Chapter 87

Spurn (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spurned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spurning.] [OE. spurnen to kick against, to stumble over, AS. spurnan to kick, offend; akin to spura spur, OS. & OHG. spurnan to kick, Icel. spyrna, L. spernere to despise, Skr. sphur to jerk, to push. √171. See Spur.] 1. To drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick.

[The bird] with his foot will spurn adown his cup.

Chaucer.

I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.

Shak.

2. To reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept; to treat with contempt.

What safe and nicely I might well delay By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn.

Shak.

Domestics will pay a more cheerful service when they find themselves not spurned because fortune has laid them at their master's feet.

Locke.

Spurn, v. i. 1. To kick or toss up the heels.

The miller spurned at a stone.

Chaucer.

The drunken chairman in the kennel spurns.

Gay.

2. To manifest disdain in rejecting anything; to make contemptuous opposition or resistance.

Nay, more, to spurn at your most royal image.

Shak.

Spurn, n. 1. A kick; a blow with the foot. [R.]

What defence can properly be used in such a despicable encounter as this but either the slap or the spurn?

Milton.

2. Disdainful rejection; contemptuous tratment.

The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes.

Shak.

3. (Mining) A body of coal left to sustain an overhanding mass.

Spurn"er (?), n. One who spurns.

Spurn"-wa`ter (?), n. (Naut.) A channel at the end of a deck to restrain the water.

Spurred (?), a. 1. Wearing spurs; furnished with a spur or spurs; having shoots like spurs.

2. Affected with spur, or ergot; as, spurred rye.

Spurred corolla (Bot.), a corolla in which there are one or more petals with a spur.

Spur"rer (?), n. One who spurs.

Spur"rey (?), n. (Bot.) See Spurry.

Spur"ri*er (?), n. One whose occupation is to make spurs. B. Jonson. "The saddlers and spurriers would be ruined by thousands." Macaulay.

Spur"-roy`al (?), n. A gold coin, first made in the reign of Edward IV., having a star on the reverse resembling the rowel of a spur. In the reigns of Elizabeth and of James I., its value was fifteen shillings. [Written also spur-rial, and spur-ryal.]

Spur"ry (?), n. [D. or OF. spurrie; cf. G. spergel, NL. spergula.] (Bot.) An annual herb (Spergula arvensis) with whorled filiform leaves, sometimes grown in Europe for fodder. [Written also spurrey.]

Sand spurry (Bot.), any low herb of the genus Lepigonum, mostly found in sandy places.

Spur"-shell` (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of handsome gastropod shells of the genus Trochus, or Imperator. The shell is conical, with the margin toothed somewhat like the rowel of a spur.

Spurt (?), v. i. [Written also spirt, and originally the same word as sprit; OE. sprutten to sprout, AS. spryttan. See Sprit, v. i., Sprout, v. i.] To gush or issue suddenly or violently out in a stream, as liquor from a cask; to rush from a confined place in a small stream or jet; to spirt.

Thus the small jet, which hasty hands unlock, Spurts in the gardener's eyes who turns the cock.

Pope.

Spurt, v. t. To throw out, as a liquid, in a stream or jet; to drive or force out with violence, as a liquid from a pipe or small orifice; as, to spurt water from the mouth.

Spurt, n. 1. A sudden or violent ejection or gushing of a liquid, as of water from a tube, orifice, or other confined place, or of blood from a wound; a jet; a spirt.

2. A shoot; a bud. [Obs.] Holland.

3. Fig.: A sudden outbreak; as, a spurt of jealousy.

Spurt grass (Bot.), a rush fit for basket work. Dr. Prior.

Spurt (?), n. [Cf. Icel. sprette a spurt, spring, run, spretta to sprit, spring.] A sudden and energetic effort, as in an emergency; an increased exertion for a brief space.

The long, steady sweep of the so-called "paddle" tried him almost as much as the breathless strain of the spurt.

T. Hughes.

Spurt, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Spurted; p. pr. & vb. n. Spurting.] To make a sudden and violent exertion, as in an emergency.

