SPHENISCUS, sf[=e]-nis'kus, _n._ a genus of penguins, of the family
_Spheniscidæ_, the jackass-penguins.
SPHENODON, sf[=e]'n[=o]-don, _n._ a genus of South American fossil sloths;
a genus of extinct New Zealand lizards.--_adj._ SPH[=E]'NODONT. [Gr.
_sph[=e]n_, a wedge, _odous_, _odontos_, a tooth.]
SPHENOID, -AL, sf[=e]'noid, -al, _adj._ wedge-shaped: inserted like a
wedge, denoting a bone at the base of the skull.--_adjs._ SPHENETH'MOID,
pertaining to the sphenoid and the ethmoid bone; SPH[=E]'N[=O]-FRON'TAL,
-M[=A]'LAR, -PAL'ATINE, -PAR[=I]'ETAL, -TEM'PORAL, pertaining to the
sphenoid and frontal, malar, palatine, parietal, and temporal bones
respectively.--_n._ SPH[=E]'NOGRAM, a cuneiform character.--_adjs._
SPH[=E]NOGRAPH'IC, -AL.--_n._ SPH[=E]NOG'RAPHY, the art of writing or
deciphering cuneiform inscriptions.--_adjs._ SPH[=E]NOT'IC, pertaining to
the sphenoid bone and the otic capsule; SPH[=E]'NO-TUR'BINAL, sphenoidal
and turbinated or whorled. [Gr. _sph[=e]n_, _sph[=e]nos_, a wedge, _eidos_,
form.]
SPHERE, sf[=e]r, _n._ a ball or globe: an orb or circle: circuit of motion:
province or duty: definite range: rank, position in society: (_geom._) a
surface every point of which is equidistant from one and the same point,
called the centre.--_adjs._ SPH[=E]R'AL; SPHERE'LESS.--_ns._ SPHERE'-MET'AL
(_Milt._), metal like that of which the celestial spheres were anciently
supposed to be made; SPHERE'-M[=U]'SIC, the music of the spheres.--_adjs._
SPHER'IC, -AL, pertaining to, or like, a sphere.--_n._
SPHERICAL'ITY.--_adv._ SPHER'ICALLY.--_ns._ SPHER'ICALNESS, SPHERIC'ITY,
state or quality of being spherical: roundness; SPHER'ICLE, a little
sphere; SPHER'ICS, the geometry and trigonometry of the sphere;
SPH[=E]'ROID, a body or figure nearly spherical, but not quite so--a
species of ellipsoid (_prolate_ spheroid, a slightly lengthened sphere;
_oblate_ spheroid, a slightly flattened sphere).--_adj._ SPH[=E]ROI'DAL,
having the form of a spheroid.--_ns._ SPH[=E]ROIDI'CITY, SPH[=E]ROID'ITY,
the state of being spheroidal; SPH[=E]'ROM[=E]RE, one of the symmetrical
segments of a radiate; SPH[=E]ROM'ETER, an instrument for measuring the
sphericity of portions of spherical surfaces--for example, lenses;
SPH[=E]'ROSID'ERITE, the name given to impure or earthy and frequently
concretionary varieties of carbonate of iron.--_adj._ SPHER'[=U]LAR.--_ns._
SPHER'[=U]LE, a little sphere; SPHER'[=U]LITE, a radiating spherical group
of minute acicular crystals common in silicious volcanic rocks.--_adjs._
SPHER[=U]LIT'IC; SPH[=E]'RY, spherical, round: belonging to the celestial
spheres. [Fr.,--L. _sphæra_--Gr. _sphaira_.]
SPHEX, sfeks, _n._ a genus of hymenopterous insects of the family
_Sphegidæ_, closely allied to the true wasps (_Vespidæ_). [Gr. _sph[=e]x_,
a wasp.]
SPHINCTER, sfingk't[.e]r, _n._ (_anat._) a muscle that contracts or shuts
an orifice or opening which it surrounds--around the anus, &c.--_adjs._
SPHINC'TER[=A]TE, provided with a sphincter, contracted as if by a
sphincter; SPHINCT[=E]'RIAL, SPHINCTER'IC, relating to a sphincter or its
function.--_n._ SPHINCTEROT'OMY, the operation of cutting a sphincter. [Gr.
_sphingkt[=e]r_,--_sphinggein_, to bind tight.]
SPHINX, sfingks, _n._ a monster of Greek mythology, with the head of a
woman and the body of a lioness, that proposed riddles to travellers, and
strangled those who could not solve them: an enigmatic or inscrutable
person: a hawk-moth: the Guinea baboon. [Gr.,--_sphinggein_, to throttle.]
SPHRAGISTICS, sfr[=a]-jis'tiks, _n._ knowledge about seals, their age,
history, &c. [Gr. _sphragistikos_, pertaining to seals--_sphragis_, a
seal.]
SPHRIGOSIS, sfri-g[=o]'sis, _n._ in fruit-trees, excessive growth in wood
and leaves at the expense of fruit. [Gr. _sphrigan_, to be vigorous.]
