Part 651

6. (Geom.) A solid generated by the revolution of a curved line about its base or double ordinate or chord.

7. (Zoöl.) (a) Any marine univalve shell of the genus Rostellaria; -- called also spindle stromb. (b) Any marine gastropod of the genus Fusus.

Dead spindle (Mach.), a spindle in a machine tool that does not revolve; the spindle of the tailstock of a lathe. -- Live spindle (Mach.), the revolving spindle of a machine tool; the spindle of the headstock of a turning lathe. -- Spindle shell. (Zoöl.) See Spindle, 7. above. -- Spindle side, the female side in descent; in the female line; opposed to spear side. Ld. Lytton. [R.] "King Lycaon, grandson, by the spindle side, of Oceanus." Lowell. -- Spindle tree (Bot.), any shrub or tree of the genus Eunymus. The wood of E. Europæus was used for spindles and skewers. See Prickwood.

Spin"dle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Spindled(?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spindling (?).] To shoot or grow into a long, slender stalk or body; to become disproportionately tall and slender.

It has begun to spindle into overintellectuality.

Lowell.

Spin"dle-legged` (?), a. Having long, slender legs.

Spin"dle*legs` (?), n. A spindleshanks.

Spin"dle-shanked` (?), a. Having long, slender legs. Addison.

Spin"dle*shanks` (?), n. A person with slender shanks, or legs; -- used humorously or in contempt.

Spin"dle-shaped` (?), a. 1. Having the shape of a spindle.

2. (Bot.) Thickest in the middle, and tapering to both ends; fusiform; -- applied chiefly to roots.

Spin"dle*tail` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The pintail duck. [Local, U.S.]

Spin"dle*worm` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The larva of a noctuid mmoth (Achatodes zeæ) which feeds inside the stalks of corn (maize), sometimes causing much damage. It is smooth, with a black head and tail and a row of black dots across each segment.

Spin"dling (?), a. Long and slender, or disproportionately tall and slender; as, a spindling tree; a spindling boy.

Spine (?), n. [L. spina thorn, the spine; akin to spica a point: cf. OF. espine, F. épine. Cf. Spike, Spinet a musical instrument, Spinny.] 1. (Bot.) A sharp appendage to any of a plant; a thorn.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) A rigid and sharp projection upon any part of an animal. (b) One of the rigid and undivided fin rays of a fish.

3. (Anat.) The backbone, or spinal column, of an animal; -- so called from the projecting processes upon the vertebræ.

4. Anything resembling the spine or backbone; a ridge.

Spine"back` (?), n. (Zoöl.) A fish having spines in, or in front of, the dorsal fins.

Spine"bill` (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any species of Australian birds of the genus Acanthorhynchus. They are related to the honey eaters.

Spined (?), a. Furnished with spines; spiny.

Spine"-finned` (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having fine supported by spinous fin rays; -- said of certain fishes.

{ Spi*nel" (?), Spi*nelle" (?), } n. [F. spinelle, or LL. spinellus, perhaps from L. spina a thorn, a prickle, in allusion to its pointed crystals.] (Min.) A mineral occuring in octahedrons of great hardness and various colors, as red, green, blue, brown, and black, the red variety being the gem spinel ruby. It consist essentially of alumina and magnesia, but commonly contains iron and sometimes also chromium.

The spinel group includes spinel proper, also magnetite, chromite, franklinite, gahnite, etc., all of which may be regarded as composed of a sesquioxide and a protoxide in equal proportions.

Spin"el (?), n. Bleached yarn in making the linen tape called inkle; unwrought inkle. Knight.

Spine"less (?), a. Having no spine.

Spi*nes"cent (?), a.[L. spinescens, -entis, p. pr. of spinescere to know to grow thorny, fr. spina a thorn: cf. F. spinescent.] (Bot.) Becoming hard and thorny; tapering gradually to a rigid, leafless point; armed with spines. Gray.