| spanaemia | <medicine> A condition of impoverishment of the blood; a morbid state in which the red corpuscles, or other important elements of the blood, are deficient. Origin: NL, fr. Gr. Scarce + blood. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| spanaemic | <medicine> Of or pertaining to spanaemia; having impoverished blood. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spangle | To set or sprinkle with, or as with, spangles; to adorn with small, distinct, brilliant bodies; as, a spangled breastplate. <zoology> "What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty?" (Shak) Spangled coquette, a tropical humming bird (Lophornis reginae). See Coquette. Origin: Spangled; Spangling. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spaniel | 1. <zoology> One of a breed of small dogs having long and thick hair and large drooping ears. The legs are usually strongly feathered, and the tail bushy There are several varieties of spaniels, some of which, known as field spaniels, are used in hunting; others are used for toy or pet dogs, as the Blenheim spaniel, and the King Charles spaniel (see under Blenheim). Of the field spaniels, the larger kinds are called springers, and to these belong the Sussex, Norfolk, and Clumber spaniels (see Clumber). The smaller field spaniels, used in hunting woodcock, are called cocker spaniels (see Cocker). Field spaniels are remarkable for their activity and intelligence. "As a spaniel she will on him leap." (Chaucer) 2. A cringing, fawning person. Origin: OF. Espagneul, F. Epagneul, espagnol Spanish, Sp. Espannol, fr. Espana Spain, from L. Hispania. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spanish | Of or pertaining to Spain or the Spaniards. <botany> Spanish bayonet, a wooden roller, with a rope wound about it, into which a marline spike is thrust to serve as a lever. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Spanish fly | A dried beetle, Lytta (Cantharis) vesicatoria, used as a counterirritant and vesicant. Synonym: Russian fly, Spanish fly. Origin: L., fr. G. Kantharis, a beetle (05 Mar 2000) |
| Spanish influenza | Influenza that caused several waves of pandemic in 1918-1919, resulting in more than 20 million deaths worldwide; it was particularly severe in Spain (hence the name), but now is thought to have originated in the U.S. As a form of swine influenza. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spannungs-P | Prominent prolonged and high voltage P waves recorded in electrocardiograms (usually largest in lead II) of patients with hypertrophy of the right or both atria, particularly in those with congenital heart disease. See: P-congenitale. Origin: Ger. Spannung, tightening; stretching or straining, + P wave (05 Mar 2000) |
| spanworm | <zoology> The larva of any geometrid moth, as the cankeworm; a geometer; a measuring worm. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spar | 1. A general term any round piece of timber used as a mast, yard, boom, or gaff. 2. Formerly, a piece of timber, in a general sense; still applied locally to rafters. 3. The bar of a gate or door. Spar buoy, a torpedo carried on the end of a spar usually projecting from the bow of a vessel, and intended to explode upon contact with an enemy's ships. Origin: OE. Sparre; akin to D. Spar, G. Sparren, OHG. Sparro, Dan.& Sw. Sparre, Icel. Sparri; of uncertain origin. 171. Cf. Spar. <chemical> An old name for a nonmetallic mineral, usually cleavable and somewhat lustrous; as, calc spar, or calcite, fluor spar, etc. It was especially used in the case of the gangue minerals of a metalliferous vein. Blue spar, Cube spar, etc. See Blue, Cube, etc. Origin: AS. Spaer in spaerstan chalkstone; akin to MHG. Spar, G. Sparkalk plaster. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparada | <marine biology> A small California surf fish (Micrometrus aggregatus). Synonym: shiner. (17 Mar 1998) |
| sparadrap | 1. A cerecloth. 2. <medicine> Any adhesive plaster. Origin: F. Sparadrap; cf. It. Sparadrappo, NL. Sparadrapa. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| spare | 1. To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save. "No cost would he spare." "[Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare." (Milton) "He that hath knowledge, spareth his words." (Prov. Xvii. 27) 2. To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give. "Be pleased your plitics to spare." (Dryden) "Spare my sight the pain Of seeing what a world of tears it costs you." (Dryden) 3. To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to. "Spare us, good Lord." (Book of Common Prayer) "Dim sadness did not spare That time celestial visages." (Milton) "Man alone can whom he conquers spare." (Waller) 4. To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty. "All the time he could spare from the necessary cares of his weighty charge, he estowed on . . . Serving of God." (Knolles) 5. To deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with. "Where angry Jove did never spare One breath of kind and temperate air." (Roscommon) "I could have better spared a better man." (Shak) To spare one's self. To act with reserve. "Her thought that a lady should her spare." (Chaucer) To save one's self labour, punishment, or blame. Origin: AS. Sparian, fr. Spaer spare, sparing, saving; akin to D. & G. Sparen, OHG. Sparn, Icel. & Sw. Spara, Dan. Spare See Spare. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sparganoma | A localised mass resulting from sparganosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sparganosis | Infection of animals, including fish and man, with a developmental stage of diphyllobothrium. This stage has recently been referred to as a plerocercoid but the name sparganum has persisted. Therefore, infection of fish or other animals with the plerocercoid larvae is sparganosis. Fish-eating mammals, including man, are the final hosts. (12 Dec 1998) |