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.