Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

SPURNED — STABLING

SPURNED, pp. Rejected with disdain; treated with contempt.

SPURNER, n. One who spurns.

SPURNEY, n. A plant.

SPURNING, ppr. Rejecting with contempt.

SPURN-WATER, In ships, a channel at the end of a deck to restrain the water.

SPURRE, n. A name of the sea swallow.

SPURRED, pp.

1. Furnished with spurs.

2. a. Wearing spurs, or having shoots like spurs.

SPURRER, n. One who uses spurs.

SPURRIER, n. One whose occupation is to make spurs.

SPUR-ROYAL, n. A gold coin, first made in the reign of Edward IV. In the reign of James I. its value was fifteen shillings. Sometimes written spur-rial or ryal.

SPURRY, n. A plant of the genus Spergula.

SPURT, v.t. [The English word has suffered a transposition of letters. It is from the root of sprout, which see.] To throw out, as liquid in a stream; to drive or force out with violence, as a liquid from a pipe or small orifice; as, to spurt water from the mouth, or other liquid from a tube.

SPURT, v.i. To gush or issue out in a stream, as liquor from a cask; to rush from a confined place in a small stream.

Then the small jet, which hasty hands unlock, spurts in the gardners eyes who turns the cock.

SPURT, n.

1. A sudden or violent ejection or gushing of a liquid substance from a tube, orifice or other confined place; a jet.

2. A sudden or short occasion or exigency; sudden effort. [Vulgar.]

SPURTLE, v.t. [from spurt.] To shoot in a scattering manner. [Little used.]

SPURWAY, n. [spur and way.] A horse path; a narrow way; a bridle road; a way for a single beast. [Not used in the United States.]

SPUTATION, n. [L., to spit.] The act of spitting. [Not used.]

SPUTATIVE, a. [supra.] Spitting much; inclined to spit. [Not used.]

SPUTTER, v.i. [L., to spit. It belongs to the root of spout and spit; of the latter it seems to be a diminutive.]

1. To spit, or to emit saliva from the mouth in small or scattered portions, as in rapid speaking.

2. To throw out moisture in small detached parts; as green wood sputtering in the flame.

3. To fly off in small particles with some crackling or noise.

When sparkling lamps their sputtering lights advance.

4. To utter words hastily and indistinctly; literally, to spout small; to speak so rapidly as to emit saliva.

They could neither of them speak their rage, and so they fell a sputtering at one another, like two roasting apples.

SPUTTER, v.t. To throw out with haste and noise; to utter with indistinctness.

In the midst of caresses--to sputter out the basest accusations.

SPUTTER, n. Moist matter thrown out in small particles.

SPUTTERED, pp. Thrown out in small portions, as liquids; uttered with haste and indistinctness, as words.

SPUTTERER, n. One that sputters.

SPUTTERING, ppr. Emitting in small particles; uttering rapidly and indistinctly; speaking hastily; spouting.

SPY, n.

1. A person sent into an enemys camp to inspect their works, ascertain their works, ascertain their strength and their intentions, to watch their movements, and secretly communicate intelligence to the proper officer. By the laws of war among all civilized nations, a spy is subjected to capital punishment.

2. A person deputed to watch the conduct of others.

3. One who watches the conduct of others.

These wretched spies of wit.

SPY, v.t.

1. To see; to gain sight of; to discover at a distance, or in a state of concealment. It is the same as espy; as, to spy land from the mast head of a ship.

As tiger spied two gentle fawns.

One in reading skipped over all sentences where he spied a note of admiration.

2. To discover by close search or examination; as, a lawyer in examining the pleadings in a case, spies a defect.

3. To explore; to view, inspect and examine secretly; as a country; usually with out.

Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof. Numbers 21:32.

SPY, v.i. To search narrowly; to scrutinize.

It is my natures plague to spy into abuse.

SPY-BOAT, n. [spy and boat.] A boat sent to make discoveries and bring intelligence.

SPY-GLASS, n. The popular name of a small telescope, useful in viewing distant objects.

