Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
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.
Spĕrm'a-toid, a. p. 1270Sperm-like; resembling sperm, or semen.Spĕrm'a-tŏl'ō-gy, n. p. 1270(Med.) A discourse on sperm, or the fecundating fluid. Dunglison.Spĕrm'a-to-phōre', n. p. 1270(Anat.) A filament of the spermatic glands containing the spermatozoa, especially in the cephalopods. Dana.Spĕrm'a-tŏph'o-roŭs, a. p. 1270Producing, or bearing, seed or sperm; seminiferous.Spĕrm'a-to-zō'id, n. p. 1270(Physiol.) One of the microscopic motile animalcular-like particles that exist in the spermatic fluid, and are its essential portion;—called also spermatozoön. Carpenter. 2. (Bot.) One of the minute…Spĕrm'a-tō-zō'ōn, n. p. 1270The same as SPERMATOZOID, q. v.Spĕrm'-cĕll, n. p. 1270(Physiol.) One of the cells in the seminal fluid, in which the spermatozoa are developed. Brande.Sper-mĭd'ĭ-ŭm, n. p. 1270(Bot.) A small, dry, indehiscent pericarp, containing a simple, free seed; an achenium. [See Illust. of Achenium.]Spĕrm'o-dĕrm, n. p. 1270(Bot.) The whole integuments of a seed, in the aggregate. Lindley.Spĕrm'-oil, n. p. 1270Oil obtained from the cachalot, or spermaceti whale.Sper-mŏl'ō-gĭst, n. p. 1270One who treats of seeds, or who collects seeds. [Obs. or rare.] Bailey.Spĕrm'o-phile, n. p. 1270(Zoöl.) The prairie squirrel;—applied also to different species of the genus Spermophilus. See SQUIRREL.Spĕrm'-whāle, n. p. 1270The spermaceti-whale.Spērse, v. t. p. 1270To disperse. [Obs.] Spenser.Spĕt, v. t. p. 1270To spit; to throw out. [Obs.]Spēt, n. p. 1270Spittle, or a flow. [Obs.]Spētech'es, n. pl. p. 1270Pieces of hides, skin, and the like, from which glue is made. Simmonds.Spew, v. t. p. 1270To eject from the stomach; to vomit; to puke. 2. To cast forth with abhorrence; to eject.Spew, v. i. p. 1270To discharge the contents of the stomach; to vomit.Spew'er, n. p. 1270One who spews.Spew'y, a. p. 1270Wet; foggy. [Prov. Eng. and local U. S.] Mortimer.Sphăc'e-lāte, v. i. p. 1270To mortify; to become gangrenous, as flesh. 2. To decay or become carious, as a bone.Sphă'ce-lāte, v. t. p. 1270To affect with gangrene.Sphăc'e-late or Sphăc'e-lā'ted, a. p. 1270Affected with gangrene; mortified.Sphăc'e-lā'tion, n. p. 1270(Med.) The process of becoming, or making, gangrenous; mortification.Sphā'ce-lūs, n. p. 1270(Med. & Surg.) The gangrenous part in a case of mortification, as of a limb; gangrene. 2. Death of a bone. Coxe.Sphær'ū-lite, n. p. 1270(Min.) The same as SPHERULITE, q. v.Sphăg'noŭs, a. p. 1270(Bot.) Of, or pertaining to, plants of the genus Sphagnum, or to bog-moss; mossy. Bigelow.Sphāg'num, n. p. 1270(Bot.) A genus of plants belonging to the family of the mosses, having white leaves slightly tinged with red or green, and found growing in marshy places, where they form masses of turf which are…Sphène, n. p. 1270(Min.) A mineral composed of silica, titanic acid, and lime. Its colors are dull yellow, green, gray, brown, and black. It is found usually in thin, wedge-shaped crystals.Sphē'no-grām, n. p. 1270A cuneiform or arrow-headed character. See CUNEIFORM.Sphē'noid or Sphē-noid'al, a. p. 1270Resembling a wedge. Sphenoid bone (Anat.), an irregularly shaped bone situated at the base of the skull on the median line;—called also pterygoid bone. ☞ Sphenoid, abbreviated to spheno, is sometimes…Sphé'noid, n. p. 1270(Crystallog.) A wedge-shaped crystal contained under four equal isosceles triangles. Dana. 2. (Anat.) A wedge-shaped compound bone; the sphenoid bone. Dunglison.Sphē'r'al, a. p. 1270Rounded like a sphere; hence, symmetrical; complete; perfect.Sphēre, n. p. 1270(Geom.) A body contained under a single surface, which, in every part, is equally distant from a point within, called its center. 