Span"ish (?), a. Of or pertaining to Spain or the Spaniards.
Spanish bayonet (Bot.), a liliaceous plant (Yucca alorifolia) with
rigid spine-tipped leaves. The name is also applied to other similar
plants of the Southwestern United States and mexico. Called also
Spanish daggers. -- Spanish bean (Bot.) See the Note under Bean. --
Spanish black, a black pigment obtained by charring cork. Ure. --
Spanish broom (Bot.), a leguminous shrub (Spartium junceum) having many
green flexible rushlike twigs. -- Spanish brown, a species of earth
used in painting, having a dark reddish brown color, due to the
presence of sesquioxide of iron. -- Spanish buckeye (Bot.), a small
tree (Ungnadia speciosa) of Texas, New Mexico, etc., related to the
buckeye, but having pinnate leaves and a three-seeded fruit. -- Spanish
burton (Naut.), a purchase composed of two single blocks. A double
Spanish burton has one double and two single blocks. Luce (Textbook of
Seamanship). -- Spanish chalk (Min.), a kind of steatite; -- so called
because obtained from Aragon in Spain. -- Spanish cress (Bot.), a
cruciferous plant (lepidium Cadamines), a species of peppergrass. --
Spanish curiew (Zoöl.), the long-billed curlew. [U.S.] -- Spanish
daggers (Bot.) See Spanish bayonet. -- Spanish elm (Bot.), a large West
Indian tree (Cordia Gerascanthus) furnishing hard and useful timber. --
Spanish feretto, a rich reddish brown pigment obtained by calcining
copper and sulphur together in closed crucibles. -- Spanish flag
(Zoöl.), the California rockfish (Sebastichthys rubrivinctus). It is
conspicuously colored with bands of red and white. -- Spanish fly
(Zoöl.), a brilliant green beetle, common in the south of Europe, used
for raising blisters. See Blister beetle under Blister, and Cantharis.
-- Spanish fox (Naut.), a yarn twisted against its lay. -- Spanish
grass. (Bot.) See Esparto. -- Spanish juice (Bot.), licorice. --
Spanish leather. See Cordwain. -- Spanish mackerel. (Zoöl.) (a) A
species of mackerel (Scomber colias) found both in Europe and America.
In America called chub mackerel, big-eyed mackerel, and bull mackerel.
(b) In the United States, a handsome mackerel having bright yellow
round spots (Scomberomorus maculatus), highly esteemed as a food fish.
The name is sometimes erroneously applied to other species. See Illust.
under Mackerel. -- Spanish main, the name formerly given to the
southern portion of the Caribbean Sea, together with the contiguous
coast, embracing the route traversed by Spanish treasure ships from the
New to the Old World. -- Spanish moss. (Bot.) See Tillandsia. --
Spanish needles (Bot.), a composite weed (Bidens bipinnata) having
achenia armed with needlelike awns. -- Spanish nut (Bot.), a bulbous
plant (Iris Sisyrinchium) of the south of Europe. -- Spanish potato
(Bot.), the sweet potato. See under Potato. -- Spanish red, an ocherous
red pigment resembling Venetian red, but slightly yellower and warmer.
Fairholt. -- Spanish reef (Naut.), a knot tied in the head of a
jib-headed sail. -- Spanish sheep (Zoöl.), a merino. -- Spanish white,
an impalpable powder prepared from chalk by pulverizing and repeated
washings, -- used as a white pigment. -- Spanish windlass (Naut.), a
wooden roller, with a rope wound about it, into which a marline spike
is thrust to serve as a lever.
Span"ish, n. The language of Spain.
Spank (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spanked (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Spanking.] [Of unknown origin; cf. LG. spakken, spenkern, to run and
spring about quickly.] To strike, as the breech, with the open hand; to
slap.
Spank, n. A blow with the open hand; a slap.
Spank, v. i. To move with a quick, lively step between a trot and
gallop; to move quickly. Thackeray.
Spank"er (?), n. 1. One who spanks, or anything used as an instrument
for spanking.
2. (Naut.) The after sail of a ship or bark, being a fore-and-aft sail
attached to a boom and gaff; -- sometimes called driver. See Illust.
under Sail. Totten.
3. One who takes long, quick strides in walking; also, a fast horse.
[Colloq.]
4. Something very large, or larger than common; a whopper, as a stout
or tall person. [Colloq.]
Spanker boom (Naut.), a boom to which a spanker sail is attached. See
Illust. of Ship.