Chapter 78

{ Spec`tro*scop"ic (?), Spec`tro*scop"ic*al (?) }, a. Of or pertaining to a spectroscope, or spectroscopy. -- Spec`tro*scop"ic*al*ly, adv.

Spec*tros"co*pist (? or ?), n. One who investigates by means of a spectroscope; one skilled in the use of the spectroscope.

Spec*tros"co*py (?), n. The use of the spectroscope; investigations made with the spectroscope.

Spec"trum (?), n.; pl. Spectra (#). [L. See Specter.] 1. An apparition; a specter. [Obs.]

2. (Opt.) (a) The several colored and other rays of which light is composed, separated by the refraction of a prism or other means, and observed or studied either as spread out on a screen, by direct vision, by photography, or otherwise. See Illust. of Light, and Spectroscope. (b) A luminous appearance, or an image seen after the eye has been exposed to an intense light or a strongly illuminated object. When the object is colored, the image appears of the complementary color, as a green image seen after viewing a red wafer lying on white paper. Called also ocular spectrum.

Absorption spectrum, the spectrum of light which has passed through a medium capable of absorbing a portion of the rays. It is characterized by dark spaces, bands, or lines. -- Chemical spectrum, a spectrum of rays considered solely with reference to their chemical effects, as in photography. These, in the usual photogrophic methods, have their maximum influence at and beyond the violet rays, but are not limited to this region. -- Chromatic spectrum, the visible colored rays of the solar spectrum, exhibiting the seven principal colors in their order, and covering the central and larger portion of the space of the whole spectrum. -- Continous spectrum, a spectrum not broken by bands or lines, but having the colors shaded into each other continously, as that from an incandescent solid or liquid, or a gas under high pressure. -- Diffraction spectrum, a spectrum produced by diffraction, as by a grating. -- Gaseous spectrum, the spectrum of an incandesoent gas or vapor, under moderate, or especially under very low, pressure. It is characterized by bright bands or lines. -- Normal spectrum, a representation of a spectrum arranged upon conventional plan adopted as standard, especially a spectrum in which the colors are spaced proportionally to their wave lengths, as when formed by a diffraction grating. -- Ocular spectrum. See Spectrum, 2 (b), above. -- Prismatic spectrum, a spectrum produced by means of a prism. -- Solar spectrum, the spectrum of solar light, especially as thrown upon a screen in a darkened room. It is characterized by numerous dark lines called Fraunhofer lines. -- Spectrum analysis, chemical analysis effected by comparison of the different relative positions and qualities of the fixed lines of spectra produced by flames in which different substances are burned or evaporated, each substance having its own characteristic system of lines. -- Thermal spectrum, a spectrum of rays considered solely with reference to their heating effect, especially of those rays which produce no luminous phenomena.

Spec"u*lar (?), a. [L. specularis (cf., from the same root, specula a lookout, watchtower): cf. F. spéculaire. See Speculum.] 1. Having the qualities of a speculum, or mirror; having a smooth, reflecting surface; as, a specular metal; a specular surface.

2. (Med.) Of or pertaining to a speculum; conducted with the aid of a speculum; as, a specular examination.

3. Assisting sight, as a lens or the like. [Obs.]

Thy specular orb Apply to well-dissected kernels; lo! In each observe the slender threads Of first-beginning trees.

J. Philips.

4. Affording view. [R.] "Look once more, ere we leave this specular mount." Milton.

Specular iron. (Min.) See Hematite.

Spec"u*late (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Speculated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Speculating.] [L. speculatus, p. p. of speculari to spy out, observe, fr. specula a lookout, fr. specere to look. See Spy.] 1. To consider by turning a subject in the mind, and viewing it in its different aspects and relations; to meditate; to contemplate; to theorize; as, to speculate on questions in religion; to speculate on political events.

It is remarkable that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most pefect quietude to the external regulations of society.

Hawthorne.

2. (Philos.) To view subjects from certain premises given or assumed, and infer conclusions respecting them a priori.

3. (Com.) To purchase with the expectation of a contingent advance in value, and a consequent sale at a profit; -- often, in a somewhat depreciative sense, of unsound or hazardous transactions; as, to speculate in coffee, in sugar, or in bank stock.

Spec"u*late, v. t. To consider attentively; as, to speculate the nature of a thing. [R.] Sir W. Hamilton.

Spec`u*la"tion (?), n. [L. speculatio a spying out, observation: cf. F. spéculation.] 1. The act of speculating. Specifically: --

(a) Examination by the eye; view. [Obs.]

