Part 646

Syn. -- Aromatic; fragrant; smart; pungent; pointed; keen. See Racy.

Spi"der (?), n.[OE. spiþre, fr. AS. spinnan to spin; -- so named from spinning its web; cf. D. spin a spider, G. spinne, Sw. spindel. Seee Spin.] 1. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of arachnids comprising the order Araneina. Spiders have the mandibles converted into poison fangs, or falcers. The abdomen is large and not segmented, with two or three pairs of spinnerets near the end, by means of which they spin threads of silk to form cocoons, or nests, to protect their eggs and young. Many species spin also complex webs to entrap the insects upon which they prey. The eyes are usually eight in number (rarely six), and are situated on the back of the cephalothorax. See Illust. under Araneina.

Spiders are divided into two principal groups: the Dipneumona, having two lungs: and the Tetrapneumona, having four lungs. See Mygale. The former group includes several tribes; as, the jumping spiders (see Saltigradæ), the wolf spiders, or Citigradæ (see under Wolf), the crab spiders, or Laterigradæ (see under Crab), the garden, or geometric, spiders, or Orbitellæ (see under Geometrical, and Garden), and others. See Bird spider, under Bird, Grass spider, under Grass, House spider, under House, Silk spider, under Silk.

2. (Zoöl.) Any one of various other arachnids resembling the true spiders, especially certain mites, as the red spider (see under Red).

3. An iron pan with a long handle, used as a kitchen utensil in frying food. Originally, it had long legs, and was used over coals on the hearth.

4. A trevet to support pans or pots over a fire.

5. (Mach.) A skeleton, or frame, having radiating arms or members, often connected by crosspieces; as, a casting forming the hub and spokes to which the rim of a fly wheel or large gear is bolted; the body of a piston head; a frame for strengthening a core or mold for a casting, etc.

Spider ant. (Zoöl.) Same as Solitary ant, under Solitary. -- Spider crab (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of maioid crabs having a more or less triangular body and ten long legs. Some of the species grow to great size, as the great Japanese spider crab (Macrocheira Kempferi), measuring sometimes more than fifteen feet across the legs when they are extended. -- Spider fly (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of parasitic dipterous insects of the family Hippoboscidæ. They are mostly destitute of wings, and live among the feathers of birds and the hair of bats. Called also bird tick, and bat tick. -- Spider hunter (Zoöl.), any one of several species of East Indian sunbirds of the genus Arachnothera. -- Spider lines, filaments of a spider's web crossing the field of vision in optical instruments; -- used for determining the exact position of objects and making delicate measurements. Fine wires, silk fibers, or lines on glass similarly placed, are called spider lines. -- Spider mite. (Zoöl.) (a) Any one of several species of parasitic mites of the genus Argas and allied genera. See Argas. (b) Any one of numerous small mites injurious to plants. -- Spider monkey (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of South American monkeys of the genus Ateles, having very long legs and a long prehensile tail. -- Spider orchis (Bot.), a European orchidaceous plant (Ophrys aranifera), having flowers which resemble spiders. -- Spider shell (Zoöl.), any shell of the genus Pteroceras. See Pteroceras.

Spi"dered (?), a. Infested by spiders; cobwebbed. Wolcott.

Spi"der*like` (?), a. Like a spider. Shak.

{ Spi"der web" (?), or Spi"der's web" }. (Zoöl.) The silken web which is formed by most kinds of spiders, particularly the web spun to entrap their prey. See Geometric spider, Triangle spider, under Geometric, and Triangle.

Spi"der*wort` (?), n. (Bot.) An American endogenous plant (Tradescantia Virginica), with long linear leaves and ephemeral blue flowers. The name is sometimes extended to other species of the same genus.

Spied (?), imp. & p. p. of Spy.

||Spie"gel*ei`sen (?), n. [G. spiegel mirror + eisen iron.] See Spiegel ||iron.

Spie"gel i`ron (?). [G. spiegel mirror + E. iron.] (Metal.) A fusible white cast iron containing a large amount of carbon (from three and a half to six per cent) and some manganese. When the manganese reaches twenty-five per cent and upwards it has a granular structure, and constitutes the alloy ferro manganese, largely used in the manufacture of Bessemer steel. Called also specular pig iron, spiegel, and spiegeleisen.

Spight (?), n. & v. Spite. [Obs.] Spenser.

Spight, n. A woodpecker. See Speight. [Obs.]

Spig"nel (?), n. (Bot.) Same as Spickenel.

Spig"net (?), n. [Corrupted fr. spikenard.] (Bot.) An aromatic plant of America. See Spikenard.

Spig"ot (?), n. [From spick,or spike; cf. Ir. & Gael. spiocaid a spigot, Ir. spice a spike. See Spike.] A pin or peg used to stop the vent in a cask; also, the plug of a faucet or cock.

Spigot and faucet joint, a joint for uniting pipes, formed by the insertion of the end of one pipe, or pipe fitting, into a socket at the end of another.

Spi*gur"nel (?), n. (Eng. Law) Formerly the title of the sealer of writs in chancery. Mozley & W.

Spike (?), n. [Akin to LG. spiker, spieker, a large nail, D. spijker, Sw. spik, Dan. spiger, Icel. spk; all perhaps from L. spica a point, an ear of grain; but in the sense of nail more likely akin to E. spoke of a wheel. Cf. Spine.] 1. A sort of very large nail; also, a piece of pointed iron set with points upward or outward.

2. Anything resembling such a nail in shape.

He wears on his head the corona radiata . . . ; the spikes that shoot out represent the rays of the sun.

Addison.

3. An ear of corn or grain.

4. (Bot.) A kind of flower cluster in which sessile flowers are arranged on an unbranched elongated axis.