Spur"tle (?), v. t. [Freq. of spurt.] To spurt or shoot in a scattering manner. [Obs.] Drayton.

Spur"way` (?), n. [Prov. E. spoor a track, trace (AS. spor) + way.] A bridle path. [R.]

Spur"-winged` (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having one or more spurs on the bend of the wings.

Spur-winged goose (Zoöl.), any one of several species of long-legged African geese of the genus Plectropterus and allied genera, having a strong spur on the bend of the wing, as the Gambo goose (P. Gambensis) and the Egyptian, or Nile, goose (Alopochen Ægyptiaca). -- Spur-winged plover (Zoöl.), an Old World plover (Hoplopterus spinosus) having a sharp spur on the bend of the wing. It inhabits Northern Africa and the adjacent parts of Asia and Europe.

Sput (?), n. (Steam Boiler) An annular reënforce, to strengthen a place where a hole is made.

Spu*ta"tion (?), n. [L. sputare to spit, v. intens. fr. spuere to spit: cf. F. sputation.] The act of spitting; expectoration. Harvey.

Spu"ta*tive (?), a. Inclined to spit; spitting much. Sir H. Wotton.

Spute (?), v. t. [Abbrev. from dispute.] To dispute; to discuss. [Obs.] Wyclif.

Sput"ter (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sputtered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sputtering.] [From the root of spout or spit to eject from the mputh. Cf. Splutter.] 1. To spit, or to emit saliva from the mouth in small, scattered portions, as in rapid speaking.

2. To utter words hastily and indistinctly; to speak so rapidly as to emit saliva.

They could neither of them speak their rage, and so fell a sputtering at one another, like two roasting apples.

Congreve.

3. To throw out anything, as little jets of steam, with a noise like that made by one sputtering.

Like the green wood . . . sputtering in the flame.

Dryden.

Sput"ter, v. t. To spit out hastily by quick, successive efforts, with a spluttering sound; to utter hastily and confusedly, without control over the organs of speech.

In the midst of caresses, and without the last pretend incitement, to sputter out the basest accusations.

Swift.

Sput"ter, n. Moist matter thrown out in small detached particles; also, confused and hasty speech.

Sput"ter*er (?), n. One who sputters.

||Spu"tum (?), n.; pl. Sputa (#). [L., from spuere, sputum, to spit.] ||That which is expectorated; a salival discharge; spittle; saliva.

Spy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spying.] [OE. spien, espien, OF. espier, F. épier, OHG. speh&?;n, G. spähen; akin to L. specere to see, Skr. spa(&?;). &?; 169. Cf. Espy, v.t., Aspect, Auspice, Circumspect, Conspicuouc, Despise, Frontispiece, Inspect, Prospect, Respite, Scope, Scecimen, Spectacle, Specter, Speculate, Spice, Spite, Suspicion.] To gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state of concealment; to espy; to see.

One in reading, skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration.

Swift.

2. To discover by close search or examination.

Look about with yout eyes; spy what things are to be reformed in the church of England.

Latimer.

3. To explore; to view; inspect; and examine secretly, as a country; -- usually with out.

Moses sent to spy Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof.

Num. xxi. 32.

Spy, v. i. To search narrowly; to scrutinize.

It is my nature's plague To spy into abuses.

Shak.

Spy, n.; pl. Spies (#). [See Spy, v., and cf. Espy, n.] 1. One who keeps a constant watch of the conduct of others. "These wretched spies of wit." Dryden.

2. (Mil.) A person sent secretly into an enemy's camp, territory, or fortifications, to inspect his works, ascertain his strength, movements, or designs, and to communicate such intelligence to the proper officer.

Spy money, money paid to a spy; the reward for private or secret intelligence regarding the enemy. -- Spy Wednesday (Eccl.), the Wednesday immediately preceding the festival of Easter; -- so called in allusion to the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot.

Syn. -- See Emissary, and Scout.

Spy"boat` (?), n. A boat sent to make discoveries and bring intelligence. Arbuthnot.

Spy"glass (?), n. A small telescope for viewing distant terrestrial objects.

