Part 80
||Sper`ma*to*go"ni*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, ||sperm + &?;&?;&?; offspring.] (Physiol.) A primitive seminal cell, ||occuring in masses in the seminal tubules. It divides into a mass ||(spermosphere) of small cells (spermoblast), which in turn give rise ||to spermatozoids.
Sper"ma*toid (?), a. [Spermato- + -oid.] (Physiol.) Spermlike; resembling sperm, or semen.
||Sper`ma*to"ön (?), n.; pl. Spermatoa (#). [NL., fr. Gr. spe`rma, ||-atos, seed + &?;&?;&?; an egg.] (Anat.) A spermoblast. -- ||Sper`ma*to"al (#), a. Owen.
Sper"ma*to*phore (?), n. [Spermato- + Gr. &?;&?;&?; to bear.] 1. (Physiol.) Same as Spermospore.
2. (Zoöl.) A capsule or pocket inclosing a number of spermatozoa. They are present in many annelids, brachiopods, mollusks, and crustaceans. In cephalopods the structure of the capsule is very complex.
Sper`ma*toph"o*rous (?), a. (Physiol.) Producing seed, or sperm; seminiferous; as, the so-called spermatophorous cells.
{Sper`ma*tor*rhe"a, Sper`ma*tor*rhœ"a, (&?;) }, n. [NL., fr. Gr. spe`rma, - atos, seed + &?;&?;&?; to flow.] (Med.) Abnormally frequent involuntary emission of the semen without copulation.
Sper"ma*to*spore (?), n. Same as Spermospore.
Sper`ma*to*zo"id (?), n. [Spermatozoön + Gr. &?;&?;&?; form.] (Biol.) The male germ cell in animals and plants, the essential element in fertilization; a microscopic animalcule-like particle, usually provided with one or more cilia by which it is capable of active motion. In animals, the familiar type is that of a small, more or less ovoid head, with a delicate threadlike cilium, or tail. Called also spermatozoön. In plants the more usual term is antherozoid.
Sper`ma*to*zo"oid (?) n. (Biol.) A spermatozoid.
||Sper`ma*to*zo"ön (?), n.; pl. Spermatozoa (#). [NL., fr. Gr. ||&?;&?;&?;, sperm + &?;&?;&?; an animal.] (Biol.) Same as ||Spermatozoid.
Sper"mic (?), a. Of or pertaining to sperm, or semen.
||Sper*mid"i*um (?), n.; pl. Spermidia (#). [Nl., fr. Gr. spe`rma ||seed.] (Bot.) An achenium.
Sperm"ist (?), n. (Biol.) A believer in the doctrine, formerly current, of encasement in the male (see Encasement), in which the seminal thread, or spermatozoid, was considered as the real animal germ, the head being the true animal head and the tail the body.
Sper"mo*blast (?), n. [Spermo- + -blast.] (Physiol.) One of the cells formed by the division of the spermospore, each of which is destined to become a spermatozoid; a spermatocyte; a spermatoblast.
||Sper`mo*coc"cus (?), n. [NL. See Spermo-, and Coccus.] (Physiol.) The ||nucleus of the sperm cell.
Sper"mo*derm (?), n. [Spermo- + derm: cf. F. spermoderme.] (Bot.) The covering of a seed; -- sometimes limited to the outer coat or testa. Lindley.
||Sper`mo*go"ni*um (?), n. [NL.; spermo- + Gr. &?;&?;&?; offspring.] ||(Bot.) A conceptacle of certain lichens, which contains spermatia.
Sper*mol"o*gist (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;&?; picking up seeds; spe`rma sperm, seed + &?;&?;&?;&?; to gather.] One who treats of, or collects, seeds. Bailey.
Sper"mo*phile (?), n. [Gr. spe`rma a seed + fi`los loving, fond.] (Zoöl.) Any ground squirrel of the genus Spermophilus; a gopher. See Illust. under Gopher.
Sper"mo*phore (?), n. (Zoöl.) A spermatophore.
||Sper*moph"y*ta (?), n. pl. [Nl., from Gr. spe`rma a seed + fyto`n a ||plant.] Plants which produce seed; phænogamia. These plants ||constitute the highest grand division of the vegetable kingdom.
Sper"mo*phyte (?), n. (Bot.) Any plant which produces true seeds; -- a term recently proposed to replace phænogam.
Sper`mo*phyt"ic (?), a. (Bot.) Capable of producing seeds; phænogamic.
||Sper`mo*plas"ma (?), n. [NL. See Spermo-, and Plasma.] (Physiol.) The ||protoplasm of the sperm cell. Haeckel.
Sper"mo*sphere (?), n. [Spermo- + sphere.] (Physiol.) A mass or ball of cells formed by the repeated division of a male germinal cell (spermospore), each constituent cell (spermoblast) of which is converted into a spermatozoid; a spermatogemma.
Sper"mo*spore (?), n. [Spermo- + spore.] (Physiol.) The male germinal or seminal cell, from the breaking up of which the spermoblasts are formed and ultimately the spermatozoids; a spermatospore. Balfour.
Sper"mule (?), n. [Dim. fr. sperm.] (Physiol.) A sperm cell. Haeckel.
Sperm" whale` (?). (Zoöl.) A very large toothed whale (Physeter macrocephalus), having a head of enormous size. The upper jaw is destitute of teeth. In the upper part of the head, above the skull, there is a large cavity, or case, filled with oil and spermaceti. This whale sometimes grows to the length of more than eighty feet. It is found in the warmer parts of all the oceans. Called also cachalot, and spermaceti whale.
Pygmy sperm whale (Zoöl.), a small whale (Kogia breviceps), seldom twenty feet long, native of tropical seas, but occasionally found on the American coast. Called also snub-nosed cachalot. -- Sperm-whale porpoise (Zoöl.), a toothed cetacean (Hyperoödon bidens), found on both sides of the Atlantic and valued for its oil. The adult becomes about twenty-five feet long, and its head is very large and thick. Called also bottle-nosed whale.
Sper"ry*lite (?), n.[Named after F. L. Sperry, who discovered it.] (Min.) An arsenide of platinum occuring in grains and minute isometric crystals of tin-white color. It is found near Sudbury, Ontario Canada, and is the only known compound of platinum occuring in nature.
Sperse (?), v. t. To disperse. [Obs.] Spenser.
Spes"sart*ite (?), n.[From Spessart, in Germany.] (Min.) A manganesian variety of garnet.
Spet (?), v. t. [AS. sp&?;tan. See Spit.] To spit; to throw out. [Obs.]
Spet, n. Spittle. [Obs.]
Spetch"es (?), n. pl. Parings and refuse of hides, skins, etc., from which glue is made.
Spew (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spewed (?); p. pr.& vb. n. Spewing.] [OE. spewen, speowen, AS. spwan;n to D. spuwen to spit. OS & OHG. spwan, G. speien, Icel. sp&?;ja to spew, Sw. spy, Dan. spye, Goth. spiewan, th. spjauti, L. spuere to split, Gr. &?;&?;&?;, Skr. shtiv, shthv. Cf. Pyke, Spit.] [Written also spue.] 1. To eject from the stomach; to vomit.
2. To cast forth with abhorrence or disgust; to eject.
Because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
Rev. ii. 16.
Spew, v. i. 1. To vomit. Chaucer.
2. To eject seed, as wet land swollen with frost.
Spew, n. That which is vomited; vomit.
Spew"er (?), n. One who spews.
Spew"i*ness (?), n. The state of being spewy.
Spew"y (?), a. Wet; soggy; inclined to spew.
Sphac"el (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;: cf. F. sphacèle.] (Med.) Gangrene.
Sphac"e*late (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sphacelated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sphacelating.] [NL. sphacelare, sphacelatum, mortify: cf. F. sphacéler. See Sphacelus.] (Med.) To die, decay, or become gangrenous, as flesh or bone; to mortify.
Sphac"e*late, v. t. (Med.) To affect with gangrene.
{ Sphac"e*late (?), Sphac"e*la`ted (?), } a. (Med.) Affected with gangrene; mortified.
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Sphac`e*la"tion (?), n. (Med.) The process of becoming or making gangrenous; mortification.
||Sphac"e*lus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;.] (Med.) Gangrenous ||part; gangrene; slough.
||Sphæ*ren"chy*ma (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?; sphere + -enchyma as ||in parenchima.] (Bot.) Vegetable tissue composed of thin-walled ||rounded cells, -- a modification of parenchyma.
||Sphæ*rid"i*um (?), n.; pl. Sphæridia (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?; a ||sphere.] (Zoöl.) A peculiar sense organ found upon the exterior of ||most kinds of sea urchins, and consisting of an oval or sherical head ||surmounting a short pedicel. It is generally supposed to be an ||olfactory organ.
