Chapter 83

Splay"foot` (?), n.; pl. Splayfeet (&?;). A foot that is abnormally flattened and spread out; flat foot.

{ Splay"foot`, Splay"foot`ed } a. Having a splayfoot or splayfeet.

Splay"mouth` (?), n.; pl. Splaymouths (&?;). A wide mouth; a mouth stretched in derision. Dryden.

Splay`mouthed" (?), a. Having a splaymouth. T. Brown.

Spleen (?), n. [L. splen, Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; the milt or spleen, affection of the spleen; cf. L. lien, plihan, plhan.] 1. (Anat.) 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, v. t. To dislke. [Obs.] Bp. Hacket.

Spleened (?), a. 1. Deprived of the spleen.

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

Spleen"ful (?), a. 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.

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

Spleen"less, a. Having no spleen; hence, kind; gentle; mild. [Obs.] Chapman.

Spleen"wort` (?), n. [Spleen + wort; cf. L. splenium, asplenium, Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;. ] (Bot.) Any fern of the genus Asplenium, some species of which were anciently used as remedies for disorders of the spleen.

Spleen"y (?), a. 1. Irritable; peevish; fretful.

Spleeny Lutheran, and not wholesome to Our cause.

Shak.

2. Affected with nervous complaints; melancholy.

Spleg"et (?), n. [Cf. Pledget.] (Med.) A cloth dipped in a liquid for washing a sore. Crabb.

||Sple*nal"gi*a (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?; spleen + &?;&?;&?; ||pain.] (Med.) Pain over the region of the spleen.

||Splen"cu*lus (?), n.; pl. Splenculi (#). [NL., dim. of L. splen.] ||(Anat.) A lienculus.

Splen"dent (?), a. [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.

Splen"did (?), a. [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.

Splen*did"i*ous (?), a. Splendid. [Obs.]

Splen"did*ly (?), adv. In a splendid manner; magnificently.

Splen"did*ness, n. The quality of being splendid.

Splen"did*ous (?), a. Splendid. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Splen*dif"er*ous (?), a. Splendor- bearing; splendid. Bale (1538). "A splendiferous woman." Haliburton. [Now used humorously.]

Splen"dor (?), n.[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.

{ Splen"drous (?), Splen"dor*ous (?) }, a. Splendid. Drayton.

Splen"e*tic (?), a. [L. spleneticus: cf. F. splénétique. See Spleen.] 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.

Splen"e*tic, n. A person affected with spleen.

Sple*net"ic*al (?), a. Splenetic.

Sple*net"ic*al*ly, adv. In a splenetical manner.

Sple"ni*al (?), a. [L. splenium a plaster, a patch, Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; a bandage.] (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.

Sple"ni*al, n. (Anat.) The splenial bone.

Splen"ic (?), a. [L. splenicus, Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;; cf. F. splénique.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the spleen; lienal; as, the splenic vein.

Splenic apoplexy or fever. (Med.) See Anthrax, n., 3.

Splen"ic*al (?), a. Splenic.

Splen"ish, a. Spleenish. [Obs.] Drayton.

||Sple*ni"tis (?), n.[NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; of the spleen.] (Med.) ||Inflammation of the spleen.

Splen"i*tive (?), a. Splenetic. Shak.

Even and smooth as seemed the temperament of the nonchalant, languid Virginian -- not splenitive or rash.

T. N. Page.

||Sple"ni*um (?), n.[L., a plaster, a patch, from Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; a ||bandage, compress.] (Anat.) The thickened posterior border of the ||corpus callosum; -- so called in allusion to its shape.

||Sple"ni*us (?), n. [NL.] (Anat.) A flat muscle of the back of the ||neck.

Splen`i*za"tion (?), n. (Med.) A morbid state of the lung produced by inflammation, in which its tissue resembles that of the spleen.

Splen"o*cele (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; spleen + &?;&?;&?; a tumor.] (Med.) Hernia formed by the spleen.

Sple*nog"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; spleen + -graphy.] A description of the spleen.

Sple"noid (?), a.[Gr. &?;&?;&?; spleeen + -oid.] (Anat.) Resembling the spleen; spleenlike.

Sple*nol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; spleen + -logy.] The branch of science which treats of the spleen.

Sple*not"o*my (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; spleen + &?;&?;&?; to cut.] (a) (Anat.) Dissection or anatomy of the spleen. (b) (Med.) An incision into the spleen; removal of the spleen by incision.

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.

Spleu"chan (?), n. [Gael. spliuchan.] A pouch, as for tobacco. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Splice (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spliced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Splicing (?).] [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, n. A junction or joining made by splicing.

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.

Splin"ing, a. Of or pertaining to a spline.

Splining machine, a machine tool for cutting grooves, key seats, or slots; a slotting machine.

Splint (?), n. [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.) 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.) A splint bone.

4. (Far.) A disease affecting the splint bones, as a callosity or hard excrescence.

5. (Anc. Armor.) 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, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Splinted; p. pr. & vb. n. Splinting.] 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.

Splin"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Splintered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Splintering.] [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.

Splin"ter, v. i. To become split into long pieces.

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

<! p. 1390 !>

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.

Splin"ter*proof` (spln"tr*prf`), a. (Mil.) Proof against the splinters, or fragments, of bursting shells.

Splin"ter*y (-), a. Consisting of splinters; resembling splinters; as, the splintery fracture of a mineral.