SQUAB, a. [G., plump, sleek; to be plump or sleek, and to vibrate.]

1. Fat; thick; plump; bulky.

Nor the squab daughter, nor the wife were nice.

2. Unfledged; unfethered; as a squab pigeon.

SQUAB, n.

1. A young pigeon or dove. [This word is in common or general use in America, and almost the only sense in which it is used is the one here given. It is sometimes used in the sense of fat, plump.]

2. A kind of sofa or couch; a stuffed cushion. [Not used in America.]

SQUAB, adv. Striking at once; with a heavy fall; plump.

The eagle dropped the tortoise squab upon a rock. [Low and not used.]

[The vulgar word awhap or whop, is used in a like sense in America. It is found in Chaucer.]

SQUAB, v.i. To fall plump; to strike at one dash, or with a heavy stroke. [Not used.]

SQUABBISH, SQUABBY, a. Thick; fat; heavy.

SQUABBLE, v.i. [I know not the origin of this word, but it seems to be from the root of wabble; G., to vibrate, to quake, to be sleek. See Squab.]

1. To contend for superiority; to scuffle; to struggle; as, two persons squabble in sport.

2. To contend; to wrangle; to quarrel.

3. To debate peevishly; to dispute. If there must be disputes, it is less criminal to squabble than to murder.

[Squabble is not an elegant word in any of its uses. In some of them it is low.]

SQUABBLE, n. A scuffle; a wrangle; a brawl; a petty quarrel.

SQUABBLER, n. A contentious person; a brawler.

SQUABBLING, ppr. Scuffling; contending; wrangling.

SQUAB-PIE, n. [squab and pie.] A pie made of squabs or young pigeons.

SQUAD, n. A company of armed men; a party learning military exercise; any small party.

SQUADRON, n. [L., to square; four.]

1. In its primary sense, a square or square form; and hence, a square body of troops; a body drawn up in a square. So Milton has used the word.

Those half rounding guards just met, and closing stood in squadron joind.

[This sense is probably obsolete, unless in poetry.]

2. A body of troops, infantry or cavalry, indefinite in number.

3. A division of a fleet; a detachment of ships of war, employed on a particular expedition; or one third part of a naval armament.

SQUADRONED, a. Formed into squadrons or squares.

SQUALID, a. [L., to be foul.] Foul; filthy; extremely dirty.

Uncombd his locks, and squalid his attire.

SQUALIDNESS, n. Foulness; filthiness.

SQUALL, v.i. To cry out; to scream or cry violently; as a woman frightened, or a child in anger or distress; a, the infant squalled.

SQUALL, n.

1. A loud scream; a harsh cry.

2. A sudden gust of violent wind.

SQUALLER, n. A screamer; one that cries loud.

SQUALLING, ppr. Crying out harshly; screaming.

SQUALLY, a.

1. Abounding with squalls disturbed often with sudden and violent gust of wind; as squally weather.

2. In agriculture, broken into detached pieces; interrupted by unproductive spots. [Local.]

SQUALOR, n. [L.] Foulness; filthiness; coarseness.

SQUAMIFORM, a. [L., a scale, and form.] Having the form or shape of scales.

SQUAMIGEROUS, a. [L., to bear.] Bearing or having scales.

SQUAMOUS, a. [L.] Scaly; covered with scales; as the squamous cones of the pine.

SQUANDER, v.t. [G., to turn.]

1. To spend lavishly or profusely; to spend prodigally; to dissipate; to waste without economy or judgment; as, to squander an estate.

They often squanderd, but they never gave.

The crime of squandering health is equal to the folly.

2. To scatter; to disperse.

Our squanderd troops he rallies.

[In this application not now used.]

SQUANDERED, pp. Spent lavishly and without necessity or use; wasted; dissipated, as property.

SQUANDERER, n. One who spends his money prodigally, without necessity or use; a spendthrift; a prodigal; a waster; a lavisher.

SQUANDERING, ppr. Spending lavishly; wasting.

SQUARE, a. [Gr.]

