<B>spirituous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having to do with, containing, or like alcohol; alcoholic. <BR> <I>Ex. spirituous liquors.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>distilled, not fermented. noun <B>spirituousness.</B> </DL>
<B>spirit varnish,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a varnish made of resins that are dissolved in a quickly-evaporating solvent such as alcohol. </DL>
<A NAME="spiritwrestlers">
<B>spirit wrestlers,</B> =Doukhobors.</DL>
<A NAME="spirity">
<B>spirity, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> full of spirit, animation, energy, or vivacity; spirited. <BR> <I>Ex. He is a most active, spirity man, and by his great mental exercises keeps himself from anything like a lethargy (Lord Malmesbury).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="spirket">
<B>spirket, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a space forward or aft between the floor timbers of a ship </DL>
<A NAME="spirketing">
<B>spirketing</B> or <B>spirketting, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the inside planking between the waterways and the ports of a ship. </DL>
<A NAME="spirochetal">
<B>spirochetal</B> or <B>spirochaetal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with spirochetes. </DL>
<A NAME="spirochete">
<B>spirochete</B> or <B>spirochaete, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a large group of active bacteria. They are slender, spiral, very flexible, and able to expand and contract. One kind causes syphilis, and another causes relapsing fever. The spirochetes comprise an order of bacteria. </DL>
<A NAME="spirocheticide">
<B>spirocheticide</B> or <B>spirochaeticide, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an agent for destroying spirochetes. </DL>
<A NAME="spirochetosis">
<B>spirochetosis</B> or <B>spirochaetosis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an infectious, often fatal, blood disease of poultry and other birds, caused by a spirochete. </DL>
<A NAME="spirogram">
<B>spirogram, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a graphic record of a person's lung capacity made by a spirometer. </DL>
<A NAME="spirograph">
<B>spirograph, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an instrument for recording respiratory movements. </DL>
<A NAME="spirographic">
<B>spirographic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with a spirograph. </DL>
<A NAME="spirogyra">
<B>spirogyra, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a large group of green algae that grow in masses like scum in freshwater ponds or tanks. The cells have one or more bands of chlorophyll winding spirally to the right. The spirogyras comprise a genus of plants. </DL>
<A NAME="spiroid">
<B>spiroid, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> tending to be spiral in form; like a spiral. <BR> <I>Ex. a spiroid curve, a spiroid shell.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="spirometer">
<B>spirometer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an instrument for measuring the capacity of the lungs, by the amount of air that can be breathed out after the lungs have been filled as full as possible. </DL>
<A NAME="spirometric">
<B>spirometric, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with the spirometer or spirometry. </DL>
<A NAME="spirometry">
<B>spirometry, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the measurement of breathing power or lung capacity. <DD><B> 2. </B>the use of the spirometer. </DL>
<B>spirula, </B>noun, pl. <B>-lae.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> any of a group of small cephalopods having an internal, chambered, spiral shell and ten tentacles. </DL>
<A NAME="spiry">
<B>spiry</B> (1), adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having the form of a spire; tapering. <BR> <I>Ex. a spiry turret or steeple, spiry grass or rocks.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>having many spires. <BR> <I>Ex. The spiry habitable city (Robert Louis Stevenson).</I> </DL>
<B>spit</B> (1), verb, <B>spat</B> or <B>spit,</B> <B>spitting,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to throw out something from the mouth. <BR> <I>Ex. It is illegal to spit on the floor of buses, trains, and other public conveyances.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to spit (at or on) a person or thing to express hatred or contempt. <BR> <I>Ex. You call me misbeliever ... And spit upon my Jewish gabardine (Shakespeare). (Figurative.) The wit of fools that slovenly will spit on all things fair (George Chapman).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to make a spitting or hissing sound. <BR> <I>Ex. The cat spits when angry.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>to sputter. <BR> <I>Ex. The sausage began to spit in the pan.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>to rain or snow suddenly or lightly, as in a brief flurry. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to throw out (something) from the mouth; expectorate. <BR> <I>Ex. Spit your gum out before you come into the classroom.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) to throw out as if by spitting. <BR> <I>Ex. The gun spits fire. He spat curses.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to light (a fuse). <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>the liquid produced in the mouth; saliva. <DD><B> 2. </B>the sound or act of spitting. <DD><B> 3a. </B>the frothy secretion given off by some insects. <DD><B> b. </B>any one of these insects; spittle insect. <DD><B> 4. </B>a light rain or snow. <BR><I>expr. <B>spit and image,</B> </I>(Informal.) the exact image; spitting image. <BR> <I>Ex. My mother was the spit and image of Queen Wilhelmina (New Yorker).</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>spit up,</B> </I>to throw up; regurgitate. <BR> <I>Ex. It is common for infants to spit up a little milk after being fed (Sidonie M. Gruenberg).</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>the spit of,</B> </I>(Informal.) just like. <BR> <I>Ex. He is the very spit of his father.</I> adj. <B>spitlike.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="spit">
