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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries
95,912
Pages
1,538
Illustrations
2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

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  1. Spā'ring-ness, n.p. 1265The quality of being sparing; parsimony; want of liberality; caution.
  2. Spärk, n.p. 1265A small particle of fire or ignited substance which is emitted from bodies in combustion. Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. Job v. 7. 2. A small, shining body, or transient light; a…
  3. Spärk, v. i.p. 1265To emit particles of fire; to sparkle. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. To play the spark or lover. “A sure sign that his master was courting, or, as it is termed, sparking, within.” W. Irving.
  4. Spark'-ar-rest'er or Spark'er, n.p. 1265A contrivance to prevent the escape of sparks, while it allows the passage of gas;— chiefly used in the chimney of a wood-burning locomotive. [U. S.]
  5. Spärk'-eyed, a.p. 1265Bright-eyed.
  6. Spärk'ful, a.p. 1265Lively; brisk; gay. [Obs.] Camden.
  7. Spärk'ish, a.p. 1265Like a spark; airy; gay. Welsh. 2. Showy; well-dressed; fine.
  8. Spärk'le, n.p. 1265A little spark; a scintillation. The shock was sufficiently strong to strike out some sparkles, of his fiery temper. Prescott.
  9. Spark'le, v. i.p. 1265To emit sparks; to send off small ignited particles, as burning fuel, and the like. 2. To appear like sparks; to glitter; to glisten; as, a brilliant sparkles; sparkling colors. 3. To twinkle; to…
  10. Spark'le, v. t.p. 1265To shine with; to emit, as light or fire. “Eyes that sparkle fire.” Dryden. 2. To throw about; to scatter. [Obs.] Sackville. 3. To spread abroad as a report; to divulge.
  11. Spärk'ler, n.p. 1266One who, or that which, sparkles; one whose eyes sparkle.
  12. Spärk'let, n.p. 1266A small spark. [Obs.] Cotton.
  13. Spärk'li-ness, n.p. 1266Vivacity. [Obs.] Aubrey.
  14. Spärk'ling, p. a.p. 1266Emitting sparks; glittering; lively; as, sparkling wine; sparkling eyes. See SHINING.
  15. Spärk'ling-ly, adv.p. 1266In a sparkling manner; with twinkling or vivid brilliancy.
  16. Spärk'ling-ness, n.p. 1266The quality of being sparkling; vivid and twinkling luster.
  17. Spär'ling, n.p. 1266A smelt. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Cotgrave.
  18. Spär'lyre, n.p. 1266The hinder part or calf of the leg. [Obs.] Wycliffe.
  19. Spä'roid, a.p. 1266(Ichth.) Belonging to a family of spinous-finned fishes which includes the gilt-head, sea-bream, and porgee.
  20. Spär'-piēce, n.p. 1266(Arch.) The collar-beam of a roof; span-piece. Gwilt.
  21. Spär'poil, v. t.p. 1266To scatter; to spread abroad; to disperse. [Obs.]
  22. Spär'rōw, n.p. 1266(Ornith.) One of several species of small passerine birds, having conical bills, and feeding on insects and seeds. The common sparrow, or house-sparrow of Europe (Passer [or Fringilla] domestica), is…
  23. Spăr'rōw-bĭll, n.p. 1266A small nail; a cast-iron shoe-nail; a sparable.
  24. Spăr'rōw-grāss, n.p. 1266Asparagus. [Vulgar.] See AS-PARAGUS.
  25. Spăr'rōw-hawk, n.p. 1266(Ornith.) A small species of short-winged hawk. [Written also spar-hawk.] The Falco (or Astur) nisus is called sparrow-hawk, by way of eminence, in England. The American sparrow-hawk is the Falco (or…
  26. Spăr'rōw-wort, n.p. 1266(Bot.) An evergreen shrub of the genus Erica (E. passerina).
  27. Spär'ry, a.p. 1266Resembling spar, or consisting of spar; having a confused crystalline structure; spathose. Sparry iron (Min.), carbonate of iron, or spathic iron.
