Part 643

The awful ruins of the days of old . . . Or jasper tomb, or mutilated sphinx.

Shelley.

(b) On Greek art and mythology, a she-monster, usually represented as having the winged body of a lion, and the face and breast of a young woman. The most famous Grecian sphinx, that of Thebes in Bœotia, is said to have proposed a riddle to the Thebans, and killed those who were unable to guess it. The enigma was solved by Œdipus, whereupon the sphinx slew herself. "Subtle as sphinx." Shak.

2. Hence: A person of enigmatical character and purposes, especially in politics and diplomacy.

3. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of large moths of the family Sphingidæ; -- called also hawk moth.

The larva is a stout naked caterpillar which, when at rest, often assumes a position suggesting the Egyptian sphinx, whence the name.

4. (Zoöl.) The Guinea, or sphinx, baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx).

Sphinx baboon (Zoöl.), a large West African baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx), often kept in menageries. -- Sphinx moth. (Zoöl.) Same as Sphinx, 3.

Sphrag"ide (?), n.[L. sphragis, -idis, Lemnian earth, fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?;, &?;&?;&?;, a seal; -- so called because sold in sealed packets.] (Min.) Lemnian earth.

Sphra*gis"tics (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; of or for sealing, fr. &?;&?;&?; a seal.] The science of seals, their history, age, distinctions, etc., esp. as verifying the age and genuiness of documents.

||Sphri*go"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;&?;&?; to be full of strength.] ||(Bot.) A condition of vegetation in which there is too abundant ||growth of the stem and leaves, accompanied by deficiency of flowers ||and fruit.

Sphyg"mic (?), a. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse.] (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to the pulse.

Sphyg"mo*gram (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; pulse + -gram.] (Physiol.) A tracing, called a pulse tracing, consisting of a series of curves corresponding with the beats of the heart, obtained by the application of the sphygmograph.

Sphyg"mo*graph (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse + -graph.] (Physiol.) An instrument which, when applied over an artery, indicates graphically the movements or character of the pulse. See Sphygmogram.

Sphyg`mo*graph"ic (?), a. (Phusiol.) Relating to, or produced by, a sphygmograph; as, a sphygmographic tracing.

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Sphyg*mom"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?; pulse + -meter.] (Physiol.) An instrument for measuring the strength of the pulse beat; a sphygmograph.

Sphyg"mo*phone (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse + &?;&?;&?; sound.] (Physiol.) An electrical instrument for determining by the ear the rhythm of the pulse of a person at a distance.

Sphyg"mo*scope (?), n. [Gr. &?;&?;&?; the pulse + -scope.] (Physiol.) Same as Sphygmograph.

Sphy*ræ"noid (?), a.[L. sphyraena a kind of sea fish (Gr. sfy`raina) + - oid.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Sphyrænidæ, a family of marine fishes including the barracudas.

Spi"al (?), n. A spy; a scout. [Obs.] Bacon.

||Spi"ca (?), n.; pl. Spicæ (#). [L., an ear, as of corn.] 1. (Med.) A ||kind of bandage passing, by successive turns and crosses, from an ||extremity to the trunk; -- so called from its resemblance to a spike ||of a barley.

2. (Astron.) A star of the first magnitude situated in the constellation Virgo.

{ Spi"cate (?), Spi"ca*ted (?), } a. [L. spicatus, p. p. of spicare furnish with spikes, or ears, fr. spica a spike, or ear.] (Bot.) Having the form of a spike, or ear; arranged in a spike or spikes. Lee.

||Spic*ca"to (?), a. [It., p. p. of spicare to detach, to separate.] ||(Mus.) Detached; separated; -- a term indicating that every note is ||to be performed in a distinct and pointed manner.

Spice (?), n. [OE. spice, spece, spice, species, OF. espice, espece, F. épice spice, espèce species, fr. L. species particular sort or kind, a species, a sight, appearance, show, LL., spices, drugs, etc., of the same sort, fr. L. specere to look. See Spy, and cf. Species.] 1. Species; kind. [Obs.]

The spices of penance ben three.

Chaucer.