spikenard 
'dii. t.ii>ifdiidrd<> = It 
narrfo, = Ml), - 
Spikenard (Nardastachys 
Jataiitanai). 
espial iinrilo = Pg. .i/iifinui 
npiganurdo, formerly spii/n 
nard = MHO. spicuaurde, 
ttanlespicke, G. sjiiclciinnl. 
< L. sjiicii iiirnli, 'a spike 
of nard ' (ML. also nordux 
spi<-atus, 'spiked nard'): 
ii.spica, spike; nardi, gen. 
of nardus, nard: see s/iiki > 
and nard.] 1. A plant, 
the source of a famous 
perfumed unguent of the 
ancients, now believed to 
be Nardostacliys Jataman- 
si, closely allied to vale- 
rian, found in the Hima- 
layan region. This plant is 
known to have been used by the 
Hindus as a medicine and per- 
fume from a very remote period, 
and is at present employed 
chiefly in hair-washes and oint- 
ments. The odor is heavy and 
peculiar, described as resem- 
bling that of a mixture of vale- 
rian and patchouli. The market drug consists of short 
pieces of the rootstock densely covered with fibers, the 
remains of leafstalks. Also nard. 
2. An aromatic ointment of ancient times, in 
which spikenard was the characteristic ingre- 
dient; nard. It was extremely costly. 
There came a woman having an alabaster box of oint- 
ment of spikenard, very precious, and she brake (he box, 
and poured it on his head. Mark xiv. 3. 
3. A name given to various fragrant essential 
oils American spikenard, a much-branching herba- 
ceous plant, Aralia racemosa, with a short thick rootstock 
more spicy than that of A. nudicaulis, the wild sareapa- 
rilla, and, like that, used in domestic medicine in place of 
true sarsaparilla. The A. nudicaulis is sometimes named 
small spikenard, while A. spinosa, the angelica-tree, has 
been called spikenard-tree. Celtic spikenard, Valeriana 
Celtica of the Alps, Apennines, etc. Cretan spikenard, 
Valeriana Phu, an Asiatic plant, sometimes cultivated in 
Europe, but medicinally weaker than the officinal vale- 
rian. False spikenard, an American plant, Smilticina 
racemosa. somewhat resembling the true (American) spike- 
nard. Also false Solomons-seal. Indian spikenard, 
the true spikenard. See def. 1. Plowman's spikenard, 
a European plant, Intua Conyza, BO called from its fra- 
grant root and from being confounded with a plant by 
some writers called nardus rustica or clown's-nard. Prior. 
Small spikenard, see American spikenard. West 
Indian spikenard, a fragrant weed, Hyptus miaveolens, 
sometimes cultivated for medicinal use. 
spikenard-tree (spik'nard-tre), . See Ameri- 
can spikenard, under spikenard. 
spikenelt, n. An obsolete form of spicknel, spifl- 
nel. 
spikenose (spik'noz), . The pike-perch, or 
wall-eyed pike, Stizostedion vitreum. See cut 
under pike-perch. [Lake Ontario.] 
spike-oil (spik'oil), . [= D. spijkolie; as spike? 
+ 0(7.] The oil of spike. See spike?, lavender-. 
Spike-oil plant, Lavandula Spica. See lavender^. 
Spike-plank (spik'plangk), n. Naut., a plat- 
form or bridge projecting across a vessel be- 
fore the mizzenmast, to enable the ice-master 
to cross over and see ahead, and so pilot her 
clear of the ice : used in arctic voyages. Admi- 
ral Smijtli. 
spiker (spi'ker), n. In rail-lai/ina, a workman 
who drives the spikes 
.-.832 
It is characterized by stiilkt-cl and finally ovoid-conical 
heads with small flowers; the ray-floweis are fertile or 
absent ; the style-branches are truncate and without the 
appendages common among related genera : the achenes 
are small, compressed, commonly ciliate, ami without 
pappus, or bearing two or three very slender bristles. 