1. Having four equal sides and four right angles; as a square room; a square figure.

2. Forming a right angle; as an instrument for striking lines square.

3. Parallel; exactly suitable; true.

Shes a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her. [Unusual.]

4. Having a straight front, or a frame formed with straight lines; not curving; as a man of a square frame; a square built man.

5. That does equal justice; exact; fair; honest; as square dealing.

6. Even; leaving no balance. Let us make or leave the accounts square.

Three square, five square, having three or five equal sides, etc.; an abusive use of square.

Square root, in geometry and arithmetic. The square root of a quantity or number is that which, multiplied by itself, produces the square. Thus 7 is the square root of 49, for 7 times 7 = 49.

In seamens language, the yards are square, when they are arranged at right angles with the mast or the keel. The yards and sails are said also to be square, when they are of greater extent than usual.

SQUARE, n.

1. A figure having four equal sides and four right angles.

2. An area of four sides, with houses on each side.

The statue of Alexander VII. stands in the large square of the town.

3. The content of the side of a figure squared.

4. An instrument among mechanics by which they form right angles, or otherwise measure angles.

5. Im geometry and arithmetic, a square or square number is the product of a number multiplied by itself. Thus 64 is the square of 8, for 8 times 8 = 64.

6. Rule; regularity; exact proportion; justness of workmanship and conduct.

They of Galatia much more out of square.

I have not kept my square. [Not in use.]

7. A square body of troops; a squadron; as the brave square of war. [Not in use.]

8. A quaternion; four. [Not in use.]

9. Level; equality.

We live not on the square with such as these.

10. In astrology, quartile; the position of planets distant ninety degrees from each other.

11. Rule; conformity; accord. I shall break no squares with another for a trifle.

Squares go. Let us see how the squares go, that is, how the game proceeds; a phrase taken from the game of chess, the chess board being formed with squares.

SQUARE, v.t.

1. To form with four equal sides and four right angles.

2. To reduce to a square; to form to right angles; as, to square masons work.

3. To reduce to any given measure or standard.

4. To adjust; to regulate; to mold; to shape; as, to square our actions by the opinions of others; to square our lives by the precepts of the gospel.

5. To accommodate; to fit; as, square my trial to my strength.

6. To respect in quartile.

7. To make even, so as to leave no difference or balance; as, to square accounts; a popular phrase.

8. In arithmetic, to multiply a number by itself; as, to square the number.

9. In seamens language, to square the yards, is to place them at right angles with the mast or keel.

SQUARE, v.i.

1. To suit; to fit; to quadrate; to accord or agree. His opinions do not square with the doctrines of philosophers.

2. To quarrel; to go to opposite sides.

Are you such fools to square for this? [Not in use.]

SQUARENESS, n. The state of being square; as an instrument to try the squareness of work.

SQUARE-RIGGED, a. In seamens language, a vessel is square-rigged when her principal sails are extended by yards suspended by the middle, and not by stays, gaffs, booms and lateen yards. Thus a ship and a brig are square-rigged vessels.

SQUARE-SAIL, n. In seamens language, a sail extended to a yard suspended by the middle.

SQUARISH, a. Nearly square.

SQUARROUS, a. [Gr., scurf.] In botany, scurfy or ragged, or full of scales; rough; jagged. A squarrous calyx consists of scales very sidely divaricating; a squarrous leaf is divided into shreds or jags, raised above the plane of the leaf, and not parallel to it.

SQUASH, v.t. [L.] To crush; to beat or press into pulp or a flat mass.

SQUASH, n.

1. Someting soft an deasily crushed.

2. [Gr.] A plant of the genus Cucurbita, and its fruit; a culinary vegetable.

3. Something unripe or soft; in contempt.

This squash, this gentleman.

4. A sudden fall of a heavy soft body.

5. A shock of soft bodies.

My fall was stoppd by a terrible squash. [Vulgar.]

SQUAT, v.i.

1. To sit down upon the hams or heels; as a human being.

2. To sit close to the ground; to cower; as an animal.

3. In Massachusetts and some other states of America, to settle on anothers land without pretense of title; a practice very common in the wilderness.

