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Sphaerenchyma

Vegetable tissue composed of thin-walled rounded cells, -- a modification of parenchyma.

Sphaeridium

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.

Sphaerospore

One of the nonsexual spores found in red algae; a tetraspore.

Sphagnous

Pertaining to moss of the genus Sphagnum, or bog moss; abounding in peat or bog moss.

Sphagnum

A genus of mosses having white leaves slightly tinged with red or green and found growing in marshy places; bog moss; peat moss.

Sphalerite

Zinc sulphide; -- called also blende, black-jack, false galena, etc. See Blende (a).

Sphene

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.

Sphenogram

A cuneiform, or arrow-headed, character.

Sphenography

The art of writing in cuneiform characters, or of deciphering inscriptions made in such characters.

Sphenoid

A wedge-shaped crystal bounded by four equal isosceles triangles. It is the hemihedral form of a square pyramid.

Spheral

Of or pertaining to a sphere or the spheres.

Sphere

To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to insphere.

Spheric Spherical

Having the form of a sphere; like a sphere; globular; orbicular; as, a spherical body.

Sphericity

The quality or state of being spherial; roundness; as, the sphericity of the planets, or of a drop of water.

Spherics

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.

Spheroconic

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.

Spherograph

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.

Spheroid

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.

Spheromere

Any one of the several symmetrical segments arranged around the central axis and composing the body of a radiate anmal.

Spherometer

An instrument for measuring the curvature of spherical surface, as of lenses for telescope, etc.

Spherulate

Covered or set with spherules; having one or more rows of spherules, or minute tubercles.

Spherule

A little sphere or spherical body; as, quicksilver, when poured upon a plane, divides itself into a great number of minute spherules.

Spherulite

A minute spherical crystalline body having a radiated structure, observed in some vitreous volcanic rocks, as obsidian and pearlstone.

Spherulitic

Of or pertaining to a spherulite; characterized by the presence of spherulites.

Sphery

Round; spherical; starlike.

Sphex

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.

Sphincter

Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sphincter; as, a sphincter muscle.

Sphingid

Of or pertaining to a sphinx, or the family Sphingidae.

Sphinx

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.

Sphragistics

The science of seals, their history, age, distinctions, etc., esp. as verifying the age and genuiness of documents.

Sphrigosis

A condition of vegetation in which there is too abundant growth of the stem and leaves, accompanied by deficiency of flowers and fruit.

Sphygmogram

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.

Sphygmograph

An instrument which, when applied over an artery, indicates graphically the movements or character of the pulse. See Sphygmogram.

Sphygmographic

Relating to, or produced by, a sphygmograph; as, a sphygmographic tracing.

Sphygmometer

An instrument for measuring the strength of the pulse beat; a sphygmograph.

Sphygmophone

An electrical instrument for determining by the ear the rhythm of the pulse of a person at a distance.

Sphyraenoid

Of or pertaining to the Sphyraenidae, a family of marine fishes including the barracudas.

Spica

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.

Spicated Spicate

Having the form of a spike, or ear; arranged in a spike or spikes.

Spiccato

Detached; separated; -- a term indicating that every note is to be performed in a distinct and pointed manner.

Spice

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.

Spicer

One who seasons with spice.

Spicewood

An American shrub (Lindera Benzoin), the bark of which has a spicy taste and odor; -- called also Benjamin, wild allspice, and fever bush.

Spiciness

The quality or state of being spicy.

Spicknel

An umbelliferous herb (Meum Athamanticum) having finely divided leaves, common in Europe; -- called also baldmoney, mew, and bearwort.

Spicose

Having spikes, or ears, like corn spikes.

Spicosity

The state of having, or being full of, ears like corn.

Spicula

A little spike; a spikelet. A pointed fleshy appendage.

Spicular

Resembling a dart; having sharp points.

Spicule

A minute, slender granule, or point.

Spiculispongiae

A division of sponges including those which have independent siliceous spicules.

Spicy

Flavored with, or containing, spice or spices; fragrant; aromatic; as, spicy breezes.

Spider

Any one of numerous species of arachnids comprising the order Araneina. Spiders have the mandibles converted into poison fangs, or falcers. The abdomen is large and not segmented, with two or three pairs of spinnerets near the end, by means of which they spin threads of silk to form cocoons, or nests, to protect their eggs and young. Many species spin also complex webs to entrap the insects upon which they prey. The eyes are usually eight in number (rarely six), and are situated on the back of the cephalothorax. See Illust. under Araneina.

Spiderwort

An American endogenous plant (Tradescantia Virginica), with long linear leaves and ephemeral blue flowers. The name is sometimes extended to other species of the same genus.

Spight

A woodpecker. See Speight.

Spignet

An aromatic plant of America. See Spikenard.

Spigot

A pin or peg used to stop the vent in a cask; also, the plug of a faucet or cock.

Spigurnel

Formerly the title of the sealer of writs in chancery.

Spike

Spike lavender. See Lavender.

Spikebill

The hooded merganser. The marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa).

Spiked

Furnished or set with spikes, as corn; fastened with spikes; stopped with spikes.

Spikelet

A small or secondary spike; especially, one of the ultimate parts of the in florescence of grasses. See Illust. of Quaking grass.

Spikenard

An aromatic plant. In the United States it is the Aralia racemosa, often called spignet, and used as a medicine. The spikenard of the ancients is the Nardostachys Jatamansi, a native of the Himalayan region. From its blackish roots a perfume for the hair is still prepared in India.

Spiky

Like a spike; spikelike.

Spile

To supply with a spile or a spigot; to make a small vent in, as a cask.

Spilikin

One of a number of small pieces or pegs of wood, ivory, bone, or other material, for playing a game, or for counting the score in a game, as in cribbage. In the plural (spilikins), a game played with such pieces; pushpin.

Spill

To be destroyed, ruined, or wasted; to come to ruin; to perish; to waste.

Spiller

One who, or that which, spills.

Spillway

A sluiceway or passage for superfluous water in a reservoir, to prevent too great pressure on the dam.

Spilt

imp. p. p. of Spill. Spilled.

Spilter

Any one of the small branches on a stag's head.

Spilth

Anything spilt, or freely poured out; slop; effusion.

Spin

The act of spinning; as, the spin of a top; a spin a bicycle.

spin doctor

a spokesperson for a political party or candidate who tries to forestall negative publicity.

spin the bottle

a party game in which a player spins a bottle and kisses the person that it points to when it stops spinning; -- usually played by children.

spin the platter spin the plate

a game in which something round (as a plate) is spun on edge and the name of a player is called; the named player must catch the spinning object before it falls or pay a forfeit.

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