Sponson, spon′son, n. the curve of the timbers and planking towards the outer part of the wing, before and abaft each of the paddle-boxes of a steamer.—Also Spon′sing. [Ety. dub.]
Sponsor, spon′sur, n. one who promises solemnly for another: a surety: a godfather or godmother.—adj. Sponsō′rial.—n. Spon′sorship. [L.,—spondēre, sponsum, to promise.]
Spontaneous, spon-tā′nē-us, adj. of one's free-will: involuntary: acting by its own impulse or natural law: produced of itself or without interference.—ns. Spontanē′ity, Spontā′neousness, the state or quality of being spontaneous.—adv. Spontā′neously.—Spontaneous combustion, a phenomenon that occasionally manifests itself in mineral and organic substances; Spontaneous generation, a term applied to the real or imaginary development of lowly organisms from non-living matter. [L. spontaneus—sponte, of one's own accord.]
Spontoon, spon-tōōn′, n. a weapon somewhat like a halberd, which used to be carried by certain officers of foot. [Fr. sponton—It. spontone—spuntare, to break off the point—puntone—punto, a point—L. pungĕre, punctum, to point.]
Spook, spōōk, n. a ghost.—v.i. to play the spook.—adjs. Spook′ish, Spook′y, like a ghost, haunted by ghosts: sensitive to the dread of ghosts, suggesting the presence of ghosts. [Dut. spook; Ger. (obs.) spuch, Sw. spöke; not related to puck.]
Spool, spōōl, n. a hollow cylinder for winding yarn, &c., upon.—v.t. to wind on spools. [Low Ger. spole, Dut. spoel; Ger. spule.]
Spoom, spōōm, v.i. to scud before the wind.—adj. Spoom′ing (Keats), foaming.
Spoon, spōōn, n. an instrument with a shallow bowl and handle for use in preparing, serving, or in eating food: anything like a spoon or its bowl, as an oar: in golf, a wooden-headed club of varying length, having the face more or less spooned, used in approaching the holes from varying distances.—v.t. to use a spoon upon: to lie spoon fashion with.—v.i. to fish with a spoon-hook: in croquet, to shove or scoop with the mallet: to be foolishly fond, to indulge in endearments openly.—ns. Spoon′-bait, a revolving metallic lure attached to a fishing-line by a swivel, used in trolling for fish; Spoon′bill, a family of birds (Plataleidæ) allied to the Ibididæ, and more distantly to the storks, with a bill long, flat, and broad throughout, and much dilated in a spoon form at the tip; Spoon′-drift, light spray borne on a gale; Spoon′ful, as much as fills a spoon: a small quantity:—pl. Spoon′fuls.—adv. Spoon′ily, in a spoony or silly way.—n. Spoon′meat, food taken with a spoon, such as is given to young children.—adv. Spoon′ways, applied to a way of packing slaves in ships very closely together.—adjs. Spoon′y, Spoon′ey, silly, weakly affectionate, foolishly fond.—n. a simple fellow: one foolishly fond of a sweetheart.—Apostle spoon (see Apostle); Dessert-spoon (see Dessert); Eucharistic spoon, the cochlear or labis; Tablespoon (see Table).—Be spoons on, to be silly in the manifestation of one's love for a woman. [A.S. spón; Ger. span, a chip, Ice. spánn, a chip, a spoon.]
Spoor, spōōr, n. track or trail of an animal, esp. when hunted as game.—n. Spoor′er, one who tracks game by the spoor. [Dut. spoor, a track; cf. Ger. spur, Ice. spor, a track, Scot. speir, to ask.]
Sporadic, -al, spō-rad′ik, -al, adj. scattered—a term specially applied to any disease usually epidemic or contagious, when it attacks only a few persons in a district and does not spread in its ordinary manner.—adv. Sporad′ically.—n. Sporad′icalness. [Gr. sporadikos—sporas, sporados, scattered—speirein, to sow.]