Sphæ"ro*spore (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; sphere + E. spore.] (Bot.) One of the nonsexual spores found in red algæ; a tetraspore.
Sphær"u*lite (?), n. (Min.) Same as Spherulite.
Sphag*nic"o*lous (?), a. [Sphagnum + L. colere to inhabit.] (Bot.) Growing in moss of the genus Sphagnum.
Sphag"nous (?), a. (Bot.) Pertaining to moss of the genus Sphagnum, or bog moss; abounding in peat or bog moss.
||Sphag"num (?), n. [NL., fr/ Gr. &?;&?;&?; a kind of moss.] (Bot.) A ||genus of mosses having white leaves slightly tinged with red or green ||and found growing in marshy places; bog moss; peat moss.
Sphal"er*ite (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; slippery, uncertain. See Blende.] (Min.) Zinc sulphide; -- called also blende, black-jack, false galena, etc. See Blende (a).
Sphene (?), n. [F. sphène, fr. Gr. sfh`n a wedge.] (Min.) A mineral found usually in thin, wedge-shaped crystals of a yellow or green to black color. It is a silicate of titanium and calcium; titanite.
Sphe*neth"moid (?), a. [Sphenoid + ethmoid.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to both the sphenoidal and the ethmoidal regions of the skull, or the sphenethmoid bone; sphenethmoidal.
Sphenethmoid bone (Anat.), a bone of the skull which surrounds the anterior end of the brain in many amphibia; the girdle bone.
Sphe*neth"moid, n. (Anat.) The sphenethmoid bone.
Sphe`neth*moid"al (?), a. (Anat.) Relating to the sphenoethmoid bone; sphenoethmoid.
Sphe*nis"can (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any species of penguin.
Sphe"no- (?). A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the sphenoid bone; as in sphenomaxillary, sphenopalatine.
Sphe"no*don (?), n. [Gr. sfh`n a wedge + &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, a tooth.] (Zoöl.) Same as Hatteria.
Sphe"no*eth*moid`al (?), a. (Anat.) Sphenethmoid.
Sphe"no*gram (?), n. [Gr. sfh`n a wedge + -gram.] A cuneiform, or arrow- headed, character.
Sphe*nog"ra*pher, n. One skilled in sphenography; a sphenographist.
Sphe`no*graph"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to sphenography.
Sphe*nog"ra*phist (?), n. A sphenographer.
Sphe*nog"ra*phy (?), n. [Gr. sfh`n a wedge + -graphy.] The art of writing in cuneiform characters, or of deciphering inscriptions made in such characters.
Sphe"noid (?), a. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;; sfh`n a wedge + e'i^dos form: cf. F. sphénoïde.] 1. Wedge-shaped; as, a sphenoid crystal.
2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the sphenoid bone.
Sphenoid bone (Anat.), an irregularly shaped bone in front of the occipital in the base of the skull of the higher vertebrates. It is composed of several fetal bones which become united the adult. See Alisphenoid, Basisphenoid, Orbitosphenoid, Presphenoid.
Sphe"noid (?), n. 1. (Crystallog.) A wedge-shaped crystal bounded by four equal isosceles triangles. It is the hemihedral form of a square pyramid.
2. (Anat.) The sphenoid bone.
Sphe*noid"al (?), a. 1. Sphenoid.
2. (Crystalloq.) Pertaining to, or resembling, a sphenoid.
Sphe*not"ic (?), a. [Spheno- + &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, the ear.] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, the sphenotic bone.
Sphenotic bone (Anat.), a bone on the anterior side of the auditory capsule of many fishes, and connected with, or adjoining, the sphenoid bone.
Sphe*not"ic, n. (Anat.) The sphenotic bone.
Spher"al (?), a. 1. Of or pertaining to a sphere or the spheres.
2. Rounded like a sphere; sphere-shaped; hence, symmetrical; complete; perfect.
Sphere (?), n. [OE. spere, OF. espere, F. sphère, L. sphaera,. Gr. &?;&?;&?; a sphere, a ball.] 1. (Geom.) A body or space contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point within called its center.
2. Hence, any globe or globular body, especially a celestial one, as the sun, a planet, or the earth.
Of celestial bodies, first the sun, A mighty sphere, he framed.
Milton.
