
space | space: n. 1 spaciousness, room, place, expanse, elbow-room, leeway, margin, latitude, play: There was no space for another desk. 2 blank: When the spaces are filled in, the puzzle is done. 3 interval, lapse, period, time, hiatus, lacuna, span, while, duration, extent, spell, stretch, pause, wait, intermission, gap, break, interruption: After a short space we were home again. 4 accommodation, seat, berth, room, place: Luckily, I got the last available space on the plane. --v. 5 arrange, organize, array, set out, align, range, order, rank, lay out, measure (out): Space the trees about eight feet apart.
spacious | spacious: adj. vast, large, extensive, enormous, wide, broad, commodious, ample, expansive, roomy, huge, sizeable, large, capacious, great, immense, outsize(d), voluminous, oversize(d): The house was more spacious than it looked from the outside. Siberia offers spacious territory, ripe for habitation over the next century.
span | span: n. 1 bridge, link, stretch, overpass, Chiefly Brit flyover: We drove across the entire span in less than five minutes. 2 course, extent, interval, stretch, period, time, term, spell: In the short span of six hours we had crossed the Atlantic. --v. 3 cross, stretch over, reach over, extend over, go over, bridge: A rude bridge spans the river at Lexington. Their lives spanned more than a century.
spank | spank: v. slap, smack, put or take over one''s knee, thrash, paddle; chastise, punish, castigate; Colloq wallop, tan (someone''s) hide, paddywhack, whack, give (someone) a (good) licking or hiding: In those days when you misbehaved you were spanked.
spanking | spanking: adj. 1 spic and span, smart, bright, snappy, gleaming, brand-new, fine, remarkable, outstanding, big, large, great: You ought to see Jim Trowbridge''s spanking new yacht. 2 brisk, lively, crisp, bracing, fresh, freshening, rattling, strong, invigorating, blustery: A spanking breeze blew up from the west. 3 quick, rapid, swift, lively, snappy, fast, smart, energetic, vigorous, brisk: The pony drew the dogcart at a spanking pace.
spar� | spar�: n. Nautical mast, yard, yard-arm, boom, boomkin, gaff, jigger, mizen, Colloq stick, pole: The first gusts of the storm tore the remaining canvas from the spars.
spar� | spar�: v. 1 fight, box, exchange blows; shadow-box: He was once the champion''s sparring partner. 2 dispute, argue, bicker, squabble, wrangle, bandy words, have words; fight, Colloq scrap: I have better things to do than spar with you over breakfast every day.
spare | spare: adj. 1 extra, surplus, supernumerary, auxiliary, supplementary, additional; odd, leftover; in reserve, in addition: We got a puncture, so Dad stopped and put on the spare wheel. Give them the spare room. Have you a spare cigarette? 2 unoccupied, leftover, leisure, free, surplus, extra; not spoken for: Her demanding job left her very little spare time. 3 thin, skinny, scrawny, cadaverous, gaunt, raw-boned, meagre, gangling, lank(y), wiry, slim, slender; all skin and bones: The spare, ragged figure crouched in the shadows, his hand outstretched in supplication. 4 See sparing, below. 5 meagre, frugal, small, skimpy, modest, scanty: Their meals were spare but wholesome. --v. 6 save, rescue, deliver, redeem: Bill spared me from a fate worse than death. Spare me the embarrassment of having to ask for my money back. 7 pardon, let go, release, have mercy on, let off, free, liberate: At the last moment, the judge spared him. 8 allow, relinquish, let go (of), give, award, bestow, let have, donate, part with, give, yield: She decided she could spare a couple of pounds for the disaster appeal. Buddy, can you spare a dime? 9 avoid, dispense with, manage or do without, give up, forgo, forsake, surrender, sacrifice: We spared a great deal of trouble by settling the dispute. Spare the rod and spoil the child.
sparing | sparing: adj. 1 thrifty, saving, frugal, spare, careful, prudent, parsimonious, economical, penurious, mean; penny-pinching, stingy, niggardly, miserly, close, close-fisted, cheap, Colloq tight, tight-fisted, Brit mingy: As sparing in his praise as he was in his purse, General Waller rarely complimented his troops. 2 See sparse, 2 below.
spark | spark: n. 1 scintilla, flicker, glimmer, glint, sparkle, speck, hint, suggestion, vestige, atom, whit, jot (or tittle), iota: As long as a spark of life remained in his body he fought for freedom and justice. --v. 2 Often, spark off. set or touch off, ignite, kindle, enkindle, electrify, animate, trigger, energize, galvanize, activate, excite, stimulate, set in motion, bring about, start (up), begin, initiate, inspire, inspirit, provoke, precipitate: Was there any single factor that sparked the Renaissance?
