spinster 
(I, that I should live to hear myself called Spimler ! 
Sheridan, The Rivals, v. 1. 
Here the spinster aunt uttered a loud shriek, and he- 
came senseless. Dickens, Pickwick, x. 
3f. A woman of an evil life or character: so 
csilli'd from being forced to spin in the house 
of correction. See spin-linimc. 
We are no spinsters; nor, if you look upon us, 
So wretched as you take us. 
Fletcher (and another ?), Prophetess, ill. 1. 
spinsterdom (spin'ster-dum), n. [< spinster + 
-(torn. ] Spinsters or "old maids" collectively. 
G. Meredith, Manfred, ii. 2. [Rare.] 
spinsterhood (spin'ster-hud), n. [< spinster 4- 
-hood.} The state of being a spinster ; unmar- 
ried life or state. 
spinstership (spin'ster-ship), n. [< spinster + 
-ship.'} Spinsterhood. Southey. 
spinstress (spin'stres), n. [< spinster + -ess.} 
A woman who spins, or whose occupation is 
spinning; a spinster. 
Let meaner souls by virtue be cajoled, 
As the (rood Grecian nriiislress [Penelope] was of old. 
Tom Brown, Works, IV. 10. (Daviet.) 
spinstryt (spin'stri), n. [< spinster + -y s (cf. 
-ery).} The work or occupation of spinning; 
spinning. 
What new decency can be added to this your spinstry > 
Milton, Church-Government, ii. 2. 
spintext (spin'tekst), n. [< spin, v., + obj. 
text. ] One who spins out long dreary discourses ; 
a prosy preacher. 
The race of formal gpintexts and solemn saygraces is 
nearly extinct. V. Knox, Winter Evenings, ix. 
spinthere (spin'ther), n. [= F. spinthere, < Or. 
mrtv6tip, a spark.] A greenish-gray variety of 
sphene or titanite. 
spintryt (spin'tri), n. [< L. spintria, sphintria, 
a male prostitute.] A male prostitute. [Bare.] 
Itavished hence, like captives, and, in sight 
Of their most grieved parents, dealt away 
Unto his tpintries, sellaries, and slaves. 
/;. Jonson, Sejanus, iv. 5. 
spinula (spin'u-la), n. ; pi. spinulie(-le). [NL., 
< L. spinula, dim. of spina, a spine : see spine.'} 
In entom., a minute spine or hook. Specifically 
(a) One of the little hooks bordering the anterior edge of 
the lower wing in most Hymenoptera : same as hamulus, 
1 (d). (6) One of the bristles forming the strigilis. 
spinulate (spin'u-lat), a. [< spinula + -ate 1 .'] 
In :o(il., covered with little spines Spinulate 
hairs, hairs emitting minute rigid branches or spinules : 
such hairs cover many hymenopterous insects. 
spinulated (spin'u-la-ted), a. [< spinulate + 
-ed' 2 .} Same as spinulate. 
spinule (spin'ul), n. [< L. spinula, dim. of 
spina, a thorn, spine: see spine.} A small 
spine ; a spicule. 
spinulescent (spin-u-les'ent), a. [< spinule + 
-escent.} In 60*., producing diminutive spines ; 
somewhat spiny or thorny. 
spinuliferous (spin-u-lif'e-rus), a. [< L. spi- 
nula, a spiuule, + ferre = E. bear 1 .} In bot., 
same as spinulose. 
spinulose (spin'u-los), a. [< NL. spinulosus: 
see spiiiulotis.'] In bot. and zool., furnished 
with spinules or diminutive spines. 
I have never seen any prominent spine upon the poste- 
rior elevation, though it is sometimes minutely spinulose. 
llnrli'ii. Crayfish, p. 234. 
spinulous (spin'u-lus), a. [< NL. spinulosus, < 
L. spinula, a spinule: see spinule.} Same as 
spinulose. 
spirals (spi'nus), H. [NL., < Gr. axivof, a bird of 
the finch kind ; cf . spink.} If. An old name of 
some small bird which feeds on seeds, as a this- 
tle-bird, linnet, siskin, or bunting. Hence 2. 