Over 40 species have been described, of which perhaps 
20 are distinct. They are mainly natives of eastern and 
tropical America, with some species common in warmer 
parts of both hemispheres. Most of the species are much- 
branched annuals, smooth or slightly downy, bearing 
toothed opposite leaves, and long-stalked solitary heads 
with a yellow disk and yellow or white rays. S. Acmdlo. 
of the East Indies, has been called alpftabet-plnnt. Its 
variety oleracea is the Para cress. Another species, S. re- 
pens, occurs in the soutlwrn United States. 
spile 1 (spil), n. [< D. spijl, a spile, bar, spar, 
= LG. spile, a bar, stake, club, bean-pole (> G. 
spile (obs.), speiler, a skewer); perhaps in part 
another form of D. spil, a pivot, axis, spindle, 
capstan, etc., a contracted form, = E. spindle: 
see spindle. Cf. spilft, gptll*. The Ir. spile, a 
wedge, is from E.] 1. A solid wooden plug 
used as a spigot. 2. A wooden or metal spout 
driven into a sugar-maple tree to conduct the 
sap or sugar-water to a pan or bucket placed 
beneath it; a tapping-gouge. [U. S.] 3. In 
ship-building, a small wooden pin used as a plug 
for a nail-hole. 4. A narrow-pointed wedge 
used in tubbing. 5. A pile: same as pile*, 3. 
spile 1 (spil), v. t.; pret. and pp. spiled, ppr. 
spiling. [<s/7l, .] 1. To pierce with a small 
hole and stop the same with a plug, spigot, or 
the like : said of a cask of liquid. 
I had them [casks] spilnl underneath, and, constantly 
running off the wine from them, filled them up afresh. 
Mamjat, Pacha of many Tales, Greek Slave. 
. 
spike-rush (spik'rush), 
See Eleochuris. 
A pteropod of the 
, . 
Spike-shell (spik'shel), . 
genus Sit/Kola. 
spike-tackle (spik'tak'l), n. A tackle serving 
to hold a whale's carcass alongside the ship 
during flensing. 
spiketail (spik'tal), . Same as pintail, 1. 
[Illinois.] 
spike-tailed (spik'tald), a. Having a spiked 
tail. Spike-tailed grouse, the sharp-tailed, sprig- 
tailed, or pin-tailed grouse, Pediaecetes phasianellus or 
eolumbianus. See cut under Pediaecetei. 
spike-team (spik'tem), n. A team consisting 
of three horses or other draft-animals, two of 
which are at the pole while the third leads. 
spiky (spi'ki), a. [< spike* + -y*.~] 1. Having 
the shape of a spike ; having a sharp point or 
points; spike-like. [Bare.] 
Ranks of spiky maize 
Hose like a host embattled. 
Bryant, The Fountain. 
2. Set with spikes; covered with spikes. 
The spiky wheels through heaps of carnage tore. 
Pope. Iliad, xx. 588. 
spilt, n. An obsolete form of spilt*. 
Spilanthes (spl-lan'thez), n. [NL. (Jacquiii, 
1763), said to be so called in allusion to the 
brown disk surrounded by yellow rays in the 
original species; < Gr. airifof, spot, + avBof, 
flower.] A genus of composite plants, of the 
tribe Helianthoideie and subtribe Verbesineie. 
spiller 
He lookt upon the blood spilt. wlu-tliiT ul subjects or 
of Rebels, with an indifferent eye, as exhausted out of bis 
own veines. Hilton, l.ikonnklastes. xii. 
5. To suffer to fall or run out accidentally and 
wastefully, and not as by pouring: said of fluids 
or of substances in tine grains or powder, such 
as Hour or sand: as, to spill wine; to spill salt. 
Their arguments are as fluxive as liqnor xjrflt upon a 
table. B. Jonson, Discoveries. 
6f. To let out ; let leak out ; divulge : said of 
matters concealed. 
Although it be a shame to spill it, I will not leaue to 
say . . . that, if there happened any kinseman or friend 
to visit him. he was driuen to seek lodging at his neigh- 
bours, or to borrowe all that was necessarie. 