<B>spit</B> (2), noun, verb, <B>spitted,</B> <B>spitting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a sharp-pointed, slender rod or bar on which meat is roasted or broiled. <DD><B> 2. </B>a narrow point of land running into the water. <DD><B> 3. </B>a long, narrow reef, shoal, or sandbank extending from the shore. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to run a spit through; put on a spit. <BR> <I>Ex. He lighted a fire, spitted a leg of mutton (Tobias Smollett).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to pierce or stab with a sharp-pointed weapon; impale on something sharp. <BR> <I>Ex. The hunters spitted two rabbits.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="spital">
<B>spital, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a shelter or other place of refuge, as for travelers, paupers, etc. <DD><B> 2. </B>a hospital for the poor or diseased, especially for lepers; lazaretto. </DL>
<A NAME="spitandpolish">
<B>spit and polish,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Informal.) great or too much attention to neatness, orderliness, and smart appearance, especially as part of the discipline of a sailor or soldier. <BR> <I>Ex. The army concentrated on spit and polish, retreat formations, and parades (Dwight D. Eisenhower). They looked weatherbeaten, there was little spit and polish to them (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="spitball">
<B>spitball, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S.) <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a small ball of chewed-up paper, used as a missile. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Baseball.) an illegal curve pitched after wetting one side of the ball with saliva. <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to throw a spitball. <BR> <I>Ex. Birdie Tebetts, the Cincinnati manager, accused Burdette of spitballing (Newsweek).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Slang, Figurative.) to express one's immediate ideas without thought or preparation; brainstorm. <BR> <I>Ex. We're just spitballing, of course, but here are a few [ideas] we'll hand along (New Yorker).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> (Slang, Figurative:) <BR> <I>Ex. "Never mind--spitball some dialogue to give the general idea," said Gallwise (S. J. Perelman).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="spitballer">
<B>spitballer, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S.) a baseball player who throws spitballs. </DL>
<A NAME="spitchcock">
<B>spitchcock, </B>noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> an eel split, cut up into pieces, and broiled or fried. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to split, cut up, and broil or fry (an eel). </DL>
<A NAME="spitcurl">
<B>spit curl,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S. Informal.) a small lock of hair dampened, originally with saliva, and curled flat on the cheek or forehead. <BR> <I>Ex. Her face was firm and strong, but heavily rouged and framed with spit curls (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="spite">
<B>spite, </B>noun, verb, <B>spited,</B> <B>spiting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>desire to annoy or harm another; ill will or malice, or an instance of it; grudge. <BR> <I>Ex. They trampled his flowers out of spite.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Obsolete.) misfortune; insult; injury. <BR> <I>Ex. The time is out of joint: O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right! (Shakespeare).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> to show ill will toward; annoy; irritate. <BR> <I>Ex. They left their yard dirty to spite the people who lived next door.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>in spite of,</B> </I>not prevented by; notwithstanding. <BR> <I>Ex. The children went to school in spite of the storm.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="spiteful">
<B>spiteful, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> full of spite; eager to annoy; behaving with ill will and malice. <BR> <I>Ex. a spiteful remark. The spiteful little girl tore up her older sister's papers.</I> (SYN) malicious, malevolent. adv. <B>spitefully.</B> noun <B>spitefulness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="spiteless">
<B>spiteless, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> free from spite. </DL>
<A NAME="spitfire">
<B>spitfire, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person, especially a woman or girl, who has a quick and fiery temper. <DD><B> 2. </B>something that sends forth fire, such as a cannon or certain fireworks. </DL>
<A NAME="spitrack">
<B>spitrack, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an iron rack formerly used to support a spit before a fire. </DL>
<A NAME="spitter">
<B>spitter, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a person who spits. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Baseball.) a spitball. <BR> <I>Ex. "I gotta laugh at the players which favor the return of the spitter," said the cynical Stengel (New York Times).</I> </DL>
