spoon 
SDOOn 1 (spon), r. [< spoon 1 , H.] I. trans. 1. 
To take up or out with a spoon or ladle ; re- 
move with a spoon; empty or clean out with a 
spoon: often with up : as, to spoon n/> a liquid. 
Ours, . . . 
An age of scum, xpooned off the richer past. 
Mrs. Brou'niny, Aurora Leigh, v. 
2. To lie close to, the face of one to the back of 
the other, as the bowl of one spoon within that 
of another. Compare spoiin-fonliioii. [Colloq.J 
" Now spoon me." Sterling stretched himself outon the 
warm flag-stone, and the boy nestled up against him. 
Harper's Mag., LXXVI. 49. 
II. hitrniiK. 1. Ineror/ni-t, to use the mallet as 
a spoon ; push or shove the ball along with the 
mallet instead of striking it smartly as is re- 
quired by the strict rules of the game. 
Belabour thy neighbour, and spoon through thy hoops. 
F. Locker, Mr. Placid's Flirtation. 
2. To fish with spoon-bait. 3. To lie spoon- 
fashion. Compare I., 2. [Colloq.] 
Two persons in each bunk, the sleepers spooniny to- 
gether, packed like sardines. Harper's Mag., LXXI V. 781. 
spoon 12 (spon), v. i. [A var. or corruption of 
SIHIOHI.] Same ass/wow. 
Such a storme did arise, they were forced to let slip 
Cable and Anchor, and put to Sea, upooaing before the 
wind. Capt. John Smith, True Travels, I. 52. 
spoon 3 (spon), M. [Usually assumed to be a 
particular use of spoon* ; but rather a back-for- 
mation from spoony, orig. in allusion to the use 
of a spoon in feeding an infant. ] 1 . A foolish 
fellow ; a simpleton ; a spoony ; a silly lover. 
[Colloq.] 
A man that's fond precociously of stirring 
Must be a gpoon. Hood, Morning Meditations. 
What a good-natureil gpoon that Dodd is ! 
C. Reade, Hard Cash, Prol. 
2. A fit of silliness; especially, a fit of silly 
love. [Colloq.] To be spoons on, to be sillily in 
love with. [Slang.] 
I ought to remember, for I leas spoons on you myself for 
a week or two. Harper's May., LXXVIII. 749. 
spoon 3 (spon), v. i. [< spoon 3 , .] To be a 
spoon or spoony ; be sillily in love. [Colloq.] 
spoonaget (spo'naj), n. [< spoon 1 + -age.'] 
Spoon-meat. Warner, Albion's England, ii. 10. 
spoon-bait (spdn'bat), M. A trolling-spoon ; a 
revolving metallic lure for the capture of cer- 
tain kinds of fish, used in trolling; a spinner or 
propeller. 
spoonbeak (spon'bek), i. Same as spoonbill, 
1 (6). [Prov. Eng.] 
spoonbill (spon'bil), n. 1. In ornitn.: (a) A 
large grallatorial bird of either of the genera 
Platalea and Aiaia : so called from the broad, 
flat, spatulate dilatation of the end of the bill, 
likened to a spoon. See cuts under Platalea 
and aiaia. (b) The shoveler-duck, Spatula cly- 
pcata. See cut under shoveled, (c) The scaup- 
duck, Fuligula mania. See cut under scaup. 
[East Lothian.] (d) The ruddy duck, Erisma- 
tura rubida; the broadbill: more fully called 
spoon-billed butterball. See cut under Erisma- 
tura. [Massachusetts and New York.] 2. In 
ichth. , the spoon-billed cat, or paddle-fish, Poli/o- 
don spatula. See cuts under paddle-fish Rose- 
ate spoonbill. See aiaia,. 
spoon-billed (spon'bild), a. 1. In orniili., hav- 
ing a spoon-like or spatulate bill, dilated at the 
end. See spoonbill. 2. In ichth., duck-billed; 
shovel-nosed; having a long spatulate snout, 
as a sturgeon. See cuts under paddle-fish 
and Psepfcwrws.-gpoon-billed butterball. Same as 
spoonbill, 1 (rf). Spoon-billed cat. Same as paddle-fish. 
Spoon-billed duck, teal, or widgeon, the shoveler. 
Spoon-billed heron, a spoonbill.-Spoon-billed sand- 
piper, Eurynorhynchm pygmenu, a sandpiper with the 
bill dilated into a spoon at the end. In other respects this 
curious little bird is almost identical in form with the 
stints, or least sandpipers, of the genus Actodromas; it is 
also of about the same size, and its plumage is similar. 
See cut under Eurynorhynchus. 
spoon-bit (spon'bit), n. A shell-bit in which 
the piercing-end is drawn to a radial point: 
same as dowel-bit. 
spoon-chisel (sp8n'chiz"el), . See chisel"*. E. 
H. Knight. 
spoon-drift (spon'drift), n. [< spoon? + drift.] 
Naut., a showery sprinkling of sea-water or fine 
spray swept from the tops of the waves by the 
violence of the wind in a tempest, and driven 
along before it, covering the surface of the sea ; 
scud. Sometimes called spindrift. 
Spooney, ". and . See spoony. 
spoon-fashion (sp8n'fash // on), adv. Like 
spoons close together; with the face of one to 
the back of the other and with the knees bent: 
5855 
as, to lie spoon-ftifshirin. The Century, XXXV. 
771. [Colloq.] 
spoonflower (spBn'flou'er), . A plant, Xini- 
lliiifiniiiii ttiigitti/nliiim, more specifically iirroir- 
leafcd spooujloirer, considerably resembling a 
'a I la-lily. It is a native of the West Indies, occurring 
very sparingly in the southern United States. Its rootstock 
after boiling is nii'aly and edible, and for this it is said to 
be cultivated in Brazil. [Local, U. S.] 
Spoonful (spon't'ul), n. [< fijtoon 1 + -fill.} As 
much as a spoon contains. 
spoon-gouge (spon'gouj), w. In carp., a gouge 
with a crooked end, used for hollowing out deep 
furrows or cuttings in wood. 
spoon-hook (spon'huk), . A fish-hook with a 
spoon attached; an anglers' spoon. 
spoonily (spo'ni-li), adv. In a silly or spoony 
manner. 
spooniness (spii'ni-nes), n. Spoony character 
or state; silliness; especially, silly fondness. 
E. H. Yates, Land at Last, I. 107. 
SPOOn-meat (spon'met), . Food that is or 
has to be taken with a spoon; liquid food ; fig- 
uratively, food for babes or weaklings. 
Cour. Will you go with me? Well mend our dinner here? 
Dro. S. Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat; or bespeak 
a long spoon. Shak., C. of E., iv. 3. 61. 
spoon-net (spon'net), n. A landing-net used 
by anglers. 
Spoon-saw (spon'sa), n. A spoon-shaped in- 
strument with a serrated edge, used in gyne- 
cological operations. 
spoon-shaped (spon'shapt), a. Shaped like a 
spoon ; spatulate ; cochleariform. 
spoontail (spon'tal), . A phyllopod crusta- 
cean of the genus Lepidurus. 
spoon-victuals (sp6n'vit' i 'lz), n. pi. Same as 
spoon-meat. [Colloq.] 
spoonwood (spon'wud), n. The mountain- 
laurel or calico-bush, Kalmia latifolia, of the 
eastern United States. It is commonly a shrub, but 
in the Alleghanies southward becomes a tree 20 or 30 feet 
high. Its wood is hard and heavy, and is used for tool- 
handles, in turnery, and for fuel. The leaves are consid- 
ered poisonous, and have a slight medicinal repute. See 
cut under Kalmia. 
spoonworm (spon ' werm), n. A gephyrean 
worm; especially, a sipunculoid worm. See 
Gephyrea, and cuts under Sipuncultis Nep- 
tune's spoonworm. See Neptune. 
spoonwortt (spSn'wert), n. [< spoon 1 + wort 1 .] 