[cap.} A genus of thistle-birds named by Koch 
in 1816, containing the linnet, the siskin or 
aberdevine, the goldfinch, the redpoll, and 
others, both of Europe and of America. In pres- 
ent usage, the siskin is Spinus spimts, the pine-finch is 
S. pinus, the goldfinch of Europe is S. carduelis, that of 
America is S. tristis, etc. The name wavers in application, 
and is more or less inexactly synonymous with several 
others, as Acanthis, Carduelis, Chrysomitris, Astragalinus, 
JEgiotlaut, Linaria, lAnota, etc. See cuts under siskin and 
goldfinch. 
spiny (spi'ni), a. [< spine + -y 1 .} 1. Hav- 
ing thorns or spines; full of spines; thorny; 
prickly. 2. Figuratively, thorny; perplexed; 
difficult; troublesome. 
The spiny desarts of scholastick philosophy. 
Warburton, On Prophecy, p. 61. (Latham.) 
3f. Thin; slim; slender. 
As in well-grown woods, on trees, cold spiny grasshoppers 
Sit chirping Chapman, Iliad, iii. 161. 
Faith, thou art such a spiny bald-rib, all the mistresses 
in the town will never get thee up. 
Middleton, Mayor of Queenborough, iii. 3. 
5838 
Spiny calamary, a cephalopod of the genus Acantho- 
teuttmi. P. P. Carpenter. Spiny crab, a crab whose 
carapace is spiny, or has spinous processes; a spider-crab 
or maioid. See cut under Oxyrhyncha. Spiny fish, a 
spiny-tinned or aciinthopterygian tish. Spiny lobster. 
Sec lobster. Spiny rat, one of sundry small rat-like ro- 
dents whose pelage is more or less spiny, (a) One of 
the South American species of Echimyx and Loncheres or 
Nelomye. See cut under Echimys. (b) One of several 
pouched rats of the genus Heteroinys. 
spiny-eel (spi'ni-el), . See MtutaoentbeUcUe. 
spiny-finned (spi'ni-ftnd), . In ichth., having 
spinous fin-rays; spine-finned; acanthoptery- 
gious. 
spiny-skinned(spl'ni-skind), a. Echinoderma- 
tous. 
spiont (spi'on), n. [Early mod. E. also apijon ; 
= D. G. Sw.' Dan. spion, < OF. (and F.) espinn, 
a spy: see spy. Cf. espionage.} A spy. 
Captaine of the Spyons. 
Heywood, Four Prentisesof London (Works, 1874, II. 242). 
spirt, v. An obsolete form of speer 1 . 
spira (spi'ra), .; pi. spires (-re). [L., the base 
of a column, a spire: see spire*.} In arch., the 
moldings at the base of a column; a torus. 
Such a molding or moldings are not present in the Greek 
Doric order of architecture, but the feature is constant in 
all varieties of the Ionic and Corinthian. See cute under 
basel, 3. 
spirablet (splr'a-bl), a. K L. spirabilis, that may 
be breathed, respirable, < spirare, breathe, blow: 
see spire 3 .} Capable of being breathed; re- 
spirable. 
The gpirable odor and pestilent steame ascending from 
it put him out of bis bias of congruity. 
Nashe, Lenten Stuffe (Hart. Misc., VI. 173). (Dacia.) 
spiracle (spir' or spir'a-kl), n. [< ME. spyrakle, 
< OF. spiracle, vernacularly spirail, espirail = 
It. spiracolo, < L. spiraculum, a breathing-hole, 
air-hole, < spirare, breathe: see spire 3 .} 1. An 
aperture or orifice. 
And after XL dayes this spiracle 
Is uppe to close, and whenne the [you] list, it [the wine] 
drinke. Palladia*, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 202. 