Spy"ism (?), n. Act or business of spying. [R.]

{ Spy"nace (?; 48), Spyne (?) }, n. (Naut.) See Pinnace, n., 1 (a).

Squab (?), a. [Cf. dial. Sw. sqvabb a soft and fat body, sqvabba a fat woman, Icel. kvap jelly, jellylike things, and and E. quab.] 1. Fat; thick; plump; bulky.

Nor the squab daughter nor the wife were nice.

Betterton.

2. Unfledged; unfeathered; as, a squab pigeon. King.

Squab, n. 1. (Zoöl.) A neatling of a pigeon or other similar bird, esp. when very fat and not fully fledged.

2. A person of a short, fat figure.

Gorgonious sits abdominous and wan, Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan.

Cowper.

3. A thickly stuffed cushion; especially, one used for the seat of a sofa, couch, or chair; also, a sofa.

Punching the squab of chairs and sofas.

Dickens.

On her large squab you find her spread.

Pope.

Squab, adv. [Cf. dial. Sw. squapp, a word imitative of a splash, and E. squab fat, unfledged.] With a heavy fall; plump. [Vulgar]

The eagle took the tortoise up into the air, and dropped him down, squab, upon a rock.

L'Estrange.

Squab, v. i. To fall plump; to strike at one dash, or with a heavy stroke. [Obs.]

Squa*bash" (?), v. t. To crush; to quash; to squash. [Colloq. or Slang, Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Squab"bish (?), a. Thick; fat; heavy.

<! p. 1396 !>

Squab"ble (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Squabbled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Squabbling (?).] [Cf. dial. Sw. skvabbel a dispute, skvappa to chide.] 1. To contend for superiority in an unseemly maner; to scuffle; to struggle; to wrangle; to quarrel.

2. To debate peevishly; to dispute.

The sense of these propositions is very plain, though logicians might squabble a whole day whether they should rank them under negative or affirmative.

I. Watts.

Syn. -- To dispute; contend; scuffle; wrangle; quarrel; struggle.

Squab"ble, v. t. (Print.) To disarrange, so that the letters or lines stand awry or are mixed and need careful readjustment; -- said of type that has been set up.

Squab"ble, n. A scuffle; a wrangle; a brawl.

Squab"bler (?), n. One who squabbles; a contentious person; a brawler.

Squab"by (?), a. Short and thick; suqabbish.

Squab"-chick` (?), n. (Zoöl.) A young chicken before it is fully fledged. [Prov. Eng.]

Squac"co (?), n.; pl. Squaccos (&?;). (Zoöl.) A heron (Ardea comata) found in Asia, Northern Africa, and Southern Europe.

Squad (?), n. [F. escouade, fr. Sp. escuadra, or It. squadra, (assumed) LL. exquadrare to square; L. ex + quadra a square. See Square.] 1. (Mil.) A small party of men assembled for drill, inspection, or other purposes.

2. Hence, any small party.

Squad, n. Sloppy mud. [Prov. Eng.] Tennyson.

Squad"ron (?), n. [F. escadron, formerly also esquadron, or It. squadrone. See Squad.] 1. Primarily, a square; hence, a square body of troops; a body of troops drawn up in a square. [R.]

Those half-rounding quards Just met, and, closing, stood in squadron joined.

Milton.

2. (Mil.) A body of cavarly comparising two companies or troops, and averging from one hundred and twenty to two hundred men.

3. (Naut.) A detachment of vessels employed on any particular service or station, under the command of the senior officer; as, the North Atlantic Squadron. Totten.

Flying squadron, a squadron of observation or practice, that cruises rapidly about from place to place. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Squad"roned (?), a. Formed into squadrons, or squares. [R.] Milton.

Squail (?), v. i. To throw sticls at cocks; to throw anything about awkwardly or irregularly. [Prov. Eng.] Southey.

Squai"mous (?), a. Squeamish. [Obs.]

||Squa"li (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. squalus a kind of sea fish.] (Zoöl.) ||The suborder of elasmobranch fishes which comprises the sharks.