SQUAT, v.t. To bruise or make flat by a fall. [Not in use.]

SQUAT, a.

1. Sitting on the hams or heels; sitting close to the ground; cowering.

Him there they found, squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve.

2. Short and thick, like the figure of an animal squatting.

The head of the squill insect is broad and squat.

SQUAT, n.

1. The posture of one that sits on his hams, or close to the ground.

2. A sudden or crushing fall. [Not in use.]

3. A sort of mineral.

SQUATT, n. Among miners, a bed of ore extending but a little distance.

SQUATTER, n.

1. One that squats or sits close.

2. In the United States, one that settles on new land without a title.

SQUEAK, v.t. [G., to squeak. This word probably belongs to the family of quack.]

1. To utter a sharp shrill cry, usually of short duration; to cry with an acute tone, as an animal; or to make a sharp noise, as a pipe or quill, a wheel, a door and the like. Wheels squeak only when the axle tree is dry.

Who can endure to hear one of the rough old Romans, squeaking through the mouth of an eunuch?

Zoilus calls the companions of Ulysses, the squeaking pigs of Homer.

2. To break silence or secrecy for fear or pain; to speak.

SQUEAK, n. A sharp shrill sound suddenly uttered, either of the human voice or of any animal or instrument, such as a child utters in acute pain, or as pigs utter, or as is made by carriage wheels when dry, or by a pipe or reed.

SQUEAKER, n. One that utters a sharp shrill sound.

SQUEAKING, ppr. Crying with a sharp voice; making a sharp sound; as a squeaking wheel.

SQUEAL, v.i. [See Squall.] To cry with a sharp shrill voice. It is used of animals only, and chiefly of swine. It agrees in sense with squeak, except that squeal denotes a more continues cry than squeak, and the latter is not limited to animals. We say, a squealing hog or pig, a squealing child; but more generally a squalling child.

SQUEALING, ppr. Uttering a sharp shrill sound or voice; as a squealing pig.

SQUEAMISH, a. [probably from the root of wamble.] Literally, having a stomach that is easily turned, or that readily nauseates any thing; hence, nice to excess in taste; fastidious; easily disgusted; apt to be offended at trifling improprieties; scrupulous.

Quoth he, that honors very squeamish that takes a basting for a blemish.

His muse is rustic, and perhaps too plain the men of squeamish taste to entertain.

SQUEAMISHLY, adv. IN a fastidious manner; with too much niceness.

SQUEAMISHNESS, n. Excessive niceness; vicious delicacy of taste; fastidiousness; excessive scrupulousness.

The thorough-paced politician must presently laugh at the squeamishness of his conscience.

SQUEASINESS, n. Nausea. [Not used.] [See Queasiness.]

SQUEASY, a. Queasy; nice; squeamish; scrupulous. [Not used.] [See Queasy.]

SQUEEZE, v.t.

1. To press between two bodies; to press closely; as, to squeeze an orange the fingers or with an instrument; to squeeze the hand in friendship.

2. To oppress with hardships, burdens and taxes; to harass; to crush.

In a civil war, people must expect to be squeezed with the burden.

3. To hug; to embrace closely.

4. To force between close bodies; to compel or cause to pass; as, to squeeze water through felt.

To squeeze out, to force out by pressure, as a liquid.

SQUEEZE, v.i.

1. To press; to urge ones way; to pass by pressing; as, to squeeze hard to get through a crowd.

2. To crowd.

To squeeze through, to pass through by pressing and urging forward.

SQUEEZE, n.

1. Pressure; compression between bodies.

2. A close hug or embrace.

SQUEEZED, pp. Pressed between bodies; compressed; oppressed.

SQUEEZING, ppr. Pressing; compressing; crowding; oppressing.

SQUEEZING, n.

1. The act of pressing; compression; oppression.

2. That which is forced out by pressure; dregs.

The dregs and squeezings of the brain.

SQUELCH, SQUELSH, v.t. To crush. [A low word and not used.]