2. In zool., an aperture, orifice, or vent through 
which air, vapor, or water passes in the act of 
respiration; abreathing-hole; aspiraculum: ap- 
plied to many different formations. Specifically 
(a) In Mammalia, the nostril or blow-hole of a cetacean, 
as the whale, porpoise, etc. , through which air, mixed with 
spray or water, is expelled. (&) In ichth. : (1) An aperture 
on the upper side of the bead, in front of the suspensorium 
of the lower jaw, observed in many fishes, as selachians 
and ganoids. This is the external opening of the hyoman- 
dibular cleft, or persistent first postoral visceral cleft, of the 
embryo. (2) The single nostril of the monorhine verte- 
brates, or myzonts the lampreys and hags, (c) In entom. , 
a breathing-hole ; the external orifice of one of the tracheae 
or windpipes of an arachnidan or myriapod, opening in the 
side of the body. In true insects (Hexapoda) the spiracles 
are typically twenty-two in number, a pair (one on each 
side) for each of the three thoracic segments, and for each 
of the anterior eight abdominal segments ; but they are 
almost always lacking on some one or more of these. They 
are either simple openings into the respiratory system, or 
are provided with valves, sieves, or fringes of hair for the 
exclusion of foreign particles. See cut under Sygtaechus. 
spiracula 1 , . Plural of spiraculum. 
spiracula 2 (spi-rak'u-la), n. ; pi. spiraculse (-le). 
[NL. : see spiracle.} Iii entom., same as spiracle. 
spiracular (spi-rak'u-lar), . and . [< spi- 
raculum + -ar a .} I. a" 1. Of or pertaining to 
a spiracle, breathing-hole, or blow-hole. 2. 
Fitted for or permitting respiration, as a spira- 
cle ; respiratory. _ Spiracular arch, in ichth. , one of 
the visceral arches of some fishes, between the mandibular 
and hyomandibular arches, in special relation with the 
spiracular cleft and spiracle. Spiracular cleft, in ichth., 
the hyomandibular cleft: so called from its relations to 
the spiracle in certain fishes, as all selachians and various 
ganoids. See spiracle, 2 (b) (1). Spiracular gill, a 
false gill, or pseudobranch. Spiracular respiration, 
a breathing through spiracles, as in the tracheal respira- 
tion of many insects. 
II. M. A small bone or cartilage in special 
relation with the spiracle of some fishes. 
A series of small ossicles, of which two may be distin- 
guished as spiractdars. Encyc. Brit., XII. 648. 
spiraculate (spl-rak'u-lat), a. [< spiraculum + 
-ate 1 .} Provided with a spiracle. 
spiraeuliferous (spi-rak-u-lif'e-rus), a. [< L. 
spiraculum, a breathing-hole, + ferre = E. 
bear 1 .} In entom., bearing a spiracle or breath- 
ing-pore: said of segments in which these or- 
gans are visible. See cut under Syskechus. 
Westwood. 
spiraculiform (spi-rak'u-li-form), a. [< L. spi- 
raculum, a breathing-hole, + forma, form.] In 
entom., having the structure, form, or appear- 
ance of a spiracle; stigmatiform. 
spiraculum (spi-rak'u-lum), . ; pi. spiracula 
(-la). [L. : see spiracle.} 1. A spiracle, in any 
sense. 2. A breathing-hole in the aventaile, 
beaver, or mesail of a helmet. 
spirse, . Plural of spira. 
spiral 
Spirsea (spi-re'a), w. [NL. (Tournefort, 1700), 
< L. ttpirtett, < (jr. aTTttpaia, meadow-sweet, so 
called from the shape of its follicles, < onti/xt, 
a coil, spire: see .s-/j/>c 2 .] 1. A genus of rosa- 
ceous plants, type of the Mpirserfe. It IB charac- 
terized by fruit commonly of five follicles, contain- 
ing usually numerous linear seeds with a membranous 
or rarely coriaceous outer seed-coat and little or no 
albumen. The flowers have four or five calyx-lobes, as 
many rounded petals, twenty to sixty filiform stamens, 
and a smooth or woolly fleshy disk. The Himalayan 
5. parvifolia is an exception in its solitary seeds and 
obconical calyx. There are about 50 species, widely 
scattered through temperate and cold regions of the 
northern hemisphere, and occurring rarely on mountains 
within the tropics. They are herbs or shrubs, bearing 
alternate simple pinnate or ternately compound leaves, 
usually furnished with free or wing like and united stip- 
ules. The small white, pink, or rose-colored flowers forma 
copious axillary or terminal inflorescence, which is either 
a raceme, cyme, panicle, or corymb, or consists, as in & 
Aruncus, of a diffuse panicle composed of numerous elon- 
gated slender spikes. Most of the species are highly orna- 
mental in flower. They are now most commonly known, 
especially in cultivation, by the generic name Spirsea. 