Squal"id (?), a. [L. squalidus, fr. squalere to be foul or filthy.] Dirty through neglect; foul; filthy; extremely dirty.

Uncomed his locks, and squalid his attrie.

Dryden.

Those squalid dens, which are the reproach of large capitals.

Macaulay.

Squa*lid"i*ty (?), n. [L. squaliditas.] The quality or state of being squalid; foulness; filthiness.

Squal"id*ly (?), adv. In a squalid manner.

Squal"id*ness, n. Quality or state of being squalid.

Squall (?), n. [Cf. Sw. sqval an impetuous running of water, sqvalregn a violent shower of rain, sqala to stream, to gush.] A sudden violent gust of wind often attended with rain or snow.

The gray skirts of a lifting squall.

Tennyson.

Black squall, a squall attended with dark, heavy clouds. -- Thick squall, a black squall accompanied by rain, hail, sleet, or snow. Totten. -- White squall, a squall which comes unexpectedly, without being marked in its approach by the clouds. Totten.

Squall, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Squalled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Squalling.] [Icel. skvala. Cf. Squeal.] To cry out; to scream or cry violently, as a woman frightened, or a child in anger or distress; as, the infant squalled.

Squall, n. A loud scream; a harsh cry.

There oft are heard the notes of infant woe, - The short, thick sob, loud scream, and shriller squall.

Pope.

Squall"er (?), n. One who squalls; a screamer.

Squall"y (?), a. 1. Abounding with squalls; disturbed often with sudden and violent gusts of wind; gusty; as, squally weather.

2. (Agric.) Interrupted by unproductive spots; -- said of a flied of turnips or grain. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

3. (Weaving) Not equally good throughout; not uniform; uneven; faulty; -- said of cloth.

Squa"lo*don (?), n. [NL. Squalus a genus of sharks + Gr. &?;, &?;, a tooth.] (Paleon.) A genus of fossil whales belonging to the Phocodontia; -- so called because their are serrated, like a shark's.

Squa"lo*dont (?), a. (Zoöl.) Pertaining to Squalodon.

Squa"loid (?), a. [NL. Squalus a genus of sharks (fr. L. squalus a kind of sea fish) + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to a shark or sharks.

Squa"lor (?), n. [L., fr. squalere to be foul or filthy.] Squalidness; foulness; filthness; squalidity.

The heterogenous indigent multitude, everywhere wearing nearly the same aspect of squalor.

Taylor.

To bring this sort of squalor among the upper classes.

Dickens.

||Squa"ma (?), n.; pl. Squamæ (#). [L. a scale.] (Med.) A scale cast ||off from the skin; a thin dry shred consisting of epithelium.

Squa*ma"ceous (?), a. Squamose.

||Squa*ma"ta (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. L. squamatus scaly.] (Zoöl.) A ||division of edentates having the body covered with large, imbricated ||horny scales. It includes the pangolins.

{ Squa"mate (?), Squa"ma*ted (?) }, a. [L. squamatus.] Same as Squamose.

Squam"duck` (?). (Zoöl.) The American eider duck. [Local, U.S.]

Squame (?), n. [L. squama scale.] 1. A scale. [Obs.] "iron squames." Chaucer.

2. (Zoöl.) The scale, or exopodite, of an antenna of a crustacean.

||Squa*mel"la (?), n.; pl. Squamellæ (#). [NL., dim. fr. L. squama a ||scale.] (Bot.) A diminutive scale or bractlet, such as those found on ||the receptacle in many composite plants; a palea.

Squa*mel"late (?), a. Furnished or covered with little scales; squamulose.

Squa"mi*form (?), a.[L. squama a scale + -form.] Having the shape of a scale.

Squa*mig"er*ous (?), a. [L. squamiger; squama a scale + gerere to bear.] (Zoöl.) Bearing scales.

Squam"i*pen (? or ?), n. ;pl. Squamipennes (#). [L. squama a scale + penna a fin: cf. F. squamipenne.] (Zoöl.) Any one of a group of fishes having the dorsal and anal fins partially covered with scales.