(b) Mental view of anything in its various aspects and relations; contemplation; intellectual examination.

Thenceforth to speculations high or deep I turned my thoughts.

Milton.

(c) (Philos.) The act or process of reasoning a priori from premises given or assumed.

(d) (Com.) The act or practice of buying land, goods, shares, etc., in expectation of selling at a higher price, or of selling with the expectation of repurchasing at a lower price; a trading on anticipated fluctuations in price, as distinguished from trading in which the profit expected is the difference between the retail and wholesale prices, or the difference of price in different markets.

Sudden fortunes, indeed, are sometimes made in such places, by what is called the trade of speculation.

A. Smith.

Speculation, while confined within moderate limits, is the agent for equalizing supply and demand, and rendering the fluctuations of price less sudden and abrupt than they would otherwise be.

F. A. Walker.

(e) Any business venture in involving unusual risks, with a chance for large profits.

2. A conclusion to which the mind comes by speculating; mere theory; view; notion; conjecture.

From him Socrates derived the principles of morality, and most part of his natural speculations.

Sir W. temple.

To his speculations on these subjects he gave the lofty name of the "Oracles of Reason."

Macaulay.

3. Power of sight. [Obs.]

Thou hast no speculation in those eyes.

Shak.

4. A game at cards in which the players buy from one another trumps or whole hands, upon a chance of getting the highest trump dealt, which entitles the holder to the pool of stakes.

Spec"u*la*tist (?), n. One who speculates, or forms theories; a speculator; a theorist.

The very ingenious speculatist, Mr. Hume.

V. Knox.

Spec"u*la*tive (?), a. [Cf. F. spéculatif, L. speculativus.] 1. Given to speculation; contemplative.

The mind of man being by nature speculative.

Hooker.

2. Involving, or formed by, speculation; ideal; theoretical; not established by demonstration. Cudworth.

3. Of or pertaining to vision; also, prying; inquisitive; curious. [R.] Bacon.

4. Of or pertaining to speculation in land, goods, shares, etc.; as, a speculative dealer or enterprise.

The speculative merchant exercises no one regular, established, or well-known branch of business.

A. Smith.

-- Spec"u*la*tive*ly, adv. -- Spec"u*la*tive*ness, n.

Spec"u*la`tor (?), n. [L., a spy, explorer, investigator: cf. F. spéculateur.] One who speculates. Specifically: (a) An observer; a contemplator; hence, a spy; a watcher. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

(b) One who forms theories; a theorist.

A speculator who had dared to affirm that the human soul is by nature mortal.

Macaulay.

(c) (Com.) One who engages in speculation; one who buys and sells goods, land, etc., with the expectation of deriving profit from fluctuations in price.

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Spec`u*la*to"ri*al (?), a. Speculatory; speculative. [Obs.]

Spec"u*la*to*ry (?), a. [L. speculatorius belonging to spies or scouts.] 1. Intended or adapted for viewing or espying; having oversight. T. Warton.

2. Exercising speculation; speculative. T. Carew.

Spec"u*list (?), n. One who observes or considers; an observer. [R.] Goldsmith.

Spec"u*lum (?), n.; pl. L. Specula (#), E. Speculum (#). [L., fr. specere to look, behold. See Spy.] 1. A mirror, or looking-glass; especially, a metal mirror, as in Greek and Roman archæology.

2. A reflector of polished metal, especially one used in reflecting telescopes. See Speculum metal, below.

3. (Surg.) An instrument for dilating certain passages of the body, and throwing light within them, thus facilitating examination or surgical operations.

4. (Zoöl.) A bright and lustrous patch of color found on the wings of ducks and some other birds. It is usually situated on the distal portions of the secondary quills, and is much more brilliant in the adult male than in the female.

Speculum metal, a hard, brittle alloy used for making the reflectors of telescopes and other instruments, usually consisting of copper and tin in various proportions, one of the best being that in which there are 126.4 parts of copper to 58.9 parts of tin, with sometimes a small proportion of arsenic, antimony, or zinc added to improve the whiteness.

Sped (?), imp. & p. p. of Speed.

Speece (?), n. Species; sort. [Obs.]

Speech (?), n. [OE. speche, AS. sp&?;c, spr&?;, fr. specan, sprecan, to speak; akin to D. spraak speech, OHG. sprhha, G. sprache, Sw. spr&?;k, Dan. sprog. See Speak.] 1. The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words; the faculty of expressing thoughts by words or articulate sounds; the power of speaking.