Guevara, Letters (tr. by llellowes, 1577), 1. 257. 
7. Saitt., to discharge the wind from, as from 
the belly of a sail, iu order to furl or reef it. 
8. To throw, as from the saddle or a vehicle : 
overthrow. [Colloq.] = 8yn. 5. Splash, etc. Heeslopi. 
II. inti-diix. If. To kill; slay; destroy: 
spread ruin. 
He schall tpyll on euery syde; 
Ffor any cas that may betyde, 
Schall non therof avanse. 
The tlom of King Arthur (Child's Ballads, I. 24). 
2f. To come to ruin or destruction; perish; die. 
The pore, for faute late them not ..//,//.. 
And jje do, sour deth is dyght. 
Political Poems, etc. (ed. Furnivall), p. 95. 
For deerne love of thee, lemman, I spille. 
Chaucer, Miller's Tale, 1. 92. 
3t. To be wasteful or prodigal. 
Thy father bids thee spare, and chides for epOliny. 
Sir P. Sidney. 
4. To run out and become shed or wasted. 
He was so topfull of himself that he let it spill on all 
the company. Watts. 
spill 1 (spil), H. [< spill*, r.] 1 . A throw or fall, 
as from a saddle or a vehicle. [Colloq.] 
First a shiver, and then a thrill, 
Then something decidedly like a spill, 
And the parson was sitting upon a rock. 
0. JF. Holmes, The Deacon's Masterpiece. 
2. A downpour; a flood. [Colloq.] 
Soon the rain left off for a moment, gathering itself to- 
gether again for another spill. 
Harper's Mag., LXX VIII. 87. 
(spi'ling),,,. [Verbal In. of spile*, r.] spill 2 (spil) . [Early mod. E. also *pi7,sptffe; < 
s: nilmo-: fts . thn *,/, m,, R t hp .. M E.*]>.7/e,' a var. of q>e4, q. v. In some senses. 
as def. 4, prob. confused with spile 1 , < D. spijl, 
a bar, stake, etc., also (in def. 5) with D. spil, > 
G. spille, a pin, pivot, spindle: see sj>ile*.] If. 
A splinter; a chip. 
What [boots it thee] to reserve their relics many years, 
Their silver spurs, or spils of broken spears 1 
Bp. a all, Satires, IV. ill. 16. 
2f. A little bar or pin ; a peg. 
The Ostyers (besides gathering by hand, at a great ebb) 
haue a peculiar dredge, which is a thick strong net, fastned 
to three spils of yron, and drawne at the boates sterne. 
B. Carew, Survey of Cornwall, fol. 31. 
3. A slip or strip of wood or paper meant for 
use as a lamplighter. Paperspillsaremadeof strips 
of paper rolled spirally in a long tapering form or folded 
lengthwise. Thin strips of dry wood are also used as 
spills. 
what she piqued herself upon, as arts in which she ex- 
iled, was making candle-lighters, or spills (as she pre- 
ferred calling them), of colored paper, cut so as to resem- 
ble feathers, and knitting garters in a variety of dainty 
stitches. Mrs. Gaslcell, Cranford, xiv. 
4. A small peg or pin for stopping a cask ; a 
spile : as, a vent-hole stopped with a spill. 
5. The spindle of a spinning-wheel. Halliicell. 
[Prov. Eng.] 6f. A trifling sum of money ; a 
small fee. 
The bishops who consecrated the ground were wont to 
have a spill or sportule from the credulous Inity. 
Aylife, Parergon. 
Spill 2 t (spil), r. t. [< spilP, .] To inlay, di- 
versify, or piece out with spills, splinters, or 
chips; cover with small patches resembling 
spills. In the quotation it denotes inlaying 
with small pieces of ivory. 
All the pillours of the one [temple] were guilt, 
And all the others pavement were with yvory spilt. 
Spenser, F. Q., IV. x. 5. 
