Spark, spärk, n. a small ignited particle shot off from a burning body: any small shining body or light: a small portion of anything active or vivid: a gay sprightly person, a lover, a beau.—v.i. to emit sparks: to play the gallant.—adj. Spark′ish, gay, jaunty, showy. [A.S. spearca, a spark; Dut. spark.]
Sparke, spärk, n. (Spens.) a battle-axe. [Perh. an error for sparthe.]
Sparkle, spärk′l, n. a little spark: lustre, brilliance: the presence of carbon dioxide, as in a wine, causing effervescence: the emission of sparks.—v.i. to emit sparks: to shine, glitter: to effervesce with glittering bubbles, or to contain much carbon dioxide, as certain wines.—v.t. to throw out sparklingly.—n. Spark′ler, one who, or that which, sparkles.—adj. Spark′less, not giving out sparks.—adv. Spark′lessly.—n. Spark′let, a small spark.—adj. Spark′ling, giving out sparks: glittering: brilliant: lively.—adv. Spark′lingly, in a sparkling manner: with vivid and twinkling lustre.—n. Spark′lingness, the quality of being sparkling: vivid and twinkling lustre. [A freq. of spark.]
Sparling, spär′ling, n. the smelt.—Also Spir′ling.
Sparre, spär, n. (Spens.) a bolt, a bar. [Spar.]
Sparrer. See under Spar (3).
Sparrow, spar′ō, n. an Old World genus of birds of fringilline family.—ns. Sparr′ow-bill, a small shoe-nail, so called from its shape—also Spar′able; Sparr′ow-grass, asparagus; Sparr′ow-hawk, a genus of long-legged, short-winged falcons, like the goshawks, but smaller.—adj. Sparr′ow-tail (see Swallow-tail). [A.S. spearwa; Goth. sparwa, Ice. spörr, Ger. sper-ling.]
Sparry, spär′i, adj. consisting of, or like, spar.—n. Sparr′y-ī′ron, a carbonite of iron, siderite.
Sparse, spärs, adj. thinly scattered: scanty.—adv. Sparse′ly.—n. Sparse′ness.—adj. Spar′sile.—n. Spar′sity. [L. sparsum, pa.p. of spargĕre, to scatter; Gr. speirein, to sow.]
Spartan, spär′tan, adj. of or pertaining to Sparta in Greece: hardy, rigorously severe: fearless.