They are compressed and mostly, bright-colored tropical fishes, belonging to Chætodon and allied genera. Many of them are called soral fishes, and angel fishes.

Squa"moid (?), a. [L. squama scale + -oid.] Resembling a scale; also, covered with scales; scaly.

Squa*mo"sal (?), a. (Anat.) (a) Scalelike; squamous; as, the squamosal bone. (b) Of or pertaining to the squamosal bone. -- n. The squamous part of the temporal bone, or a bone correspondending to it, under Temporal.

{ Squa*mose" (? or &?;), Squa"mous (?) }, [L. squamosus, fr. squama a scale: cf. F. squameux.] 1. Covered with, or consisting of, scales; resembling a scale; scaly; as, the squamose cones of the pine; squamous epithelial cells; the squamous portion of the temporal bone, which is so called from a fancied resemblance to a scale.

2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the squamosal bone; squamosal.

Squa`mo*zyg`o*mat"ic (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to both the squamosal and zygomatic bones; -- applied to a bone, or a center of ossification, in some fetal skulls. -- n. A squamozygomatic bone.

||Squam"u*la (? or ?), n.; pl. Squamulæ (#). [L., dim. of squama a ||scale.] (Bot.) One of the little hypogynous scales found in the ||flowers of grasses; a lodicule.

Squam"u*late (?), a. Same as Squamulose.

Squam"ule (?), n. (Bot.) Same as Squamula.

Squam"u*lose` (?; 277), a. Having little scales; squamellate; squamulate.

Squan"der (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Squandered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Squandering.] [Cf. Scot. squatter to splash water about, to scatter, to squander, Prov. E. swatter, Dan. sqvatte, Sw. sqvätta to squirt, sqvättra to squander, Icel. skvetta to squirt out, to throw out water.] 1. To scatter; to disperse. [Obs.]

Our squandered troops he rallies.

Dryden.

2. To spend lavishly or profusely; to spend prodigally or wastefully; to use without economy or judgment; to dissipate; as, to squander an estate.

The crime of squandering health is equal to the folly.

Rambler.

Syn. -- To spend; expend; waste; scatter; dissipate.

Squan"der, v. i. 1. To spend lavishly; to be wasteful.

They often squandered, but they never gave.

Savage.

2. To wander at random; to scatter. [R.]

The wise man's folly is anatomized Even by squandering glances of the fool.

Shak.

Squan"der, n. The act of squandering; waste.

Squan"der*er (?), n. One who squanders.

Squan"der*ing*ly, adv. In a squandering manner.

Square (?), n. [OF. esquarre, esquierre, F. équerre a carpenter's square (cf. It. squadra), fr. (assumed) LL. exquadrare to make square; L. ex + quadrus a square, fr. quattuor four. See Four, and cf. Quadrant, Squad, Squer a square.] 1. (Geom.) (a) The corner, or angle, of a figure. [Obs.] (b) A parallelogram having four equal sides and four right angles.

2. Hence, anything which is square, or nearly so; as: (a) A square piece or fragment.

He bolted his food down his capacious throat in squares of three inches.

Sir W. Scott.

(b) A pane of glass. (c) (Print.) A certain number of lines, forming a portion of a column, nearly square; -- used chiefly in reckoning the prices of advertisements in newspapers. (d) (Carp.) One hundred superficial feet.

3. An area of four sides, generally with houses on each side; sometimes, a solid block of houses; also, an open place or area for public use, as at the meeting or intersection of two or more streets.

The statue of Alexander VII. stands in the large square of the town.

Addison.

4. (Mech. & Joinery) An instrument having at least one right angle and two or more straight edges, used to lay out or test square work. It is of several forms, as the T square, the carpenter's square, the try-square., etc.

5. Hence, a pattern or rule. [Obs.]

6. (Arith. & Alg.) The product of a number or quantity multiplied by itself; thus, 64 is the square of 8, for 8 × 8 = 64; the square of a + b is a2 + 2ab + b2.

7. Exact proportion; justness of workmanship and conduct; regularity; rule. [Obs.]

They of Galatia [were] much more out of square.

Hooker.

