Syn. -- Aromatic; fragrant; smart; pungent; pointed; keen. See Racy.
Spi"der (?), n.[OE. spiþre, fr. AS. spinnan to spin; -- so named from
spinning its web; cf. D. spin a spider, G. spinne, Sw. spindel. Seee
Spin.] 1. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of arachnids comprising
the order Araneina. Spiders have the mandibles converted into poison
fangs, or falcers. The abdomen is large and not segmented, with two or
three pairs of spinnerets near the end, by means of which they spin
threads of silk to form cocoons, or nests, to protect their eggs and
young. Many species spin also complex webs to entrap the insects upon
which they prey. The eyes are usually eight in number (rarely six), and
are situated on the back of the cephalothorax. See Illust. under
Araneina.
Spiders are divided into two principal groups: the Dipneumona, having
two lungs: and the Tetrapneumona, having four lungs. See Mygale. The
former group includes several tribes; as, the jumping spiders (see
Saltigradæ), the wolf spiders, or Citigradæ (see under Wolf), the crab
spiders, or Laterigradæ (see under Crab), the garden, or geometric,
spiders, or Orbitellæ (see under Geometrical, and Garden), and others.
See Bird spider, under Bird, Grass spider, under Grass, House spider,
under House, Silk spider, under Silk.
2. (Zoöl.) Any one of various other arachnids resembling the true
spiders, especially certain mites, as the red spider (see under Red).
3. An iron pan with a long handle, used as a kitchen utensil in frying
food. Originally, it had long legs, and was used over coals on the
hearth.