There is none comparable to the variety of instructive expressions by speech, wherewith man alone is endowed for the communication of his thoughts.

Holder.

2. he act of speaking; that which is spoken; words, as expressing ideas; language; conversation.

Speech is voice modulated by the throat, tongue, lips, etc., the modulation being accomplished by changing the form of the cavity of the mouth and nose through the action of muscles which move their walls.

O goode God! how gentle and how kind Ye seemed by your speech and your visage The day that maked was our marriage.

Chaucer.

The acts of God . . . to human ears Can nort without process of speech be told.

Milton.

3. A particular language, as distinct from others; a tongue; a dialect.

People of a strange speech and of an hard language.

Ezek. iii. 6.

4. Talk; mention; common saying.

The duke . . . did of me demand What was the speech among the Londoners Concerning the French journey.

Shak.

5. formal discourse in public; oration; harangue.

The constant design of these orators, in all their speeches, was to drive some one particular point.

Swift.

6. ny declaration of thoughts.

I. with leave of speech implored, . . . replied.

Milton.

Syn. Harangue; language; address; oration. See Harangue, and Language.

Speech, v. i. & t. To make a speech; to harangue. [R.]

Speech"ful (?), a. Full of speech or words; voluble; loquacious. [R.]

Speech`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n.[See Spechify.] The act of speechifying. [Used humorously or in contempt.]

Speech"i*fi`er (?), n. One who makes a speech or speeches; an orator; a declaimer. [Used humorously or in contempt.] G. Eliot.

Speech"i*fy (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Speechified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Speechifying (?).] [Speech + -fy.] To make a speech; to harangue. [Used derisively or humorously.]

Speech"i*fy`ing, n. The act of making a speech or speeches. [Used derisively or humorously.]

The dinner and speechifying . . . at the opening of the annual season for the buckhounds.

M. Arnold.

Speech"ing, n. The act of making a speech. [R.]

Speech"less, a. 1. Destitute or deprived of the faculty of speech.

2. Not speaking for a time; dumb; mute; silent.

Speechless with wonder, and half dead with fear.

Addison.

-- Speech"less*ly, adv. -- Speech"less*ness, n.

Speech"mak`er (?), n. One who makes speeches; one accustomed to speak in a public assembly.

Speed (?), n. [AS. sp&?;d success, swiftness, from sp&?;wan to succeed; akin to D. spoedd, OHG. spuot success, spuot to succees, Skr. sph to increase, grow fat. &radic;170b.] 1. Prosperity in an undertaking; favorable issue; success. "For common speed." Chaucer.

O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day.

Gen. xxiv. 12.

2. The act or state of moving swiftly; swiftness; velocity; rapidly; rate of motion; dispatch; as, the speed a horse or a vessel.

Speed, to describe whose swiftness number fails.

Milton.

In kinematics, speedis sometimes used to denote the amount of velocity without regard to direction of motion, while velocity is not regarded as known unless both the direction and the amount are known.

3. One who, or that which, causes or promotes speed or success. [Obs.] "Hercules be thy speed!" Shak.

God speed, Good speed; prosperity. See Godspeed. -- Speed gauge, Speed indicator, &and; Speed recorder (Mach.), devices for indicating or recording the rate of a body's motion, as the number of revolutions of a shaft in a given time. -- Speed lathe (Mach.), a power lathe with a rapidly revolving spindle, for turning small objects, for polishing, etc.; a hand lathe. -- Speed pulley, a cone pulley with steps.

Syn. -- Haste; swiftness; celerity; quickness; dispatch; expedition; hurry; acceleration. See Haste.

Speed (spd), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sped (spd), Speeded; p. pr. & vb. n. Speeding.] [AS. spdan, fr. spd, n.; akin to D. spoeden, G. sich sputen. See Speed, n.] 1. To go; to fare. [Obs.]

To warn him now he is too farre sped.

Remedy of Love.

2. To experience in going; to have any condition, good or ill; to fare. Shak.

Ships heretofore in seas like fishes sped; The mightiest still upon the smallest fed.

Waller.

3. To fare well; to have success; to prosper.

Save London, and send true lawyers their meed! For whoso wants money with them shall not speed!

Lydgate.

I told ye then he should prevail, and speed On his bad errand.

Milton.

4. To make haste; to move with celerity.

I have speeded hither with the very extremest inch of possibility.

Shak.

