Part 697

Spur"ging (?), n. [See 2d Spurge.] A purging. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Spu"ri*ous (?), a. [L. spurius.] 1. Not proceeding from the true source, or from the source pretended; not genuine; false; adulterate.

2. Not legitimate; bastard; as, spurious issue. "Her spurious firstborn." Milton.

Spurious primary, or Spurious quill (Zoöl.), the first, or outer, primary quill when rudimentary or much reduced in size, as in certain singing birds. -- Spurious wing (Zoöl.), the bastard wing, or alula.

Syn. -- Counterfeit; false; adulterate; supposititious; fictitious; bastard.

-- Spu"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Spu"ri*ous*ness, n.

Spur"less (?), a. Having no spurs.

Spur"ling (?), n. [See Sparling.] (Zoöl.) A tern. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Tusser.

Spur"ling-line` (?), n. [Cf. Prov. E. spurling the rut of a wheel, a cart rut, AS. spor a track, trace, E. spoor. Scot. spurl to sprawl.] (Naut.) The line which forms the communication between the steering wheel and the telltale.

Spurn (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spurned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Spurning.] [OE. spurnen to kick against, to stumble over, AS. spurnan to kick, offend; akin to spura spur, OS. & OHG. spurnan to kick, Icel. spyrna, L. spernere to despise, Skr. sphur to jerk, to push. √171. See Spur.] 1. To drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick.

Chaucer.

I spurn thee like a cur out of my way.

Shak.

2. To reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept; to treat with contempt.

What safe and nicely I might well delay By rule of knighthood, I disdain and spurn.

Shak.

Domestics will pay a more cheerful service when they find themselves not spurned because fortune has laid them at their master's feet.

Locke.

Spurn, v. i. 1. To kick or toss up the heels.

The miller spurned at a stone.

Chaucer.

The drunken chairman in the kennel spurns.

Gay.

2. To manifest disdain in rejecting anything; to make contemptuous opposition or resistance.

Nay, more, to spurn at your most royal image.

Shak.

Spurn, n. 1. A kick; a blow with the foot. [R.]

What defence can properly be used in such a despicable encounter as this but either the slap or the spurn?