3. (Astron.) (a) The apparent surface of the heavens, which is assumed to be spherical and everywhere equally distant, in which the heavenly bodies appear to have their places, and on which the various astronomical circles, as of right ascension and declination, the equator, ecliptic, etc., are conceived to be drawn; an ideal geometrical sphere, with the astronomical and geographical circles in their proper positions on it. (b) In ancient astronomy, one of the concentric and eccentric revolving spherical transparent shells in which the stars, sun, planets, and moon were supposed to be set, and by which they were carried, in such a manner as to produce their apparent motions.
4. (Logic) The extension of a general conception, or the totality of the individuals or species to which it may be applied.
5. Circuit or range of action, knowledge, or influence; compass; province; employment; place of existence.
To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in 't.
Shak.
Taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself.
Hawthorne.
Each in his hidden sphere of joy or woe Our hermit spirits dwell.
Keble.
6. Rank; order of society; social positions.
7. An orbit, as of a star; a socket. [R.] Shak.
Armillary sphere, Crystalline sphere, Oblique sphere,. See under Armillary, Crystalline,. -- Doctrine of the sphere, applications of the principles of spherical trigonometry to the properties and relations of the circles of the sphere, and the problems connected with them, in astronomy and geography, as to the latitudes and longitudes, distance and bearing, of places on the earth, and the right ascension and declination, altitude and azimuth, rising and setting, etc., of the heavenly bodies; spherical geometry. -- Music of the spheres. See under Music.
Syn. -- Globe; orb; circle. See Globe.
Sphere (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sphered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Sphering.] 1. To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to insphere.
The glorious planet Sol In noble eminence enthroned and sphered Amidst the other.
Shak.
2. To form into roundness; to make spherical, or spheral; to perfect. Tennyson.
{ Spher"ic*al (?), Spher"ic (?), } a. [L. sphaericus, Gr. &?;&?;&?;: cf. F. sphérique.] 1. Having the form of a sphere; like a sphere; globular; orbicular; as, a spherical body.
2. Of or pertaining to a sphere.
3. Of or pertaining to the heavenly orbs, or to the sphere or spheres in which, according to ancient astronomy and astrology, they were set.
Knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance.
Shak.
Though the stars were suns, and overburned Their spheric limitations.
Mrs. Browning.
Spherical angle, Spherical coördinate, Spherical excess, etc. See under Angle, Coordinate, etc. -- Spherical geometry, that branch of geometry which treats of spherical magnitudes; the doctrine of the sphere, especially of the circles described on its surface. -- Spherical harmonic analysis. See under Harmonic, a. -- Spherical lune,portion of the surface of a sphere included between two great semicircles having a common diameter. -- Spherical opening, the magnitude of a solid angle. It is measured by the portion within the solid angle of the surface of any sphere whose center is the angular point. -- Spherical polygon,portion of the surface of a sphere bounded by the arcs of three or more great circles. -- Spherical projection, the projection of the circles of the sphere upon a plane. See Projection. -- Spherical sector. See under Sector. -- Spherical segment, the segment of a sphere. See under Segment. -- Spherical triangle,re on the surface of a sphere, bounded by the arcs of three great circles which intersect each other. -- Spherical trigonometry. See Trigonometry.
-- Spher"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Spher"ic*al*ness, n.
Sphe*ric"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. sphéricité.] The quality or state of being spherial; roundness; as, the sphericity of the planets, or of a drop of water.
Spher"i*cle (?), n. A small sphere.
Spher"ics (?), n. (Math.) The doctrine of the sphere; the science of the properties and relations of the circles, figures, and other magnitudes of a sphere, produced by planes intersecting it; spherical geometry and trigonometry.
||Sphe`ro*bac*te"ri*a (?), n. pl.; sing. Spherobacterium (&?;). [NL. ||See Sphere, and Bacterium.] (Biol.) See the Note under Microbacteria.
Sphe`ro*con"ic (?), n. (Geom.) A nonplane curve formed by the intersection of the surface of an oblique cone with the surface of a sphere whose center is at the vertex of the cone.
Spher"o*graph (?), n. [Sphere + -graph.] An instrument for facilitating the practical use of spherics in navigation and astronomy, being constructed of two cardboards containing various circles, and turning upon each other in such a manner that any possible spherical triangle may be readily found, and the measures of the parts read off by inspection.