SQUELCH, n. A heavy fall. [Low and not used.]

SQUIB, n. [This word probably belongs to the family of whip; denoting that which is thrown.]

1. A little pipe or hollow cylinder of paper, filled with powder or combustible matter and sent into the air, burning and bursting with a crack; a cracker.

Lampoons, like squibs, may make a present blaze.

The making and selling of squibs is punishable.

2. A sarcastic speech or little censorious writing published; a petty lampoon.

3. A pretty fellow. [Not in use.]

The squibs, in the common phrase, are called libellers.

SQUIB, v.i. To throw squibs; to utter sarcastic or severe reflections; to contend in petty dispute; as, two members of a society squib a little in debate. [Colloquial.]

SQUIBBING, ppr. Throwing squibs or severe reflections.

SQUILL, n. [L., a squill, a lobster or prawn.]

1. A plant of the genus Scilla. It has a large acrid bulbous root like an onion, which is used in medicine.

2. A fish, or rather a crustaceous animal, of the genus Cancer.

3. An insect, called squill insect form its resemblance to the fish, having a long body covered with a crust, the head broad and squat.

SQUINANCY, n. The quinsy, which see. [Squinancy is not used.]

SQUINT, a.

1. Looking obliquely; having the optic axes directed to different objects.

2. Looking with suspicion.

SQUINT, v.i.

1. To see obliquely.

Some can squint when they will.

2. To have the axes of the eyes directed to different objects.

3. To slope; to deviate from a true line; to run obliquely.

SQUINT, v.t.

1. To turn the eye to an oblique position; to look indirectly; as, to squint an eye.

2. To form the eye to oblique vision.

He gives the web and the pin, squints the eye, and make the hare-lip.

SQUINT-EYED, a.

1. Having eyes that squint; having oblique vision.

2. Oblique; indirect; malignant; as squint-eyed praise.

3. Looking obliquely or by side glances; as squint-eyed jealousy or envy.

SQUINTIFEGO, n. Squinting. [A cant word and not to be used.]

SQUINTING, ppr. Seeing or looking obliquely; looking by side glances.

SQUINTING, n. The act or habit of looking obliquely.

SQUINTINGLY, adv. With an oblique look; by side glances.

SQUINY, v.i. To look squint. [A cant word not to be used.]

SQUIR, v.t. To throw; to thrust; to drive.

SQUIRE, n. [a popular contraction of esquire. See Esquire.]

1. In Great Britain, the title of a gentleman next in rank to a knight.

2. In Great Britain, an attendant on a noble warrior.

3. An attendant at court.

4. In the United States, the title of magistrates and lawyers. In New-England, it is particularly given to justices of the peace and judges.

5. The title customarily given to gentlemen.

SQUIRE, v.t.

1. To attend as a squire.

2. In colloquial language, to attend as a beau or gallant for aid and protection; as, to squire a lady to the gardens.

SQUIREHOOD, SQUIRESHIP, n. The rank and state of a squire.

SQUIRELY, a. Becoming a squire.

SQUIRREL, n. [L., Gr., shade, and tail.] A small quadruped of the genus Sciurus, order of Glires, and class Mammalia. The squirrel has two cutting teeth in each jaw, four toes on the fore feet, and five on the hind feet. Several species are enumerated. Among these are the gray, the red, and the black squirrel. These animals are remarkably nimble, running up tress and leaping from branch to branch with surprising agility. They subsist on nuts, of which they lay up a store for winter, some of them in hollow trees, others in the earth. Their flesh is delicate food.

SQUIRREL HUNT, n. In America, the hunting and shooting of squirrels by a company of men.

SQUIRT, v.t. To eject or drive out of a narrow pipe or orifice, in a stream; as, to squirt water.

SQUIRT, v.i. To throw out words; to let fly. [Not in use.]

SQUIRT, n.

1. An instrument with which a liquid is ejected in a stream with force.

2. A small quick stream.

SQUIRTER, n. One that squirts. [This word in all its forms, is vulgar.]

