| sparrow | 1. <ornithology> One of many species of small singing birds of the family Fringilligae, having conical bills, and feeding chiefly on seeds. Many sparrows are called also finches, and buntings. The common sparrow, or house sparrow, of Europe (Passer domesticus) is noted for its familiarity, its voracity, its attachment to its young, and its fecundity. See House sparrow, under House. The following American species are well known; the chipping sparrow, or chippy, the sage sparrow, the savanna sparrow, the song sparrow, the tree sparrow, and the white-throated sparrow (see Peabody bird). See these terms under Sage, Savanna, etc. 2. <zoology> Any one of several small singing birds somewhat resembling the true sparrows in form or habits, as the European hedge sparrow. See Hedge. "He that doth the ravens feed, Yea, providently caters for the sparrow, Be comfort to my age!" (Shak) Field sparrow, Fox sparrow, etc. See Field, Fox, etc. Sparrow bill, a small nail; a castiron shoe nail; a sparable. Sparrow hawk. <zoology> The female of the reed bunting. Origin: OE. Sparwe, AS. Spearwa; akin to OHG. Sparo, G. Sperling, Icel. Sporr, Dan. Spurv, spurre, Sw. Sparf, Goth. Sparwa; originally, probably, the quiverer or flutterer, and akin to E. Spurn. See Spurn, and cf. Spavin. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| sparrow limit | <microscopy> The spatial frequency at which the modulation transfer function just becomes 0. See: Abbe limit, Rayleigh criterion. (05 Aug 1998) |
| sparrowwort | <botany> An evergreen shrub of the genus Erica (E. Passerina). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparry | Resembling spar, or consisting of spar; abounding with spar; having a confused crystalline structure; spathose. <chemical> Sparry iron, a coarsely crystalline marble. Origin: From Spar. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparse | 1. Thinly scattered; set or planted here and there; not being dense or close together; as, a sparse population. 2. <botany> Placed irregularly and distantly; scattered; applied to branches, leaves, peduncles, and the like. Origin: L. Sparsus, p.p. Of spargere to strew, scatter. Cf. Asperse, Disperse. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparsomycin | <protein> Antibiotic that inhibits peptidyltransferase in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. (18 Nov 1997) |
| sparteine | <chemistry> A narcotic alkaloid extracted from the tops of the common broom (Cytisus scoparius, formerly Spartium scoparium), as a colourless oily liquid of aniline-like odour and very bitter taste. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparve | <zoology> The hedge sparrow. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |