Spiffy, spif′i, adj. (slang) smart, spruce, well-dressed.
Spiflicate, spif′li-kāt, v.t. (slang) to suffocate, kill: to beat severely, to confound.—n. Spiflicā′tion.
Spigelia, spī-jē′li-a, n. a genus of plants of the natural order Loganiaceæ, containing the Worm-grass and Carolina-pink, the root—Pink-root—being purgative, narcotic, and poisonous, a powerful vermifuge.—adj. Spigē′lian, denoting the lobulus spigelii, one of the lobes of the liver. [From the Belgian Ad. van der Spiegel (1558-1625).]
Spight, spīt, v. and n. (Spens.). Same as Spite.
Spigot, spig′ut, n. a plug for stopping a small hole in a cask. [Gael. spiocaid, W. ysbigod—L. spica.]
Spike, spīk, n. an ear of corn: (bot.) an inflorescence in which sessile flowers, or flowers having very short stalks, are arranged around an axis: a small pointed rod: a large nail.—v.t. to set with spikes: to stop the vent of with a cast-iron spike driven in hard and then broken off, as by soldiers obliged to abandon their own guns or unable to remove those of the enemy which they have captured.—adjs. Spī′cate, Spī′cose, Spī′cous, having spikes or ears, like corn; Spicif′erous, bearing spikes: having spurs; Spī′ciform, having the form of a spike.—n. Spicos′ity, state of being spicous or eared.—adjs. Spic′ūlar, resembling a dart: in the shape of, or having, sharp points; Spic′ūlate, covered with, or divided into, minute points.—n. Spic′ūle (bot.), a little spike—also Spic′ūla: a minute, slender granule or point.—adjs. Spic′ulīform; Spicūlig′enous, Spicūlif′erous, producing spicules; Spic′ūlōse, Spic′ūlous, having spicules.—ns. Spic′ūlum, a spicule; Spike′bill, a merganser, a sawbill: the marbled godwit.—p.adj. Spiked, furnished, fastened, or stopped with spikes.—ns. Spike′-extract′or, an apparatus for drawing out spikes, as from railway-ties; Spike′-fish, a kind of sail-fish; Spike′-grass, one of several American grasses with conspicuous spikelets of flowers; Spike′let, a little spike; Spike′-nail, a spike; Spike′-oil, the oil of spike, a species of lavender; Spike′-plank, a platform before the mizzen-mast of a vessel, used in Arctic voyages.—adj. Spī′ky, furnished with spikes: having a sharp point. [L. spica, an ear of corn.]
Spikenard, spīk′närd, n. an aromatic oil or balsam yielded by an Indian plant, the Nardus, closely allied to valerian: the plant itself. [L. spica nardi.]
Spile, spīl, n. a wooden plug serving as a spigot, a wooden pin or wedge: a spout driven into a sugar-maple tree, a tapping-gouge: a pile, or large timber driven into the ground for a foundation.—v.t. to pierce and provide with a spile: to drive piles into.—n. Spī′ling, building-piles: the edge-curve of a plank or of a strake in a vessel's hull. [Cf. Spill (2).]
Spill, spil, v.t. to allow to run out of a vessel: to shed: to waste: (coll.) to throw from a vehicle or the saddle: to empty the belly of a sail of wind for reefing.—v.i. to be shed: to be allowed to fall, be lost, or wasted:—pa.t. and pa.p. spilled, spilt.—n. a fall, a throw: a downpour.—ns. Spill′er; Spill′ing-line, a rope for spilling the wind out of a square sail to facilitate reefing or furling; Spill′-stream, a stream formed by overflow water, a bayou; Spill′way, a passage for overflow-water from a dam. [A.S. spillan; Dut. spillen, Ice. spilla, to destroy.]
Spill, spil, n. a small peg or pin to stop a hole: a thin strip of wood or twisted paper for lighting a candle, a pipe, &c.—n. Spill′ikin, one of a number of small pieces of wood, ivory, &c. for playing a game with: the game played—also Spil′kin. [A.S. speld, a torch; cf. Ger. spalten, to cleave, Dut. speld, a splinter.]