2. Hence, any orb or star. First the sun, a mighty sphere, he framed.…Sphēre, v. t. p. 1270To place in a sphere. The glorious planet Sol, In noble eminence, enthroned and sphered Amidst the rest. Shak. 2. To form into roundness. “Light . . . sphered in a radiant cloud.” Milton.Sphère'-mél'o-dy, n. p. 1270Melody or music of the spheres. Carlyle.Sphère'-mū'sic, n. p. 1270The music or harmony of the spheres. Ed. Rev.Sphér'ic or Sphér'ic-al, a. p. 1270Having the form of a sphere; like a sphere; globular; orbicular; as, a spherical body. 2. Pertaining to a sphere. 3. Relating to the heavenly orbs; planetary. We make guilty of our disasters the sun…Sphèr'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 1270In the form of a sphere.Sphē'rie-al-ness or Sphē-ric'i-ty, n. p. 1270The state or quality of being spherical; roundness; as, the sphericity of a drop of water.Sphēr'ĭ-cle, n. p. 1270A small sphere.Sphē'rics, n. sing. p. 1270The 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…Sphĕr'o-grāph, n. p. 1270An instrument for facilitating the practical use of spheres in navigation and astronomy, being constructed of two card-boards containing various circles, and turning upon each other in such a manner…Sphē'roid, n. p. 1270A body or figure approaching to a sphere, but not perfectly spherical; especially, a solid generated by the revolution of an ellipse about one of its axes. Oblate spheroid. See OBLATE.—Prolate…Sphe-roid'al or Sphe-roid'ic, a. p. 1270Sphe-roid'ie-al, a. p. 1270Having the form of a spheroid. Cheyne. 2. (Crystallog.) Bounded by several convex faces.Spheroidal state p. 1270the 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…Sphe-roid'i-ty, n. p. 1270The state or quality of being spheroidal. [Rare.]Sphe-rōm'e-ter, n. p. 1270An instrument for measuring the thickness of small bodies, the curvature of optical glasses, and the like.Sphĕr'/o-sĭd'er-īte, n. p. 1270(Min.) Carbonate of iron in spheroidal masses, occurring in trap. Dana.Sphēr'u-late, a. p. 1270Covered or set with spherules; having one or more rows of spherules or minute tubercles.Sphèr'ule, n. p. 1270A little sphere or spherical body; as, quicksilver, when poured upon a plane, divides itself into a great number of minute spherules.Sphĕr'u-lite, n. p. 1270(Min.) A variety of obsidian or pearl-stone, found in rounded grains.Sphē'r'y, a. p. 1270Round; spherical. Shak. 2. Belonging to the spheres. She can teach ye how to climb Higher than the sphery chime. Milton.Sphig-mōm'e-ter, n. p. 1270The same as SPHYGMOMETER, q. v.Sphinc'ter, n. p. 1270(Anat.) A muscle that contracts or shuts the opening of an organ. It is more generally applied to such as naturally and without volition maintain soft openings closed; as, the sphincter of the mouth.Sphinx, n. p. 1270(Myth.) A monster usually represented as having the winged body of a lion, and the face and breast of a young woman; — represented also in other forms. 2. (Entom.) A genus of lepidopterous insects…Sphrăg'īde, n. p. 1270(Min.) A species of ocherous clay which falls to pieces in water, with the emission of many bubbles; — called also earth of Lemnos and Lemnian earth.Sphra-gis'tics, n. sing. p. 1271The science of seals, their history, age, distinctions; a branch of diplomatics. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]