I have not kept my square.

Shak.

8. (Mil.) A body of troops formed in a square, esp. one formed to resist a charge of cavalry; a squadron. "The brave squares of war." Shak.

9. Fig.: The relation of harmony, or exact agreement; equality; level.

We live not on the square with such as these.

Dryden.

10. (Astrol.) The position of planets distant ninety degrees from each other; a quadrate. [Obs.]

11. The act of squaring, or quarreling; a quarrel. [R.]

12. The front of a woman's dress over the bosom, usually worked or embroidered. [Obs.] Shak.

Geometrical square. See Quadrat, n., 2. -- Hollow square (Mil.), a formation of troops in the shape of a square, each side consisting of four or five ranks, and the colors, officers, horses, etc., occupying the middle. -- Least square, Magic square, etc. See under Least, Magic, etc. -- On the square, or Upon the square, in an open, fair manner; honestly, or upon honor. [Obs. or Colloq.] -- On, or Upon, the square with, upon equality with; even with. Nares. -- To be all squares, to be all settled. [Colloq.] Dickens. -- To be at square, to be in a state of quarreling. [Obs.] Nares. -- To break no square, to give no offense; to make no difference. [Obs.] -- To break squares, to depart from an accustomed order. -- To see how the squares go, to see how the game proceeds; -- a phrase taken from the game of chess, the chessboard being formed with squares. [Obs.] L'Estrange.

Square (?), a. 1. (Geom.) Having four equal sides and four right angles; as, a square figure.

2. Forming a right angle; as, a square corner.

3. Having a shape broad for the height, with rectilineal and angular rather than curving outlines; as, a man of a square frame.

4. Exactly suitable or correspondent; true; just.

She's a most truimphant lady, if report be square to her.

Shak.

5. Rendering equal justice; exact; fair; honest, as square dealing.

6. Even; leaving no balance; as, to make or leave the accounts square.

7. Leaving nothing; hearty; vigorous.

By Heaven, square eaters. More meat, I say.

Beau. & Fl.

8. (Naut.) At right angles with the mast or the keel, and parallel to the horizon; -- said of the yards of a square-rigged vessel when they are so braced.

Square is often used in self-explaining compounds or combination, as in square-built, square-cornered, square-cut, square-nosed, etc.

Square foot, an area equal to that of a square the sides of which are twelwe inches; 144 square inches. - - Square knot, a knot in which the terminal and standing parts are parallel to each other; a reef knot. See Illust. under Knot. -- Square measure, the measure of a superficies or surface which depends on the length and breadth taken conjointly. The units of square measure are squares whose sides are the linear measures; as, square inches, square feet, square meters, etc. -- Square number. See square, n., 6. -- Square root of a number or quantity (Math.), that number or quantity which, multiplied by itself produces the given number or quantity. -- Square sail (Naut.), a four-sided sail extended upon a yard suspended by the middle; sometimes, the foresail of a schooner set upon a yard; also, a cutter's or sloop's sail boomed out. See Illust. of Sail. -- Square stern (Naut.), a stern having a transom and joining the counter timbers at an angle, as distinguished from a round stern, which has no transom. -- Three-square, Five- square, etc., having three, five, etc., equal sides; as, a three-square file. -- To get square with, to get even with; to pay off. [Colloq.]

Square, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Squared (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Squaring.] [Cf. OF. escarrer, esquarrer. See Square, n.] 1. To form with four sides and four right angles. Spenser.

2. To form with right angles and straight lines, or flat surfaces; as, to square mason's work.

3. To compare with, or reduce to, any given measure or standard. Shak.

4. To adjust; to regulate; to mold; to shape; to fit; as, to square our actions by the opinions of others.

Square my trial To my proportioned strength.

Milton.

5. To make even, so as leave no remainder of difference; to balance; as, to square accounts.

6. (Math.) To multiply by itself; as, to square a number or a quantity.

7. (Astrol.) To hold a quartile position respecting.

The icy Goat and Crab that square the Scales.

Creech.

8. (Naut.) To place at right angles with the keel; as, to square the yards.