spanless (span'les). ii. (< xjiini + -ii-.tx.] Iii- in A pole Iwhedtoa carriage t" i>"M it up. in 
capalili- M|' being spanned m- measured, plaee nf a disabled wheel. /.'. //. hiiii/lil. 
Span-long (span'longi, ii. (If the length of a spar 1 (spar I, c. I. : pret. and pp. .-<i><irrr<l, j>pr. 
s]ian. .vpai-riiifi. [Karly i.iod. K. also >/'""' \' 
Span-long elves that dance about a pool. < Mil. aiiiin-i n. xiirn-i n. .-iiifiii. ' \~ 
Spanish 
on the Mediterranean, and characteristic of that region. 
The disposition of these fowls is restless :unl viv;i<-i<nis : 
the form somewhat slender, approach ii IK t lie Barnes; comb 
typically hit'h and deeply serrated, although there art- 
rose combed varieties of some of the breeds; size small 
to medium. The hens are non-sitters, and very superior 
lii.u-is; (lit- i-xxs are white. The colors vary according to 
the breed. The car-!ohes are enameled-white. The group 
includes the Ani-ona, Andalusian, Leghorns, Minoreas, and Scanner (spa n i-r) 
white-faced uUck Spanish. Spanish walnut oil. See 
oil. Spanish white, see w /,<(.. -Spanish woodbine. 
Same as ,s'/W/ arlnir-riin: Spanish WOrmseed. See 
11-iifiii.wii. To ride the Spanish mare. See ride. To 
walk Spanish, to be forced to walk on tiptoe by another, 
\vlio sri/rs inn' by the collar and by the seat of the trou- 
sers : a sport of boys ; hence, to walk gingerly ; act under 
the compulsion of another. [Colloq., U. S.J Spanners are made either with a hole to flt the shape of 
II. M. 1. I he language ot bpaiu, one of the the nut, as square or hexagonal, or with movable jawsthat 
Komance languages, but much mixed with can be tightened over a nut or a coupling of any shape. 
other elements and altered by them. Of its many 
dialects, that of Castile became the standard form in cul- 
tivated speech and literature, the language of which is 
hence distinctively called Catfilian. It is the prevailing 
language in Mexico, Central America, and those countries 
of South America which were settled by Spaniards. 
2. A white-faced black Spanish fowl. See 
spar 
, 1 ,, . . 
One who or that which spans. 2. An instru- 
ment for clasping and turning a nnt on a screw, 
or for any similar purpose, as turning tin- 
wheel in cocking the old wheel-lock firearms, 
fastening and unfastening the couplings of 
fire-hose, etc.; a screw-key or screw-wrench. 
3. A cross-brace. 4. In the parallel motion 
of a marine steam-engine, a rod which con- 
nects the jointed rods with the radius-bar; also, 
in some of the earlier engines, the hand-bar <>r 
lever by which the valves were moved for the 
admission and shutting off of the steam. 5. A 
span-worm or looper. 
Spanish-flag (span'ish-flag'), n. A scorptenoid span-new (span'nu), a. [< ME. x/miiiii'ii-c, s/>oii- 
fish, Xebastes nibririnctus, of the coast of Call- neowe, < Icel. spannyr, also spanyr (= MHG. 
foniia, attaining a length of fifteen inches, aud span-nuwe, G. span-new), span-new, < spdnii, n 
in life one of the most brilliantly colored fishes chip or shaving, a spoon, + n yr, new: see spoon* 
in American waters. It is pale rose-red, almost and new. The term, like others of like import, 
Spanish fowl, under I. 
Cf. braiid-iii'ir. 
\-span-tiew.] 
[Archaic or 
white, cross-barred with intense crimson, a col- refers to something just cut or made, fresh 
oration suggesting the book-name. f .- 1~3. ia. ft h,i.,,.:r 
spank 1 (spangk), r. i. [Cf. Dan. spanke, strut, 
stalk; MLG. freq. spenkeren, LG. spenkerti, 
spukkerii, cause to run or spring about quickly, 
intr., run quickly, gallop. Cf. pOH0.] To 
move with a quick springing step between a 
trot and a gallop; move quickly and with spirit. 