Eleven species are natives of Europe, 3 of which occur in 
England ; of these S. Filipendula is the dropwort, and the 
others, S. solid/oHa and S. Ulmaria, are known as meadmc- 
siceet (the latter also as mteen-of-the-meadmcs, which see). 
Six species are natives of the northeastern I'nitcd States, 
of which S. salictfolia is the moat widely distributed, a 
shrub with slender 
ascending spire-like 
branches, popularly 
known in the west as 
steeplebush, in America 
usually with white 
flowers, in Europe, Si- 
beria, Mongolia, and 
J a pan pink or rose- 
colored. It Is often 
cultivated, especially in 
.Russia, where a great 
many varieties have 
originated ; in Wales it 
forms a large part of 
the hedges. For S. to- 
mentosa, a similar pink- 
flowered eastern spe- 
cies, see hardhack ; its 
representative on the 
Pacific coast, S. Doug- 
lasii, with handsome 
whitened leaves, is one 1 
of the most showy of 
American shrubs. For 
S. lobata, see queen-of- 
the-prairie, and for S. 
A runcus, goafs-beard ; 
the latter is one of the 
most ornamental plants 
of eastern woodland 
borders. For S. hyperi- 
n'folia, common in cul- 
tivation from Europe 
and Siberia, and also 
called Italian may and 
St. Peter's wreath, see 
bridal-wreath. Several 
species from Japan are 
now abundant in orna- 
mental grounds, as 5. Japonica and its variety S. For- 
tunei, and S. prun\folia, the plum-leafed spiraea, a white- 
flowered shrub with handsome silky leaves. S. Thun- 
beryii from Japan is much used in parks, forming a 
small diffuse shrub 2 or 3 feet high with light recurving 
branches whitened before the leaves with a profusion of 
small flowers usually in threes in the axils. Some Asiatic 
species with pinnate leaves and large terminal panicles 
of white flowers are arborescent, as S. sorbi/olia, often 
seen as a shrub in New England dooryards, and S. Kam- 
chatica, with the panicles very large, the flowers fragrant 
and feathery. The former S, opulijolia, the ninebark, and 
its variety avrea, the golden spinea of gardens, are now 
referred to NeiUia, or by some separated as a genus Physo- 
carpus. Many species possess moderate astringent or 
tonic properties ; the roots of the British species are so 
used, and the flowers of S. hyperici/olia; S. Ulmaria is 
valuable also as a diuretic. S. t&mentosa, the principal 
American medicinal species, a plant of bitter and astrin- 
gent taste, is used in New England and also formerly by 
the Indians as a tonic. 
2. [I. c.] (a) A plant of this genus. (6) The 
white-flowered shrub Astilbe Japonica, now ex- 
tensively imported into the United States and 
propagated under glass, form ing one of the chief 
materials of Easter decorations. 
Spiraeeae (spl-re'e-e), n. pi. [NL. (Bentham and 
Hooker, 1865), < Spiraea + -ex.] A tribe of poly- 
petalous plants, of the order Rosacese. It is char- 
acterized by flowers with bractless and commonly persis- 
tent calyx-lobes, ten or more stamens, from one to eight 
superior carpels, usually each with two or more pendulous 
ovules, either indehiscent or ripening into follicles, and 
not included within the calyx-tube. It consists of 10 
genera, of which Spirsea is the type. They are usually 
shrubs, all natives of the northern hemisphere ; Spirsea 
only is of wide distribution; 4 others are confined toNorth 
America, of which Nemusa is found only in Alabama, and 
Adenostoma in California. Four or five other genera are 
confined to Japan and China. 
spirseic (spi-re'ik), a. [< NL. Spirsea + -ic.] 
1. Pertaining to or derived from Spirsea. 2f. 
Same as salicylic. 
spiral (spi'ral). a. and n. [< F. spiral = Sp. 
Pg. espiral = It. spirale = D. spiraal = G. Sw. 
Dan. spiral, < ML. spiralis, spiral (Hnea spirttlis t 
Flowering Branch of Hardback 
(Sptrtea rptHfnfisit . 
a, flower; '-, fruit; c, leaf. 