  28. Spärse, a.p. 1266Thinly scattered; set or planted here and there; as, a sparse population. 2. (Bot.) Not opposite, nor alternate, nor in any apparent regular order; scattered; —applied to branches, leaves, peduncles…
  29. Spärse, v. t.p. 1266To disperse. [Obs.] Spenser.
  30. Spärs'ed-ly, adv.p. 1266In a scattered manner. [Obs.]
  31. Spärse'ness, n.p. 1266The state of being sparse; thinness: scattered state; as, sparseness of population.
  32. Spär'sim, adv.p. 1266Sparsely; scatteredly; here and there.
  33. Spar'tan, a.p. 1266(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Sparta, especially to ancient Sparta; hence, hardy; undaunted; as, Spartan souls; Spartan bravery.
  34. Spär'ter-iē, n.p. 1266A kind of woven work made of the blades of the Lygeum Spartum and Stipa tenacissima, kinds of grass used in Spain, Provence, and other countries for making ropes, mats, baskets, nets, and mattresses.…
  35. Spâr'y, a.p. 1266Sparing; parsimonious. [Obs.]
  36. Spăsm, n.p. 1266(Med.) An involuntary and morbid contraction of one or more muscles or muscular fibers. ☞ Spasms are either clonic or tonic. In clonic spasms, the muscles or muscular fibers contract and relax…
  37. Spas-măt'ic-al, a.p. 1266Spasmodical. [Obs.] Blount.
  38. Spas-mŏd'ic or Spas-mŏd'ic-al, a.p. 1266Relating to spasm; consisting in spasm; as, a spasmodic affection. 2. Soon relaxed or exhausted; convulsive; as, spasmodic industry.
  39. Spas-mōd'ic, n.p. 1266(Med.) A medicine good for removing spasm; an anti-spasmodic.
  40. Spas-mōl'o-gy, n.p. 1266A discourse on spasms. Dunglison.
  41. Spăs'tic, a.p. 1266Relating to spasm; spasmodic.
  42. Spas-tĭc'i-ty, n.p. 1266A state of spasm. 2. The tendency to, or capability of suffering, spasm.
  43. Spăt, imp.p. 1266of spit. [Rare.] See SPIT.
  44. Spăt, n.p. 1266The young of shell-fish. Woodward. 2. [Cf. PAT.] A slight blow. Halliwell. 3. Hence, a petty combat; a little quarrel or dissension. [Local U. S.]
  45. Spa-tăng'gus, n.p. 1266(Zool.) A genus of pedicellate echinodermatous animals.
  46. Spātch'-cŏck, n.p. 1266A fowl killed and immediately broiled for some sudden occasion. Halliwell.
  47. Spā'thē, n.p. 1266(Bot.) The same as SPATHE, q. v.
  48. Spa-thă'ceōŭs, a.p. 1266(Bot.) Having a spatha; resembling a spathe; spathal.
  49. Spā'thal, a.p. 1266(Bot.) Furnished with a spathe; as, spathal flowers. Howitt.
  50. Spāthe, n.p. 1266(Bot.) The calyx or bract of a spadix opening or bursting longitudinally, in form of a sheath; a sheath-formed involucre, as in the Indian turnip.
  51. Spā'thēd, a.p. 1266(Bot.) Having a spathe or calyx like a sheath.
  52. Spāth'ic, a.p. 1266Like spar; foliated or lamellar; spathose. Spathic iron (Min.), carbonate of iron, an ore of iron having a foliated structure, and a yellowish or brownish color.
  53. Spāth'i-fōrm, a.p. 1266Resembling spar in form. “The ocherous, spathiform, and mineralized forms of uranite.” Lavoisier, Trans.
  54. Späth'ōse or Späth'ous, a.p. 1266(Bot.) Having a spathe; resembling a spathe; spathaceous; spathal. 2. (Min.) Having the characters of spar; sparry; spathic. Dana.
  55. Spăth'ū-lāte, a.p. 1266Spatulate. See SPATULATE.
  56. Spā'tial, a.p. 1266Of, or pertaining to, space.
  57. Spā'tial-ly, adv.p. 1266In a spatial manner; with reference to space.
  58. Spā'ti-āte, v. i.p. 1266To rove; to ramble. [Obs.] Bacon.
  59. Spăt'ter, v. t.p. 1266To sprinkle with a liquid or with any wet substance, as water, mud, or the like; as, to spatter a coat; to spatter the floor; to spatter the boots with mud. Upon any occasion, he is to be spattered…
  60. Spăt'ter, v. i.p. 1266To throw out of the mouth in a scattered manner; to sputter. See SPUTTER. That mind must needs be irrecoverably depraved, which, — tasting but once of one just dead, spatters at it, and abhors the…