Sphe"roid (?), n. [L. spheroides ball-like, spherical, Gr. &?;&?;&?;; &?;&?;&?;&?; sphere + &?;&?;&?; form: cf. F. sphéroïde.] A body or figure approaching to a sphere, but not perfectly spherical; esp., a solid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about one of its axes.
Oblate spheroid, Prolate spheroid. See Oblate, Prolate, and Ellipsoid.
Sphe*roid"al (?), a. [Cf. F. sphéroïdal.] Having the form of a spheroid. -- Sphe*roid"al*ly, adv.
Spheroidal state (Physics.), the state of a liquid, as water, when, on being thrown on a surface of highly heated metal, it rolls about in spheroidal drops or masses, at a temperature several degrees below ebullition, and without actual contact with the heated surface, -- a phenomenon due to the repulsive force of heat, the intervention of a cushion of nonconducting vapor, and the cooling effect of evaporation.
{ Sphe*roid"ic (?), Sphe*roid"ic*al (?), } a. See Spheroidal. Cheyne.
{ Sphe`roi*dic"i*ty (?), Sphe*roid"i*ty (?), } n. The quality or state of being spheroidal.
Sphe"ro*mere (?), n. [Sphere + -mere.] (Zoöl.) Any one of the several symmetrical segments arranged around the central axis and composing the body of a radiate anmal.
Sphe*rom"e*ter (?), n. [Sphere + -meter: cf. F. sphéromètre.] (Physics) An instrument for measuring the curvature of spherical surface, as of lenses for telescope, etc.
Spher`o*sid"er*ite (?), n. [Sphere + siderite.] (Min.) Siderite occuring in spheroidal masses.
Sphe"ro*some (?), n. [Sphere + -some body.] (Zoöl.) The body wall of any radiate animal.
Spher"u*late (?), a. Covered or set with spherules; having one or more rows of spherules, or minute tubercles.
Spher"ule (?), n. [L. spherula: cf. F. sphérule.] A little sphere or spherical body; as, quicksilver, when poured upon a plane, divides itself into a great number of minute spherules.
Spher"u*lite (?), n. [Cf. F. sphérulite.] (Min.) A minute spherical crystalline body having a radiated structure, observed in some vitreous volcanic rocks, as obsidian and pearlstone.
Spher`u*lit"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to a spherulite; characterized by the presence of spherulites.
Spher"y (?), a. 1. Round; spherical; starlike. [R.] "Hermia's sphery eyne." Shak.
2. Of or pertaining to the spheres. [R.]
She can teach ye how to climb Higher than the sphery chime.
Milton.
Sphex (?), n.[NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, a wasp.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of sand wasps of the genus Sphex and allied genera. These wasps have the abdomen attached to the thorax by a slender pedicel. See Illust. of Sand wasp, under Sand.
Sphex fly (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of small dipterous flies of the genus Conops and allied genera. The form of the body is similar to that of a sphex.
Sphig*mom"e*ter (?), n. See Sphygmometer.
Sphinc"ter (?), n. [NL., fr. &?;&?;&?; to bind tight.] (Anat.) A muscle which surrounds, and by its contraction tends to close, a natural opening; as, the sphincter of the bladder.
Sphinc"ter, a. (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sphincter; as, a sphincter muscle.
Sphin"gid (?), n. (Zoöl.) A sphinx.
Sphin"gid, a. Of or pertaining to a sphinx, or the family Sphingidæ.
Sphinx (?), n. [L., from Gr. sfi`gx, usually derived from sfi`ggein to bind tight or together, as if the Throttler.] 1. (a) In Egyptian art, an image of granite or porphyry, having a human head, or the head of a ram or of a hawk, upon the wingless body of a lion.
The awful ruins of the days of old . . . Or jasper tomb, or mutilated sphinx.
Shelley.
(b) On Greek art and mythology, a she-monster, usually represented as having the winged body of a lion, and the face and breast of a young woman. The most famous Grecian sphinx, that of Thebes in Bœotia, is said to have proposed a riddle to the Thebans, and killed those who were unable to guess it. The enigma was solved by Œdipus, whereupon the sphinx slew herself. "Subtle as sphinx." Shak.
2. Hence: A person of enigmatical character and purposes, especially in politics and diplomacy.
3. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of large moths of the family Sphingidæ; -- called also hawk moth.
The larva is a stout naked caterpillar which, when at rest, often assumes a position suggesting the Egyptian sphinx, whence the name.