Spillan, spillar (spil'an, -iir), n. Same as spill- 
er^. 
spill-case (spil'kas), n. A small ornamental 
vase meant for the decoration of a mantel- 
2. To set with piles or piling. 
spile 2 t, v. [ME. spilen, < Icel. spila = G. spielen, 
play, = AS. spelian, take a part: see spelfi.] 
To play. 
spile 3 (spil), /. A dialectal form of spoil. 
spile-borer (spil'b6r"er), n. A form of auger- 
bit for boring out stuff for spiles or spigots. 
It tapers the ends of the spiles by means of an obliquely 
set knife on the shank. E. H. Knight. 
spile-hole (spil'hol), n. A small aperture made 
in a cask, usually near the bung-hole, for the ad- 
mission of air, to cause the liquor to flow freely, 
spilikin, n. See spillikin. 
spiling (spi'ling), . [V 
1. Piles; piling: as, the spiling must be re 
newed. 2. The edge-curve of a plank or strake. 
3. ;>/. In snip-building, the dimensions of the 
curve or sny of a plank's edge, commonly- 
measured by means of a batten fastened for 
the purpose on the timbers, 
spilite (spi'lit ), . [< Gr. CTTrttof, a spot, + -ite 2 .'] 
A variety of diabase distinguished by its amyg- 
daloidal structure, the cavities being most 
frequently filled with calcite. Also called amyg- 
daloidal diabase, and by a variety of other names. 
See diabase and melapliyre. 
spill 1 (spil), v.; pret. and pp. spilled or spilt, ppr. 
spilling. [< ME. spillen, spylten (pret. spildi;, 
pp. spilled, spilt), < AS. spillan, an assimilated 
form of spildan, destroy (for-spildtin, destroy 
utterly), = OS. spildjan, destroy, kill, = D. gpi'l- 
len = MLG. spilden, spillen, LG. spillen, waste, 
snfin( ) _ OHG mOAam wnstp w nat she piqued herself upon, as arts in which she ex- 
ipena, iu. gpiiaan, waste, spend, = leel. celled Wa8 n , Mnlf candle-lighters, or sj* (as she pre- 
spilla, destroy. = Sw. sptlla = Dan. spilde, lose, ' ' ---- ----- --.-?.. 
spill, waste ; of. AS. gpild, destruction ; perhaps 
connected with spald*, split, speld, splinter, 
etc.: see spald*, spilP, spell*.] I. trans. If. To 
destroy; kill; slay. 
To saven whom him list, or elles spille. 
Chaucer, Good Women, 1. 1917. 
I have conceived that hope of your goodnes that ye wold 
rather my person to bee saved then spilled; rather to be 
reformed then destroyed. 
Udall, in Ellla's Lit. Letters, p. 4. 
2f. To injure; mar; spoil; ruin. 
Who-so spareth the sprynge [rod] spUleth his children. 
Piers Plowman (B), v. 41. 
So full of artless jealousy is guilt. 
It spills itself in fearing to be spat. 
Shak., Hamlet, iv. 5. 20. 
O what needs I toil day and night, 
My fair body to spill. 
Lord Randal (A) (Child's Ballads, II. 23). 
3t. To waste ; squander ; spend. 
This holde I for a verray nycetee 
To xjtill,- labour for to kepe wyves. 
Chaucer, Manciple's Tale, 1. 49. 
To thy mastir be trew his goodes that thow not spille. 
Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 120. 
piece, etc., and to hold spills or lamplighters. 
[Eng.l 
We give, and we are not the more accepted, because he Spill-channel (spil'chan"el), H. A bayou or 
beholdeth how unwisely we ptour gifts in the bringing, overflow-channel communicating with a river 
Hooker, Eccles. Polity, v. 79. U8ed in Illd1a _ gee spiU-gtream. Hunter, Ste- 
4. To suffer or cause to flow out or become tistics of Bengal. 
lost; shed: used especially of blood, as in wil- spiller 1 (spil'er), . [< spill* + -er*.] One who 
ful killing. B pin s or sheds: as, a spiller of blood. 