Split (splt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Split (Splitted, R.); p. pr. & vb. n. Splitting.] [Probably of Scand. or Low german origin; cf. Dan. splitte, LG. splitten, OD. splitten, spletten, D. splijten, G. spleissen, MHG. splzen. 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.) 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, 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.

6. (Blackjack) to divide one hand of blackjack into two hands, allowed when the first two cards dealt to a player have the same value.

To split on a rock, to err fatally; to have the hopes and designs frustrated.

Split, n. A crack, or longitudinal 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) A division of a stake happening when two cards of the kind on which the stake is laid are dealt in the same turn.

6. (Finance) the substitution of more than one share of a corporation's stock for one share. The market price of the stock usually drops in proportion to the increase in outstanding shares of stock. The split may be in any ratio, as a two-for-one split; a three-for-two split.

7. (Blackjack) the division by a player of one hand of blackjack into two hands, allowed when the first two cards dealt to a player have the same value; the player is usually obliged to increase the amount wagered by placing a sum equal to the original bet on the new hand thus created.

Split, a. 1. Divided; cleft.

2. (Bot.) 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"feet` (?), n. pl. (Zoöl.) The Fissipedia.

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

Split"ter (?), n. One who, or that which, splits.

Split"-tongued` (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having a forked tongue, as that of snakes and some lizards.

Splotch (?), n. [Cf. Splash.] A spot; a stain; a daub. R. Browning.

Splotch"y (?), a. Covered or marked with splotches.

Splurge (?), n. A blustering demonstration, or great effort; a great display. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.

Splurge, v. i. To make a great display in any way, especially in oratory. [Slang, U.S.]

Splut"ter (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Spluttered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spluttering.] [Prov. E. splutter, eqivalent to sputter. Cf. Sputter.] To speak hastily and confusedly; to sputter. [Colloq.] Carleton.

Splut"ter, n. A confused noise, as of hasty speaking. [Colloq.]

Splut"ter*er (?), n. One who splutters.

Spod"o*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. spodo`s ashes + -mancy.] Divination by means of ashes.

Spod`o*man"tic (?), a. Relating to spodomancy, or divination by means of ashes. C. Kingsley.

Spod"u*mene (?; 135), n. [Gr. &?;, p. pr. pass. from &?; to burn to ashes, from spodo`s ashes; cf. F. spodumène.] (Min.) 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.

Spof"fish (?), a. [probably from Prov. E. spoffle to be spoffish.] Earnest and active in matters of no moment; bustling. [Colloq. Eng.] Dickens.

Spoil (?) (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spoiled (#) or Spoilt (#); p. pr. & vb. n. Spoiling.] [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 spoils 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 (?), 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, n. [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.

Spoil"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being spoiled.

Spoil"er (?), n. 1. One who spoils; a plunderer; a pillager; a robber; a despoiler.

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

Spoil"five` (?), n. 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.

Spoil"ful (?), a. Wasteful; rapacious. [Poetic]

Spoils"man (?), n.; pl. Spoilsmen (&?;). 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.

Spoils"mon`ger (?), n. One who promises or distributes public offices and their emoluments as the price of services to a party or its leaders.

Spoke (?), imp. of Speak.

Spoke, n. [OE. spoke, spake, AS, spca; akin to D. speek, LG. speke, OHG. speihha, G. speiche. &radic;170. 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.) 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, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spoked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spoking.] To furnish with spokes, as a wheel.

Spo"ken (?), a. [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.

Spoke"shave` (?), n. A kind of drawing knife or planing tool for dressing the spokes of wheels, the shells of blocks, and other curved work.

Spokes"man (?), n.; pl. Spokesmen (#). [Speak, spoke + man.] One who speaks for another.

He shall be thy spokesman unto the people.

Ex. iv. 16.

Spo"li*ate (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Spoliated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spoliating (?).] [L. spoliatus, p. p. of spoliare spoil. See Spoil, v. t.] To plunder; to pillage; to despoil; to rob.

Spo`li*a"tion (?), n. [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) Injury done to a document.

Spo"li*a*tive (?), a. [Cf. F. spoliatif.] Serving to take away, diminish, or rob; esp. (Med.), serving to diminish sensibily the amount of blood in the body; as, spoliative bloodletting.

Spo"li*a`tor (?), n. One who spoliates; a spoiler.

Spo"li*a*to*ry (?), a. Tending to spoil; destructive; spoliative.

{ Spon*da"ic (?), Spon*da"ic*al (?) }, a. [L. spondaicus, spondiacus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. 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.

Spon"dee (?), n. [L. spondeus, Gr. &?; (sc. &?;), fr. &?; a drink offering, libation, fr. &?; to pour out, make a libation: cf. F. spondée. So called because at libations slow, solemn melodies were used, chiefly in this meter.] (pros.) A poetic foot of two long syllables, as in the Latin word lgs.

Spon*du"lics (?), n. Money. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.

{ Spon"dyl, Spon"dyle } (?), n. [L. spondylus, Gr. &?;, &?;: cf. F. spondyle.] (Anat.) A joint of the backbone; a vertebra.

Spong (?), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] An irregular, narrow, projecting part of a field. [Prov. Eng.]

Sponge (?), n. [OF. esponge, F. éponge, L. spongia, Gr. &?;, &?;. Cf. Fungus, Spunk.] [Formerly written also spunge.] 1. (Zoöl.) 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.) 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.) The extremity, or point, of a horseshoe, answering to the heel.