Part 695

Spume"ous (?), a. Spumous. [Obs.] r. H. More.

Spu*mes"cence (?), n. [See Spumescent.] The state of being foamy; frothiness.

Spu*mes"cent (?), a. [L. spumescens, p. pr. of spumescere to grow foamy, from spuma foam.] Resembling froth or foam; foaming.

Spum"id (?), a. [L. spumidis.] Spumous; frothy. [Obs.]

Spu*mif"er*ous (?), a. [L. spumifier; spuma foam + ferra bear.] Producing foam.

Spum"i*ness (?), n. The quality or condition of being spumy; spumescence.

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{ Spum"ous (?), Spum"y (?) }, a. [L. spumosus, &?; spuma foam: cf. F. spumeux.] Consisting of, containing, or covered with, froth, scum, or foam; frothy; foamy.

The spumous and florid state of the blood.

Arbuthnot.

The spumy waves proclaim the watery war.

Dryden.

Spun (?), imp. & p. p. of Spin.

Spun hay, hay twisted into ropes for convenient carriage, as on a military expedition. -- Spun silk, a cheap article produced from floss, or short- fibered, broken, and waste silk, carded and spun, in distinction from the long filaments wound from the cocoon. It is often mixed with cotton. -- Spun yarn (Naut.), a line formed of two or more rope-yarns loosely twisted.

Spunge (spnj), n. A sponge. [Obs.]

Spunk (spk), n. [Gael. spong, or Ir. sponc, tinder, sponge; cf. AS. sponge a sponge (L. spongia), spn a chip. Cf. Sponge, Punk.] [Written also sponk.] 1. Wood that readily takes fire; touchwood; also, a kind of tinder made from a species of fungus; punk; amadou. Sir T. Browne.

2. An inflammable temper; spirit; mettle; pluck; as, a man of spunk. [Colloq.]

A lawless and dangerous set, men of spunk, and spirit, and power, both of mind and body.

Prof. Wilson.

Spunk"y (?), a. [Compar. Spunkier (?); superl. Spunkiest.] Full of spunk; quick; spirited. [Colloq.]

Spur (?), n. [See Sparrow.] (Zoöl.) (a) A sparrow. [Scot.] (b) A tern. [Prov. Eng.]

Spur, n. [OE. spure, AS. spura, spora; akin to D. spoor, G. sporn, OHG. sporo, Icel. spori, Dan. spore, Sw. sporre, and to AS. spor a trace, footstep, spyrian to trace, track, examine, and E. spurn. &radic;171. Cf. Sparrow, Spere, Spoor, Spurn.] 1. An implement secured to the heel, or above the heel, of a horseman, to urge the horse by its pressure. Modern spurs have a small wheel, or rowel, with short points. Spurs were the badge of knighthood.

And on her feet a pair of spurs large.

Chaucer.

2. That which goads to action; an incitement.

Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise (That last infirmity of noble mind) To scorn delights and live laborious days.

Milton.

3. Something that projects; a snag.