4. (Zoöl.) The Guinea, or sphinx, baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx).
Sphinx baboon (Zoöl.), a large West African baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx), often kept in menageries. -- Sphinx moth. (Zoöl.) Same as Sphinx, 3.
Sphrag"ide (?), n.[L. sphragis, -idis, Lemnian earth, fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, a seal; -- so called because sold in sealed packets.] (Min.) Lemnian earth.
Sphra*gis"tics (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; of or for sealing, fr. &?;&?;&?; a seal.] The science of seals, their history, age, distinctions, etc., esp. as verifying the age and genuiness of documents.
||Sphri*go"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?; to be full of strength.] ||(Bot.) A condition of vegetation in which there is too abundant ||growth of the stem and leaves, accompanied by deficiency of flowers ||and fruit.
Sphyg"mic (?), a. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse.] (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to the pulse.
Sphyg"mo*gram (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; pulse + -gram.] (Physiol.) A tracing, called a pulse tracing, consisting of a series of curves corresponding with the beats of the heart, obtained by the application of the sphygmograph.
Sphyg"mo*graph (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse + -graph.] (Physiol.) An instrument which, when applied over an artery, indicates graphically the movements or character of the pulse. See Sphygmogram.
Sphyg`mo*graph"ic (?), a. (Phusiol.) Relating to, or produced by, a sphygmograph; as, a sphygmographic tracing.
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Sphyg*mom"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; pulse + -meter.] (Physiol.) An instrument for measuring the strength of the pulse beat; a sphygmograph.
Sphyg"mo*phone (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse + &?;&?;&?; sound.] (Physiol.) An electrical instrument for determining by the ear the rhythm of the pulse of a person at a distance.
Sphyg"mo*scope (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse + -scope.] (Physiol.) Same as Sphygmograph.
Sphy*ræ"noid (?), a.[L. sphyraena a kind of sea fish (Gr. sfy`raina) + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Sphyrænidæ, a family of marine fishes including the barracudas.
Spi"al (?), n. A spy; a scout. [Obs.] Bacon.
||Spi"ca (?), n.; pl. Spicæ (#). [L., an ear, as of corn.] 1. (Med.) A ||kind of bandage passing, by successive turns and crosses, from an ||extremity to the trunk; -- so called from its resemblance to a spike ||of a barley.
2. (Astron.) A star of the first magnitude situated in the constellation Virgo.
{ Spi"cate (?), Spi"ca*ted (?), } a. [L. spicatus, p. p. of spicare furnish with spikes, or ears, fr. spica a spike, or ear.] (Bot.) Having the form of a spike, or ear; arranged in a spike or spikes. Lee.
||Spic*ca"to (?), a. [It., p. p. of spicare to detach, to separate.] ||(Mus.) Detached; separated; -- a term indicating that every note is ||to be performed in a distinct and pointed manner.
Spice (?), n. [OE. spice, spece, spice, species, OF. espice, espece, F. épice spice, espèce species, fr. L. species particular sort or kind, a species, a sight, appearance, show, LL., spices, drugs, etc., of the same sort, fr. L. specere to look. See Spy, and cf. Species.] 1. Species; kind. [Obs.]
The spices of penance ben three.
Chaucer.
Abstain you from all evil spice.
Wyclif (1. Thess,v. 22).
Justice, although it be but one entire virtue, yet is described in two kinds of spices. The one is named justice distributive, the other is called commutative.
Sir T. Elyot.
2. A vegetable production of many kinds, fragrant or aromatic and pungent to the taste, as pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, ginger, cloves, etc., which are used in cookery and to flavor sauces, pickles, etc.
Hast thou aught in thy purse [bag] any hot spices?
Piers Plowman.
3. Figuratively, that which enriches or alters the quality of a thing in a small degree, as spice alters the taste of food; that which gives zest or pungency; a slight flavoring; a relish; hence, a small quantity or admixture; a sprinkling; as, a spice of mischief.
So much of the will, with a spice of the willful.
Coleridge.
Spice, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spiced (?); p. p. & vb. n. Spicing (?).] 1. To season with spice, or as with spice; to mix aromatic or pungent substances with; to flavor; to season; as, to spice wine; to spice one's words with wit.
She 'll receive thee, but will spice thy bread With flowery poisons.
Chapman.
2. To fill or impregnate with the odor of spices.
In the spiced Indian air, by night.
Shak.