5. To be expedient. [Obs.] Wyclif (2 Cor. xii. 1.)

Speed, v. t. 1. To cause to be successful, or to prosper; hence, to aid; to favor. "Fortune speed us!" Shak.

With rising gales that speed their happy flight.

Dryden.

2. To cause to make haste; to dispatch with celerity; to drive at full speed; hence, to hasten; to hurry.

He sped him thence home to his habitation.

Fairfax.

3. To hasten to a conclusion; to expedite.

Judicial acts . . . are sped in open court at the instance of one or both of the parties.

Ayliffe.

4. To hurry to destruction; to put an end to; to ruin; to undo. "Sped with spavins." Shak.

A dire dilemma! either way I 'm sped. If foes, they write, if friends, they read, me dead.

Pope.

5. To wish success or god fortune to, in any undertaking, especially in setting out upon a journey.

Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.

Pope.

God speed you, them, etc., may God speed you; or, may you have good speed.

Syn. -- To dispatch; hasten; expedite; accelerate; hurry.

Speed"er (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, speeds.

2. (Spinning) A machine for drawing and twisting slivers to form rovings.

Speed"ful (?), a. Full of speed (in any sense). [Obs.]

Speed"ful*ly, adv. In a speedful manner. [Obs.]

Speed"i*ly (?), adv. In a speedy manner.

Speed"i*ness, n. The quality or state of being speedy.

Speed"less, a. Being without speed.

Speed"well (?), n. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Veronica, mostly low herbs with pale blue corollas, which quickly fall off.

Speed"y (-), a. [Compar. Speedier (?); superl. Speediest.] [AS. spdyg.] Not dilatory or slow; quick; swift; nimble; hasty; rapid in motion or performance; as, a speedy flight; on speedy foot.

I will wish her speedy strength.

Shak.

Darts, which not the good could shun, The speedy ould outfly.

Dryden.

Speer (?), n. A sphere. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Speer, v. t. To ask. [Scot.] See Spere.

Speet (?), v. t. [Cf. D. speten. See Spit an iron prong.] To stab. [Obs.] Gammer Gurton's Needle.

Speight (?), n. [G. specht, probably akin to L. picus: cf. D. specht. &radic;169. See Pie a magpie.] (Zoöl.) A woodpecker; -- called also specht, spekt, spight. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Speir (?), v. i. To ask. See Spere. Sir W. Scott.

Speis`ko"balt (?), n. [G.] Smaltite.

Speiss (?), n. [Cf. G. speise food, mixed metal for bells, etc.] (Metal.) A regulus consisting essentially of nickel, obtained as a residue in fusing cobalt and nickel ores with silica and sodium carbonate to make smalt.

Spek"boom (?), n. [D., lit. fat tree.] (Bot.) The purslane tree of South Africa, -- said to be the favorite food of elephants. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

Speke (?), v. i. & t. To speak. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Speke"house` (?), n. The parlor or reception room of a convent. [Obs.]

Spel"ding (?), n. [Scot. speld to spread out, spelder to split. spread open; cf. G. spalten split.] A haddock or other small fish split open and dried in the sun; -- called also speldron. [Scot.]

Spel"i*cans (?), n. pl. See Spilikin.

Spelk (?), n. [AS. spelc, spilc, a little rod by which a thing is kept straight, a splint for binding up broken bones, akin to Icel. spelkur, pl., a splint. Cf. Spell a splinter.] A small stick or rod used as a spike in thatching; a splinter. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.

Spell (?), n. [OE. speld, AS. speld a spill to light a candle with; akin to D. speld a pin, OD. spelle, G. spalten to split, OHG. spaltan, MHG. spelte a splinter, Icel. spjald a square tablet, Goth. spilda a writing tablet. Cf. Spillsplinter, roll of paper, Spell to tell the letters of.] A spelk, or splinter. [Obs.] Holland.

Spell, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spelled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spelling.] [AS. spelian to supply another's place.] To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman.

Spell, n. 1. The relief of one person by another in any piece of work or watching; also, a turn at work which is carried on by one person or gang relieving another; as, a spell at the pumps; a spell at the masthead.

A spell at the wheel is called a trick.

Ham. Nav. Encyc.

2. The time during which one person or gang works until relieved; hence, any relatively short period of time, whether a few hours, days, or weeks.

Nothing new has 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 (?), 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, 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, 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hoole.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spence (?), n. [OF. despense, F. dépense, 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.

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.

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

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.

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.