See spanking*. 
s that d:i In. lit a pool. < .M ] .. .i/mri'i n. .-/" I'i'i i' . -fni'ii,.' Ar*. .>'/'" 
B.JIIIIKIH,, Sad shepherd, ii. _'. (; |,p. ( ,,. w/ ,,, ,,,/ 1, , /( , in inn, i in i-iinip. In -1,111 1- 
, H. [< H/HIII^ + -/'.] 1. riii ii = (}\\(\. siiiiinni. .-j,i fi-iin. Mll'i. G 
fin E l'-el. .--/mi -fa. .-/n f i 'a = Sw../i/iYiv = Dan. 
mmnre, l'a>ten with a spar: from tlie noun.] 
If. To shut, close, or fasten with a bar or a 
bolt; bar; fasten in anyway. 
For when he satlgh here dorres sjterfil all- . 
Wil n<-ii:h for Borwe adoun In- IMM lo falle. 
.ilil-, v. 6S1. 
liarrtde with a key. Ram. of the Hose, 1. 3320. 
Ciilk yiiir windows, spar up all your doors. 
B. Jonson, Staple of News, II. 7. 
2. To furnish with or form by the use of spars; 
supply a spar or spars to : as, to npnr a ship or 
a mast. 3. To aid (a vessel) over a shallow 
bar by the use of spars and tackles: a device 
frequently in use on the western rivers of the 
United States. 
spar'- (sniir), . [Formerly also sparr; < ME. 
spar (only in early ME. comp. sjiterslon), < AS. 
"spier, found only in comp. speer-stan (see t>pnr- 
stone) and in adj. spxrcii, glossing i/ipxiix. i . e. L. 
gypscus, of gypsum, = late MHG. spar, gypsum. 
Here a gentleman in a natty gig, with a high-trotting 
horse, came spanking towards us over the common. 
Thackeray, Lovel the Widower. 
spank 2 (spangk), . [Origin obscure ; possibly 
a diff. use of spank 1 .] I. trans. 1. To strike 
from the workman's hands. 
fire-new; and see also 
Quite new ; brand-new ; fire-new. 
dialectal.] 
This tale ay was span-neice to begynne, 
Til that the nyght departed hem atwynne. 
Chaucer, Trollus, iii. 1665. 
spannlshingt, . [< ME. spannisliing, verbal n. 
of "spannish, < OF. espaniss-, stem of certain 
parts of espaiiir, espandir, < L. cxpandere, ex- 
pand: see expand andpaum.] The blooming 
of a flower ; full bloom. 
I saw that through the leves grene 
The rose spredde to spannyMnge. 
Horn, of the Rose, 1. 3633. 
with the open hand, or with something flat aud 
hard; slap with force on the buttocks. , _ 
Meg led her son away, feeling a strong desire to spank 8 Pf?"p"f C .f . !?? ^** 
the little marplot. L. M. Alcott, Little Women, xxxviii. beam of a root. 
, , span-roof (span'rof) 
2. Tourgeby slapping or striking; impel for- al inc u,i e d plane 
cibly ; drive ; produce some specified effect tj nc tion to a pent-roof or lean-to roof. 
upon by spanking or slapping. span-saw (span'sa), n. A frame-saw. 
How knowingly did he span* the horses along. 
Thackeray, Shabby Genteel Story, v. (Dames.) 
II. intraiis. To pound, beat, or slap the wa- 
ter in sailing, as a boat. J. A. Bensliall. 
spank 2 (spangk), n. [< spank' 2 , r.] A sound- 
ing blow with the open hand or something flat, 
especially upon the buttocks. 
My mother lifted me cleverly, planted two spanks be- 
hind, and passed me to the hands of Mme. 
