Spongy lead (Chem.), sponge lead. See under Sponge. -- Spongy platinum.
See under Platinum.
Sponk (?), n. See Spunk.
Spon"sal (?), a. [L. sponsalis, fr. sponsus a betrothal, fr. spondere,
sponsum, to betroth. See Spouse, and cf. Esousal, Spousal.] Relating to
marriage, or to a spouse; spousal.
Spon"si*ble (?), a. [Abbrev. from responsible.] responsible; worthy of
credit. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Spon"sion (?), n. [L. sonsio, fr. spondere, sponsum, to promise
solemnly.] 1. The act of becoming surety for another.
2. (Internat. Law) An act or engagement on behalf of a state, by an
agent not specially authorized for the purpose, or by one who exceeds
the limits of authority.
Spon"sion*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to a pledge or agreement;
responsible. [R.]
He is righteous even in that representative and sponsional person
he put on.
Abp. Leighton.
Spon"son (?), n. (Shipbuilding) (a) One of the triangular platforms in
front of, and abaft, the paddle boxes of a steamboat. (b) One of the
slanting supports under the guards of a steamboat. (c) One of the
armored projections fitted with gun ports, used on modern war vessels.
Spon"sor (?), n. [L., from spondere, sponsum, to engage one's self. See
Spose.] 1. One who binds himself to answer for another, and is
responsible for his default; a surety.
2. One who at the baptism of an infant professes the Christian faith in
its name, and guarantees its religious education; a godfather or
godmother.
Spon*so"ri*al (?), a. Pertaining to a sponsor.
Spon"sor*ship (?), n. State of being a sponsor.
Spon`ta*ne"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Spontaneities (#). [Cf. F. spontanéité.]
1. The quality or state of being spontaneous, or acting from native
feeling, proneness, or temperament, without constraint or external
force.
Romney Leigh, who lives by diagrams, And crosses not the
spontaneities Of all his individual, personal life With formal
universals.
Mrs. Browning.
2. (Biol.) (a) The tendency to undergo change, characteristic of both
animal and vegetable organisms, and not restrained or cheked by the
environment. (b) The tendency to activity of muscular tissue, including
the voluntary muscles, when in a state of healthful vigor and
refreshment.
Spon*ta"ne*ous (?), a. [L. spontaneus, fr. sponte of free will,
voluntarily.] 1. Proceding from natural feeling, temperament, or
disposition, or from a native internal proneness, readiness, or
tendency, without constraint; as, a spontaneous gift or proportion.
2. Proceeding from, or acting by, internal impulse, energy, or natural
law, without external force; as, spontaneous motion; spontaneous
growth.
3. Produced without being planted, or without human labor; as, a
spontaneous growth of wood.
Spontaneous combustion, combustion produced in a substance by the
evolution of heat through the chemical action of its own elements; as,
the spontaneous combustion of waste matter saturated with oil. --
Spontaneous generation. (Biol.) See under Generation.
Syn. -- Voluntary; uncompelled; willing. -- Spontaneous, Voluntary.
What is voluntary is the result of a volition, or act of choice; it
therefore implies some degree of consideration, and may be the result
of mere reason without excited feeling. What is spontaneous springs
wholly from feeling, or a sudden impulse which admits of no reflection;
as, a spontaneous burst of applause. Hence, the term is also applied to
things inanimate when they are produced without the determinate purpose
or care of man. "Abstinence which is but voluntary fasting, and . . .
exercise which is but voluntary labor." J. Seed.
Spontaneous joys, where nature has its play, The soul adopts, and
owns their firstborn away.
Goldsmith.
-- Spon*ta"ne*ous*ly, adv. -- Spon*ta"ne*ous*ness, n.
Spon*toon" (?), n. [F. sponton, esponton, it. spontone, spuntone.]
(Mil.) A kind of half-pike, or halberd, formerly borne by inferior
officers of the British infantry, and used in giving signals to the
soldiers.
Spook (?), n. [D. spook; akin to G. spuk, Sw. spöke, Dan. spögelse a
specter, spöge to play, sport, joke, spög a play, joke.] 1. A spirit; a
ghost; an apparition; a hobgoblin. [Written also spuke.] Ld. Lytton.