SPHYGMOGRAPH, sfig'm[=o]-graf, _n._ an instrument for ascertaining and
recording the form, force, and frequency of the pulse-beat, and the changes
it undergoes in certain morbid states.--_adj._ SPHYG'MIC, pertaining to the
pulse.--_n._ SPHYG'MOGRAM, the record made by a sphygmograph.--_adj._
SPHYGMOGRAPH'IC.--_n._ SPHYGMOG'RAPHY, the act of taking
pulse-tracings.--_adj._ SPHYG'MOID, pulse-like.--_ns._ SPHYGMOL'OGY, the
science of the pulse; SPHYGM[=O]M[=A]NOM'ETER, SPHYGMOM'ETER, an instrument
for measuring the tension of blood in an artery; SPHYG'MOPHONE, an
instrument by means of which a pulse-beat makes a sound:
SPHYG'M[=O]SC[=O]PE, an instrument for making arterial pulsations visible;
SPHYG'MUS, the pulse. [Gr. _sphygmos_, the pulse, _graphein_, to write.]
SPHYRNA, sf[.e]r'na, _n._ a genus of hammer-headed sharks.--_adj._
SPHYR'NINE. [Gr. _sphyra_, a hammer.]
SPIAL, sp[=i]'al, _n._ (_obs._) espial: a spy, a scout.
SPICA, sp[=i]'ka, _n._ a spiral bandage with reversed turns: (_ornith._) a
spur.--_adjs._ SP[=I]'CAL, SP[=I]'C[=A]TE, -D, arranged in, or having the
form of, a spike.--_n._ SPIC[=A]'TUM, in ancient masonry, herring-bone
work. [L. _spicatus_, pa.p. of _spic[=a]re_--_spica_, ear.]
SPICE, sp[=i]s, _n._ an aromatic and pungent vegetable substance used as a
condiment and for seasoning food--pepper, cayenne pepper, pimento, nutmeg,
mace, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, cassia, &c.: a characteristic touch or
taste, smack, flavour: anything that adds piquancy or interest: an aromatic
odour.--_v.t._ to season with spice: to tincture, vary, or
diversify.--_ns._ SPICE'-BOX, an ornamental box for keeping spices:
(_coll._) a hot-tempered person; SPICE'-BUSH, an aromatic American shrub of
the laurel family; SPICE'-CAKE, a cake flavoured with spice of some
kind.--_adjs._ SPICED, impregnated with a spicy odour: over-scrupulous;
SPICE'FUL, aromatic.--_ns._ SP[=I]'CER, one who seasons with spice;
SP[=I]'CERY, spices in general: a repository of spices: spiciness;
SPICE'-TREE, an evergreen tree of the Pacific United States, yielding a
fine hard wood--the _Mountain-laurel_, _California-laurel_, _Olive-_ or
_Bay-tree_, and _Cajeput_; SPICE'-WOOD, the spice-bush. [O. Fr. _espice_
(Fr. _épice_)--Late L. _species_, kinds of goods, spices--L. _species_, a
particular kind, &c.]
SPICIFEROUS, SPICIFORM, SPICOUS, &c. See SPIKE.
SPICK, spik, _n._ a nail, a spike.--_adj._ tidy, fresh.--_adj._
SPICK'-AND-SPAN, new and fresh, brand-new.--SPICK-AND-SPAN NEW, i.e. as new
as a spike just made and a chip just split. [_Spike_, nail.]
SPICKNEL, spik'nel, _n._ the baldmoney.--Also SPIG'NEL. [Prob.
_spike-nail_.]
SPICY, sp[=i]'si, _adj._ producing or abounding with spices: fragrant:
pungent: piquant, pointed, racy: showy.--_adv._ SP[=I]'CILY.--_n._
SP[=I]'CINESS.
SPIDER, sp[=i]'d[.e]r, _n._ an arachnid of the order _Araneida_, the body
divided into two distinct parts--an unsegmented cephalo-thorax, bearing six
pairs of appendages, and a soft unsegmented abdomen, at the end of which
are the spinnerets from each of which numerous 'spinning-spools' ooze forth
the viscid fluid which hardens into the silken thread: a frying-pan with
feet, a trivet.--_ns._ SP[=I]'DER-CATCH'ER, the wall-creeper;
SP[=I]'DER-CRAB, a spider-like crab, or sea-spider with long thin legs;
SP[=I]'DER-D[=I]V'ER, the little grebe, or dabchick; SP[=I]'DERDOM, spiders
collectively.--_adj._ SP[=I]'DERED, cobwebbed.--_n._ SP[=I]'DER-FLY, a
pupiparous fly, as a bird-louse, &c.--_adj._ SP[=I]'DER-LIKE, like a
spider.--_ns._ SP[=I]'DERLING, a young spider; SP[=I]'DER-MON'KEY, an
American platyrrine monkey, with long slender legs and tail;
SP[=I]'DER-STITCH, a stitch in lace or netting in which threads are carried
diagonally and parallel to each other; SP[=I]'DER-WASP, a pompilid wasp
which fills its nest with spiders for its young; SP[=I]'DER-WEB, the snare
spun by the spider; SP[=I]'DER-WHEEL, in embroidery, a circular pattern
with radiating lines; SP[=I]'DER-WORK, lace worked by spider-stitch;
SP[=I]'DER-WORT, any plant of the genus _Tradescantia_, esp. _T.
virginica_, an American perennial with deep-blue or reddish-violet
flowers.--_adj._ SP[=I]'DERY, spider-like. [M. E. _spither_--A.S.
_spinnan_, to spin; cf. Dan. _spinder_, Ger. _spinne_.]