sparkle | sparkle: v. 1 glitter, scintillate, glint, flicker, shine, twinkle, wink, blink, glimmer, flash, coruscate, blaze, burn, flame: The setting sun sparkled on the sea. Brian''s eyes sparkled with an inner fire. 2 effervesce, fizz, bubble: We ordered a jeroboam of sparkling Burgundy. --n. 3 glitter, scintillation, twinkle, coruscation, dazzle, spark, gleam, brightness, brilliance, radiance: I fear that the sparkle has gone out of her smile. 4 vivacity, liveliness, fire, brightness, wittiness, effervescence, ebullience, excitement, animation, vigour, energy, spirit, cheer, joy, light-heartedness, �lan, zeal, gusto, dash, life, gaiety, cheer, cheerfulness; certain something; Colloq vim, zip, zing, pizazz, oomph: It is easy to see that she gets her sparkle from her mother.
sparse | sparse: adj. 1 thin (on the ground), few (and far between), meagre, scanty, (widely) dispersed or scattered, spread out, spotty, in short supply, scarce: Tourists are sparse in Scotland in January. Sparse blooms appeared on the rose-bushes this year. 2 little, limited, meagre, scant, sparing, inappreciable, not much, insignificant: Sparse use was made of the new tennis court because of the rain.
spartan | Spartan: adj. austere, strict, severe, harsh, hard, stern, rigorous, rigid, ascetic, stringent, controlled, disciplined, self-denying, abstinent, abstemious: He gave up all luxuries and today lives a Spartan life in the forest.
spasm | spasm: n. 1 convulsion, throe, fit, twitch, paroxysm: Deprived of his medication, Brian might go into spasms. 2 fit, seizure, convulsion, paroxysm, spell, outburst, burst, eruption: After that, every time he said ''furniture'', the crowd went into spasms of laughter.
spasmodic | spasmodic: adj. 1 spasmodical, paroxysmal, convulsive, jerky, jerking, sudden, Technical spastic: John was quite uneasy, unaware that Cynthia''s spasmodic winking was due to a tic. 2 fitful, irregular, intermittent, arrhythmic, random, interrupted, sporadic, erratic, occasional, periodic, unsustained, discontinuous, pulsating, cyclic(al), broken: Spasmodic peals of thunder shook the house.
spate | spate: n. flood, inundation, onrush, onset, rush, deluge, outpouring, outflow, outflowing, flow: What did I say to provoke that spate of foul language?
spatter | spatter: v. splash, splatter, speckle, bespatter, spray, dabble, daub, bedaub, sprinkle, besprinkle, Brit splodge, US splotch: When she dropped the pan the grease spattered all over my new white flannels.
spawn | spawn: v. give birth to, yield, bear, bring forth, breed, beget, create, father, sire, produce, generate, engender, give rise to, bring about, cause: Donald''s arrogance over his wealth spawned a great deal of resentment.
speak | speak: v. 1 talk, converse, discourse: We were not allowed to speak during lessons. 2 talk to, converse or discourse with, address, say (something or) anything to: She was speaking quietly to the children. That is no way to speak to your elders. 3 talk, communicate in, discourse or converse in, communicate in, utter in, articulate in, use: Can you really speak Chinese? 4 express, utter, say, state, tell, pronounce, enunciate, voice; articulate, make known, communicate, reveal, indicate: He is speaking the truth. 5 symbolize, betoken, signify, communicate, convey, indicate: Her refusal to return your love-letters speaks volumes. 6 so to speak. as it were, in a manner of speaking, figuratively or metaphorically (speaking): When it comes to employee benefits, the boss is Scrooge himself, so to speak. 7 speak for. a support, uphold, defend, stand up for, plead for, make a plea for, recommend, Colloq stick up for: Be quiet and let Simon speak for himself. b act on or in behalf of, act for, represent, act as agent for: He is speaking for the whole staff when he expresses worries about the cuts. c demand, require, beg, request, ask for: The situation speaks urgently for an effective drug rehabilitation programme. 8 speak for itself. be self-evident, be obvious, be significant: The fact that both your son and the ring are missing speaks for itself. 9 speak of. mention, advert to, allude to, refer to, make reference to, comment on, speak or talk about: I begged you not to speak of her again in my presence. 10 speak on. discuss, address, discourse upon or on, speak to, treat (of), deal with, examine, touch upon or on: In his presentation Dr Andrews spoke on the role of natural predators in pest control. 11 speak out or up. a talk (more) loudly or clearly, make oneself heard: I cannot hear you unless you speak up a bit. b talk freely or unreservedly, express one''s opinion, speak one''s mind, declare, come out, state one''s position, take a stand: I heard a mother of ten speak out against birth control. 12 speak to. a reprove, scold, reprimand, rebuke, admonish, warn, lecture: After his father spoke to him, Nicholas stopped staying out so late. b be meaningful to, appeal to, influence, affect, touch: Constance''s poetry effectively speaks to the heart. c accost, address, talk to, Formal apostrophize: I have to speak to the teacher after class. d See 10, above. 13 spoken for. reserved, engaged, bespoke, set aside, accounted for, chosen, selected: I''m afraid that the purple dress has already been spoken for, madam.