The scurvy-grass, Cocnlearia officinalis. 
spoony (spo'ni), a. and . [Also spooney; cf. 
spoon's.] I. a. Soft; silly; weak-minded; spe- 
cifically, weakly or foolishly fond; sentimental. 
Not actually in love, . . . but only spoony. 
Lever, Davenport Dunn, Ix. 
His grandson was not to his taste ; amiable, no doubt, 
but spoony. Disraeli. 
II. n. ; pi. spoonies (-niz). A stupid or silly 
fellow ; a noodle ; a ninny ; a simpleton ; espe- 
cially, a sillily fond sentimental fellow. Also 
spoon. [Slang.] 
In short. I began the process of ruining myself in the 
received style, like any other spoonie. 
Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre, xv. 
What the deuce can she ilnd in that spooney of a Pitt 
Crawley? . . . The fellow has not pluck enough to say Bo 
to a goose. Thackeray, Vanity Fair, xxxiv. 
spoor (spor), M. [< D. spoor = MLG. spor = 
OHG. MHG. spor, Gr. spur = Icel. spor = Sw. 
sp&r = Dan. spor, track, = AS. spor, a track, 
trace, footprint. Cf. speer 1 , spur.] The track 
or trail of a wild animal or animals, especially 
such as are pursued as game ; slot; hence, scent: 
used originally by travelers in South Africa. 
spoor (spor), r. [< spoor, n. Cf. speer 1 .] I. 
intrans. To follow a spoor or trail. 
Alter searching and spooring about for another hour, 
we were obliged to abandon pursuit. 
The Field, Feb. 17, 1887. (Encyc. Diet.) 
II. trans. To track by the spoor. 
The three bulls, according to the natives, have been 
spoored into the dense patch of bush above the kloof. 
Harper's Hay., LXXVII. 192. 
spoorer (spor'er), w. One who follows or tracks 
game by the spoor or scent. 
Ventvogel . . . was one of the most perfect spoorers I 
ever had to do with. 
H. R. Haggard, King Solomon's Mines, iii. 
spoornt, n. [Origin obscure.] The name of a 
fiend or hobgoblin whose nature does not ap- 
pear to be determinable. 
Urchins, Elves, Hags, Satyrs, . . . Kitt-wlth-the-candle. 
stick, Tritons, . . . the Spoorn, the Mare, the Man-in-the- 
oak. Middleton, The Witch, i. 2. 
Most antiquarians will be at fault concerning thespoorne, 
Kltt-wlth-the-candlestick, Boneless, and some others. 
Scott, Letters on Demonology, note. 
The scene of fairy revels, ... the haunt of bulbeggars, 
witches, . . . the tpoorn. S. Judd, Margaret, I. 5. 
sporation 
8poraceous(spo-ra'shius),n. [(.spore + -accous.] 
In hot., pertaining to spores; contributing to 
spores. 
Sporades (spor'a-dez), H. pi. [NL., < Gr. o;ro- 
priotc, sc. vf/aot, 'the scattered islands,' a group 
of islands off the west coast of Asia Minor, pi. 
of ompar, scattered : see sporadic.] 1. A group 
of scattered islands in the Greek Archipelago. 
2. [/. c.] In <. unit-tin., stars which were 
not included in anv constellation. 
sporadial (spo-ra'di-al), a. [< Gr. avopdf (rnro- 
/)'*-), Mattered (see "sporadic), 4- -i-al.] Scat- 
tered; sporadic. [Bare.] 
sporadic (spo-rad'ik), a. [= P. sporadit/ue = 
Sp. esporMUeo = Pg. esporadico = It. sporadico, 
< NL. sporadicits, < Gr. airopadixos, scattered, < 
oiropaf, scattered, < aireipe/v, scatter: see spore 2 .] 
Separate ; single ; scattered ; occurring singly, 
or apart from other things of the same kind ; 
widely or irregularly scattered; of exceptional 
occurrence (in a given locality) ; straggling. 
If there was discontent, it was in the individual, and 
not in the air ; sporadic, not epidemic. 
Lowell, New Princeton Kev., I. 158. 
