Sparterie, spär′tėr-i, n. articles made from esparto—mats, nets, ropes, &c.
Sparth, -e, sparth, n. a halberd, mace.
Spasm, spazm, n. an irregular and violent contraction of muscular parts—involuntary even when the voluntary muscles are concerned. When persistent it is tonic spasm or cramp, catalepsy, tetanus; when the relaxations alternate with the contractions, it is clonic spasm, as in epilepsy, convulsive hysteria, chorea, &c.—n. Spasmod′ic, a medicine for removing spasms.—adjs. Spasmod′ic, -al, relating to, or consisting in, spasms: convulsive.—adv. Spasmod′ically, in a spasmodic manner: in fits.—ns. Spas′modist; Spasmol′ogy, scientific knowledge of spasms.—adj. Spas′tic, relating to spasms, spasmodic.—adv. Spas′tically.—n. Spastic′ity, tendency to spasm.—Spasmodic school, a group of English poets, including P. J. Bailey, Sydney Dobell, and Alexander Smith, marked by overstrained and unnatural sentiment and expression. [Fr. spasme—L. spasmus—Gr. spasmos—spaein, to draw.]
Spat, spat, pa.t. of spit, to throw from the mouth.
Spat, spat, n. the spawn of shellfish.—v.i. to shed spawn. [From root of spit.]
Spat, spat, n. a slap: a large drop, as of rain: a petty quarrel.—v.t. to slap, to strike lightly.—v.i. to engage in a petty quarrel.
Spat, spat, n. a gaiter or legging—usually in pl. [Spatter-dashes.]
Spatangus, spā-tang′gus, n. the typical genus of Spatangidæ, a family of irregular sea-urchins, the heart-urchins.—n.pl. Spatang′ida, the spatangoid sea-urchins.—adj. Spatang′oid, like a cordate urchin.—n. one of these.—ns.pl. Spatangoi′da, Spatangoi′dēa, the Spatangidæ, an order of petalostichous sea-urchins, generally excluding the clypeastroids or flat sea-urchins. [Gr. spatangēs, a sea-urchin.]
Spatch-cock, spach′-kok, n. a fowl killed and immediately roasted or broiled for some sudden occasion. [Prob. a corr. of despatch and cock.]
Spate, Spait, spāt, n. a sudden flood, as in a stream after heavy rain. [Prob. Ir. speid.]