speaker | speaker: n. orator, lecturer; keynoter; rabble-rouser, demagogue, Colloq tub-thumper, spieler: It was my function to introduce the speaker.
spearhead | spearhead: v. 1 launch, initiate, lead (the way), take the initiative, pioneer, blaze the trail, break the ice, take the lead, be in the van or vanguard: He spearheaded medical research into arthritis. --n. 2 vanguard, advance guard, van, forefront, cutting edge: They claim to be the spearhead of space technology.
special | special: adj. 1 particular, specific, exceptional, uncommon, especial, rare, unusual, out of the ordinary, extraordinary, different, unorthodox, unconventional, unique, precise, individual, singular, distinctive, specialized, certain, remarkable, inimitable, idiosyncratic, curious, peculiar, odd, strange, bizarre, weird, one of a kind; distinguished, notable, noteworthy: They have a special way of communicating with each other. I bought something very special for your birthday. A special relationship sprang up between us. 2 significant, important, momentous, earth-shaking, memorable, red-letter; gala, festive, celebratory: The fifth of September is a special day in our family. 3 pointed, concerted, deliberate, particular, extra, determined: After I had made a special effort to get there, nobody was home. 4 exclusive, express, individual, extra: Send the packet by special messenger. 5 dear, intimate, particular, good, close, bosom, staunch, loyal, faithful, devoted, steadfast; dearest, best, closest; esteemed, valued: I wasn''t aware that John Spencer was a special friend of yours. 6 prime, primary, major, prominent, paramount: I shouldn''t attach any special importance to her demands. --n. 7 See speciality, 2 below.
specialist | specialist: n. expert, authority, professional, master, connoisseur, maestro, artiste, artist, adept: Pierre Legrand is a specialist in matching antique furniture finishes. Such work requires specialist knowledge.
speciality | speciality: n. 1 expertise, talent, genius, gift, skill, aptitude, trade, craft, accomplishment, ability, strength, forte, strong point, capability, adeptness, art, sphere, field, area, subject, concentration, specialization, m�tier, Chiefly US and Canadian specialty, Colloq bag, thing, cup of tea, baby, claim to fame: Dr Mann''s speciality is tropical diseases. 2 pi�ce de r�sistance, sp�cialit� de la maison, special, Chiefly US and Canadian specialty, US blueplate special: Today''s speciality is calves'' brains au beurre noir.
specially | specially: adv. especially, particularly, custom, expressly, exclusively: I had this suit specially made for me.
specific | specific: adj. 1 definite, precise, exact, particular, explicit, express, unambiguous, definitive, clear-cut, unequivocal, (well-)defined, determined, specified, individual, peculiar, certain, limited, indicated, predetermined, established, spelt or spelled out, delineated, set, distinct, fixed, circumscribed, restricted: Each part has its specific function. 2 Often, specific to. characteristic (of), unique to, individual (to), sui generis, proper (to), typical (of), peculiar to, identified with, personal (to), discrete (to), special (to), associated with: The disease is specific to one area only. Are these problems group-specific?
specification | specification: n. 1 identification, identifying, description, describing, particularization, particularizing, specifying, naming: The police were relying on a specification of the ringleaders by an informer. 2 itemization, itemizing, list, listing, check-list, inventory, list of particulars, detail, enumeration: When can you let me have the specifications for the new building? 3 requirement, qualification, condition, restriction, stipulation, consideration: The specification called for green marble and no substitute.