Sporadic cholera. See cholera, 2. Sporadic dysen- 
tery, dysentery occurring in scattered cases, which have 
no apparent common origin. 
sporadical (spo-rad'i-kal), a. [< sporadic + 
-al.] Same as sporadic. Arbuthnot. 
sporadically (spo-rad'i-kal-i), adv. In a spo- 
radic manner; separately; singly; dispersedly. 
sporadicalness (spo-rad'i-kal-nes), n. The 
quality of being sporadic. 
Rare even to sporadicalness. 
W. D. Whitney, Amer. Jour. Phllol., V. 287. 
sporal (spo'ral), a. [< spore 2 + -al.] Relating 
to or resembling spores. 
sporange(spo-ranj'),- [< sporangium.] Inbot., 
same as sporangium. 
sporangia, n. Plural of sporangium. 
sporangia! (spo-ran'ji-al), a. [< sporangium + 
-al.] 1. Of or relating to the sporangium: as, 
the sporangial layer. 2. Containing spores; 
having the character of a sporangium; per- 
taining to sporangia. 
sporangidiumt (spo-ran-jid'i-um), . ; pi. spo- 
rangidia (-a). [NL., dim. of sporangium.] In 
hot. : (a) Tne columella in mosses, (b) A spo- 
rangium. 
sporangiferous (spo-ran-jif'e-rus), a. [< NL. 
sporangium + L. ferre = E. bear 1 .] Ci bot., 
bearing or producing sporangia. 
sporangiform (spo-ran'ji-form), a. [< NL. 
sporangium + L. forma, form.] In bot., having 
the form or appearance of a sporangium. 
sporangioid (spo-ran'ji-oid), a. [< NL. sporan- 
gium + Gr. rMoc, appearance.] In bot., having 
the appearance of a sporangium. 
sporangiole (spo-ran'ji-61), n. [< NL. sporan- 
giolum.] In bot., same as sporangiolum. 
sporangiolum (spo-ran-ji'o-lum), n. ; pi. spo- 
rangiola (-la). [NL., dim. of sporangium.] In 
bot., a small sporangium produced in certain 
genera of Mucorini in addition to the large 
sporangium. The spores are similar in both. 
The term has also been used as a synonym for 
ascus. 
sporangiophore (spo-ran'ji-o-for), n. [< NL. 
sporangiophonim, ( sporangium + Gr. -^o/oof, < 
ipepeiv = E. bear 1 .] In bot., the axis or recep- 
tacle which bears the sporangia ; a sporophore 
bearing sporangia. See sporophore. 
sporangiophorum (spo-ran-ji-of 'o-rum), w. ; pi. 
sporangiophora (-ra). [NL. : see sporangio- 
phore.] In bot., same as sporangiophore. 
sporangiospore (spo-ran'ji-o-spor), n. [< Gr. 
aTropd, <nro/f, seed, -f- ayytlov, vessel, + oiropa, 
ojro/wf, seed.] In bot., one of the peculiar 
spores of the Myxomycetes. See Myxomycetes. 
sporangium (spo-ran'ji-um), n. ; pi. sporangia 
(-ft). [NL., < spora, a spore, + Gr. ayyeiov, ves- 
sel.] 1. In bot., a spore-case; the case or sac 
in cryptogamous plants in which the spores, 
which are the analogues of the seeds of the 
higher or flowering plants, are produced endo- 
genously . The sporangium receives different names, in 
accordance with the kind of spores produced : as, macro- 
sporangium, microsporanyium, oosporangittm, zoosporan- 
gitim, etc. In mosses sporangium is usually the same as 
capsule, but by some authors it Is restricted to the spore- 
case or sac lining the cavity of the capsule. See spore- 
sac. 
2. In zool., the spore-capsule or spore-recepta- 
cle of the Mycetozoa. W. B. Carpenter, Micros., 
$ 334. 
Also sporange. 
sporation (spo-ra'shou), . [< spore' 2 + -ation.] 
In biol., a mode of generation which consists 
in the interior division of the body into a mass 
