plaything; an object of mockery.

Flitting leaves, the sport of every wind. Dryden.

Never does man appear to greater disadvantage than when he is the sport of his own ungoverned pasions. John Clarke.

4. Play; idle jingle.

An author who should introduce such a sport of words upon our stage would meet with small applause. Broome.

5. Diversion of the field, as fowling, hunting, fishing, racing, games, and the like, esp. when money is staked.

6. (Bot. & Zo\'94l.) A plant or an animal, or part of a plant or animal, which has some peculiarity not usually seen in the species; an abnormal variety or growth. See Sporting plant , under Sporting .

7. A sportsman; a gambler. [Slang]

In sport , in jest; for play or diversion. "So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in sport ?"

Prov. xxvi. 19.

Syn. -- Play; game; diversion; frolic; mirth; mock; mockery; jeer.

Sport <Xpage=1392>

Sport , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sported ; p. pr. & vb. n. Sporting .] 1. To play; to frolic; to wanton.

[Fish], sporting with quick glance, Show to the sun their waved coats dropt with gold. Milton.

2. To practice the diversions of the field or the turf; to be given to betting, as upon races.

3. To trifle. "He sports with his own life."

Tillotson.

4. (Bot. & Zo\'94l.) To assume suddenly a new and different character from the rest of the plant or from the type of the species; -- said of a bud, shoot, plant, or animal. See Sport , n. , 6.

Darwin.

Syn. -- To play; frolic; game; wanton.

Sport <Xpage=1392>

Sport , v. t. 1. To divert; to amuse; to make merry; -- used with the reciprocal pronoun.

Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Isa. lvii. 4.

2. To represent by any knd of play.

Now sporting on thy lyre the loves of youth. Dryden.

3. To exhibit, or bring out, in public; to use or wear; as, to sport a new equipage . [Colloq.]

Grose.

4. To give utterance to in a sportive manner; to throw out in an easy and copious manner; -- with off ; as, to sport off epigrams .

Addison.

To sport one's oak . See under Oak , n.

Sportability <Xpage=1392>

Sport`a*bil"i*ty (?) , n. Sportiveness. [Obs.]

Sportal <Xpage=1392>

Sport"al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to sports; used in sports. [R.] " Sportal arms."

Dryden.

Sporter <Xpage=1392>

Sport"er (?) , n. One who sports; a sportsman.

As this gentleman and I have been old fellow sporters , I have a frienship for him. Goldsmith.

Sportful <Xpage=1392>

Sport"ful (?) , a. 1. Full of sport; merry; frolicsome; full of jesting; indulging in mirth or play; playful; wanton; as, a sportful companion .

Down he alights among the sportful herd. Milton.

2. Done in jest, or for mere play; sportive.

They are no sportful productions of the soil. Bentley.

-- Sport"ful*ly , adv. -- Sport"ful*ness , n.

Sporting <Xpage=1392>

Sport"ing , a. Of pertaining to, or engaging in, sport or sporrts; exhibiting the character or conduct of one who, or that which, sports.

Sporting book , a book containing a record of bets, gambling operations, and the like. C. Kingsley. -- Sporting house , a house frequented by sportsmen, gamblers, and the like. -- Sporting man , one who practices field sports; also, a horse racer, a pugilist, a gambler, or the like. -- Sporting plant (Bot.) , a plant in which a single bud or offset suddenly assumes a new, and sometimes very different, character from that of the rest of the plant. Darwin.

Sportingly <Xpage=1392>

Sport"ing*ly , adv. In sport; sportively.

The question you there put, you do it, I suppose, but sportingly . Hammond.

Sportive <Xpage=1392>