The Century, XXXVII. 743. 
spanker 1 (spaug'ker), H. [< spank* + -er 1 .] ... , 
1 One that takes long strides in walking; a spar 1 (spar), n. [< ME. sparre, < AS. 'xpearra 
fast-going or fleet horse. [Colloq.] 2. Xaut., (not found, but indicated by the derived verb) 
a fore-and-aft sail set on the after side of the = MD. sparre, sperrc, D. spar = OHG. sparro, 
mizzenmast of a ship or bark. Its head is extended MHG. sparre, G. sparren, a bar, beam, = Icel. 
by a boom called the spanker-gaff, and its foot generally, xparri, a spar, gag, the gate of a town, sperra, 
but not always, by the spanker-boom. It was formerly rafter, = Sw. Dan. sparre, a rafter; cf. 
called a driver, and is now sometimes called on English " P ' ' . . , b ' b j k sparra a 
tt^'SS&SSb* unusual size or spa^il^fa^ ^,., a s'par, joisi beam 
someotherpe g cu,iarity; a stunner, a whopper. ^^^'^^'^^^ 
and ult. par*, parrock, park.'] 1. A stick or 
piece of wood of considerable length in pro- 
portion to its thickness ; a stout pole : a large 
cudgel. [Obsolete or dialectal in this general 
M. In arch., the collar- 
beam of a roof. 
_ r _ m _ n. A roof that has two 
equal inclined planes or sides, in contradis- 
' roof. 
-saw. 
span-Shackle (span'shak'l), w. In ship-build- 
inn, a large bolt driven through the forecastle 
and spar-deck beams and forelocked before 
each beam, with a large square or triangular 
shackle at the head for receiving the end of a 
boom or davit. 
Span- worm (span' werm), M. Inentoi..alooper, 
measurer, or measuring-worm ; the larva of any 
geometric! moth. See measuring-worm, inch- 
worm, looper, loopworm, and especially geome- 
ter, 3. See cuts under eankencorm and Cidaria. 
[Colloq.] 
spanker'-' (spang'ker), H. [Appar. for "sponger, 
< *i>(tii ; i + -ci-l.'] A gold coin. [Prov. Eng.] 
Your cure too costs you but a spanker. SirJ. Denham. 
spanker-eel (spang'ker-el), M. The river-lam- 
prey, Ammoccetes fluriatilis. [Prov. Eng.] 
spanker-gaff (spang'ker-gaf), n. See gaff* 2. 
spanker-mast ( spang'ker-raast ), n . See mast* , 1 . 
spanking 1 (spang'king), /). a. [Ppr. of spank*, 
r.] 1 . Moving with a quick, lively pace ; dash- 
ing; free-going. 
A gentleman's turn-out goes by, with glittering wheels 
and spanking team. The Century, XXVII. 108. 
comp. spar-glas and npnr-kalr, x/mr- 
kalk, s'per-kalk, G. spar'-kalk, plaster; origin ob- 
scure.] In mineral., a general term formerly 
employed, but rather vaguely, to include a large 
number of crystalline minerals having a bright 
but non -metallic luster, especially when break- 
ing readily into fragments with smooth sur- 
faces. A specific epithet Is used with it In each case 
to designate a particular species. Calc-S]tar or calcareout 
spar (crystalline calcite), adamantine spar (corundum), 
heai-y^par (barite), satin-spar (gypsum), fluorspar or Der- 
byshire spar (fluorite). and tabular spar (wollastonlte) are 
common examples. The word is used as a suffix in the 
numefeldspar. Among miners the term spar is frequently 
used alone to express any bright crystalline substance. 
Adamantine, calcareous, carbon, cross-course spar. 
See the qualifying words. Derbyshire spar, fluoride 
of calcium, a mineral found in great beauty and abun- 
dance In Derbyshire, England : same as fluur-spar. Dog- 
tooth spar, a 
variety of cal- 
cite, crystalliz- 
ing in scaleno- 
hedral forms : 
so named from 
a fancied re- 
semblance of 
its crystals to 
canine teeth. 