Squirting cucumber, a sort of wild cucumber, so called from the sudden bursting of its capsules when ripe; the Momordica elaterium.

STAB, v.t. [This word contains the elements, and is probably from the primary sense, of the L., to point or prick, and a multitude of others in many languages. The radical sense is to thrust; but I know not to what oriental roots they are allied.]

1. To pierce with a pointed weapon; as, to be stabbed by a dagger or a spear; to stab fish or eels.

2. To wound mischievously or mortally; to kill by the thrust of a pointed instrument.

3. To injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander; as, to stab reputation.

STAB, v.i.

1. To give a wound with a pointed weapon.

None shall dare with shortend sword to stab in closer war.

2. To give a mortal wound.

He speaks poniards, and every word stabs.

To stab at, to offer a stab; to thrust a pointed weapon at.

STAB, n.

1. The thrust of a pointed weapon.

2. A wound with a sharp pointed weapon; as, to fall by the stab of an assassin.

3. An injury given in the dark; a sly mischief; as a stab given to character.

STABBED, pp. Pierced with a pointed weapon; killed with a spear or other pointed instrument.

STABBER, n. One that stabs; a privy murderer.

STABBING, ppr. Piercing with a pointed weapon; killing with a pointed instrument by piercing the body.

STABBING, n. The act of piercing with a pointed weapon; the act of wounding or killing with a pointed instrument.

This statute was made on account of the frequent quarrels and stabbings with short daggers.

STABILIMENT, n. [L., to make firm. See Stab.] Act of making firm; firm support.

They serve for stabiliment, propagation and shade.

STABILITATE, v.t. To make stable; to establish.

STABILITY, n. [L. See Stab.]

1. Steadiness; stableness; firmness; strength to stand without being moved or overthrown; as the stability of a throne; the stability of a constitution of government.

2. Steadiness or firmness of character; firmness of resolution or purpose; the qualities opposite to fickleness, irresolution or inconstancy. We say, a man of little stability, or of unusual stability.

3. Fixedness; as opposed to fluidity. [I believe not now used.]

Since fluidness and stability are contrary qualities--

STABLE, a. [L. The primary sense is set, fixed. See Stab.]

1. Fixed; firmly established; not to be easily moved, shaken or overthrown; as a stable government.

2. Steady in purpose; constant; firm in resolution; not easily diverted from a purpose; not fickle or wavering; as a stable man; a stable character.

3. Fixed; steady; firm; not easily surrendered or abandoned; as a man of stable principles.

4. Durable; not subject to be overthrown or changed.

In this region of chance and vanity, where nothing is stable--

STABLE, v.t. To fix; to establish. [Not used.]

STABLE, n. [L., a stand, a fixed place, like stall. See the latter. These words do not primarily imply a covering for horses or cattle.] A house or shed for beasts to lodge and feed in. In large towns, a stable is usually a building for horses only, or horses and cows, and often connected with a coach house. In the country towns in the northern states of America, a stable is usually an apartment in a barn in which hay and grain are deposited.

STABLE, v.t. To put or keep in a stable. Our farmers generally stable not only horses, but oxen and cows in winter, and sometimes young cattle.

STABLE, v.i. To dwell or lodge in a stable; to dwell in an inclosed place; to kennel.

STABLE-BOY, STABLE-MAN, n. A boy or a man who attends at a stable.

STABLED, pp. Put or kept in a stable.

STABLENESS, n.

1. Fixedness; firmness of position or establishment; strength to stand; stability; as the stableness of a throne or of a system of laws.

2. Steadiness; constancy; firmness of purpose; stability; as stableness of character, of mind, of principles or opinions.

STABLESTAND, n. [stable and stand.] In law, when man is found at his standing in the forest with a cross bow bent, ready to shoot at a deer, or with a long bow; or standing close by a tree with grayhounds in a leash ready to slip. This is one of the four presumptions that a man intends stealing the kings deer.

STABLING, ppr. Putting or keeping in a stable.

STABLING, n.

1. The act or practice of keeping cattle in a stable.

2. A house, shed or room for keeping horses and cattle.