Iceland spar, 
a transparent 
variety of cal- 
cite or calcium Dog-tooth Spar. 
carbonate. In 
consequence of its strong double refraction, it is valuable 
for experiments on the double refraction and polarization 
of light, and Is the substance from which Xieol prisms are 
made. The supply for this purpose hns all been obtained 
from a large cave in a doleritic rock near Helgastal in 
Iceland. Nail-head, ponderous, etc., spar. See the 
qualifying words. 
spar 3 (spar), r. i. ; pret. and pp. spama; ppr. 
sparring. [Early mod. E. sparre; < ME. spar- 
ren, rush, make an onset; m def. 2 perhaps a 
diff. word,< OF. esparer, F. eparer (= It. sparare), 
fling out with the heels, kick. Cf. Lith. spirti, 
stamp, kick; Russ. sporiti, quarrel, wrangle. 
The word spar cannot be connected, unless re- 
motely, with spur.'] It. To rush forward in at- 
tack; make an onset. 
He put hym to Paris with a proude will, 
Sparrit at hym with a spere spitusly fast. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 6914. 
beyc 
[Colloq.] 
2. Strikingly large, or surprising m any way; specifically (a) A round stick of timber, 
going beyond expectation; stunning; whop- or a s t out po i e , such as those used for the masts, 
vards, booms, etc., of ships, and for the masts 
and jibs of derricks. (6) One of the common 
rafters of a roof, as distinguished from the prin- 
cipal rafters; also, one of the sticks used as 
rafters in a thatched roof. 
2. To rise and strike with the shanks or spurs; 
fight, as cocks, with the spurs protected with 
leather pads, so that the birds cannot injure 
each other. 
A young cock will parathis adversary before his npura 
are grown. G. White, Nat. Hist, of Selbonie. 
3. To make the motions of attack and defense 
with the arms and closed fists; use the hands 
But, open7ng"streight the Spam, forth to him came. in or as if in boxing, either with or without 
Spenser, F. Q., V. xi. 4. boxing-gloves; practise taring. 
sense.] 
Than he caught a sparre of Oke with bothe hondes, and 
caste his shelde to the grounde for to be more light, and 
com in to the presse ther M he^au^hikkeste. _ ^ ^ 
2t. A bar used for fastening a gate or door, or 
the like ; hence, a bolt. 
The Prince staid not his aunswere to devize, 
"Come on," 
clockwork. 
aid the cab-driver, sparring away like 
Dtckem, Pickwick, ii. 
ping. 
He sent the governess away with a first-rate character 
and a span/nay present. 
W. Collins, After Dark, Stolen Letter. 
Spanking breeze, a fresh, strong breeze 
spanking'- (spang'king), . [Verbal u. of spank*, 
r.] The act of striking with the open hand, or 
with something flat: a punishment often ad- 
ministered to children. 
By assaut he wan the cite after, 
And rente adoun both wal and sparre and rafter. 
4. To bandy words; engage in a wordy con- 
test, either angrily or humorously. 
Well, Madam, what if, after all this sparring, 
We both agree, like friends, to end our jarring? 
Goldsmith. Epilogue spoken by Mrs. Bulkley and Miss 
Now nothing was he 
-,- , spar 3 (spiir), . [< spar*, r.] 1. A prelimi- 
Chaucer, Knight s Tale, 1. 182. narv g p arr i n g action ; a flourish of the arms 
rd in the yard but the dull thuds of an( j fi s t s j n putting one's self in the attitude of 
ui.mo^. ~ * X OW notng was ear n e y anl ss n p 
span-lashing (span'lash"mg), w. Naut., a la tne beet)e whlch drove j n the spars, and the rustle of the Boxing 2 A sparring-match; a contest of 
fng used to secure together two ropes or spars thatch , the interval c xxxyi boxin | or str i k i ng ; a l 8o , a cock-fight in whirl, 
a olxvH- niatfiflAA MDMTT. i . tlwnt.v, *M 
a short distance apart. 