specify | specify: v. particularize, enumerate, itemize, name, denominate, list, indicate, mention, identify, cite, define, detail, stipulate, spell out, set out or forth, individualize, be specific about, delineate, determine, disambiguate, establish: You must specify the source of each quotation.
specimen | specimen: n. sample, example, instance, exemplar, representative, representation; illustration, case (in point), type, model, pattern: This is a specimen taken from the Pre-Cambrian strata. Using this as a specimen, can you reproduce the entire fabric?
specious | specious: adj. deceptive, superficial, casuistic, ostensible, misleading, apparent, seeming, fallacious, sophistic(al), plausible, likely, conceivable, possible, supposed, purported, presumed, presumable, alleged, so-called: The candidate affected a specious show of liberality merely to attract votes. Do not be misled by specious reasoning.
speck | speck: n. spot, dot, fleck, mote, speckle, mark, bit, particle; crumb, iota, jot (or tittle), whit, atom, molecule, touch, hint, suggestion, suspicion, tinge, modicum, amount, grain, smidgen or smidgin: There''s a speck of soot on your collar. Is there a speck of truth in what she says about you?
speckled | speckled: adj. spotted, mottled, dotted, sprinkled, flecked, stippled, dapple(d), freckled, brindle(d); discoloured, spattered, bespattered: I can see by looking at it that it''s a speckled trout.
spectacle | spectacle: n. 1 show, display, sight, performance, event, presentation, exhibition, exhibit, exposition, demonstration, extravaganza, marvel, wonder, sensation: Instead of criticizing everything in life, why not just sit back and enjoy the spectacle? 2 fool, laughing-stock, curiosity: Joan makes a spectacle of herself by her solo dancing when she gets a little tipsy. 3 spectacles. eyeglasses, glasses, Colloq specs: He wears spectacles only for reading.
spectator | spectator: n. witness, eyewitness, observer, viewer, onlooker, looker-on, watcher, beholder: There were more spectators than participants at the spring dance.
spectral | spectral: adj. ghostly, ghostlike, phantom, eerie, wraithlike, incorporeal, unearthly, supernatural, weird, Colloq spooky: I could have sworn there was a spectral figure, dressed in white, standing near the window.
spectre | spectre: n. 1 ghost, phantom, wraith, apparition, vision, spirit, shade, revenant, Doppelg�nger, chimera, Colloq spook, bogeyman or bogyman: Each year the spectre appeared to her on Christmas Eve. 2 image, vision, (mental) picture: Again the horrible spectre of war and pestilence arose.
speculate | speculate: v. 1 Often, speculate on or upon or about or over. reflect (on or about or over), consider, muse (on or about or over), meditate (on or over or about), contemplate (on or about), cogitate (on or about), think (about or over or on), ponder (over or about), mull over, chew on or over, ruminate (on or over or about), wonder (about), deliberate (over or on or about), weigh, judge, evaluate, theorize (on or about), conjecture (on or about), postulate, hypothesize: I have been speculating about whether I should take a holiday in the Algarve. Why not go and enjoy yourself instead of speculating on the world''s injustices? 2 gamble, wager, take a chance, Colloq have a flutter, play the market, take a plunge: She is too conservative to speculate in the stock market.
speculation | speculation: n. 1 conjecture, guess, hypothesis, theory, guesswork, postulation, surmise, supposition, opinion: My speculations have often proved true. Both the steady-state and the big-bang theories of the origins of the universe are pure speculation. 2 thinking, rumination, cogitation, reflection, meditation, contemplation, consideration, cerebration, pondering, wondering, deliberation, evaluation: All serious philosophers engage in idle speculation. 3 gambling, gamble, wagering, wager, taking (a) chance(s) or risk(s), chance-taking: Her speculation on the market paid off handsomely.
speculative | speculative: adj. 1 intellectual, ideational, abstract, cogitative, notional, theoretical, hypothetical, conjectural, suppositional, supposititious or suppositious, suppositive, rational, ratiocinative, ideal, idealized, idealistic, unrealistic, unpractical, impractical, analytical: Frank''s theories about climate change were entirely speculative and substantially wrong. 2 risky, hazardous, uncertain, unreliable, untrustworthy, doubtful, dubious, untested, unproven, unproved, Colloq iffy, chancy, Slang dicey: You ought to invest your money in less speculative enterprises.
speech | speech: n. 1 speaking, talking, articulation, diction, language, expression, enunciation, elocution, speech pattern; communication: His speech is marred by a lisp. Martha studied speech at a well-known drama school. 2 oration, address, lecture, talk, discourse, disquisition, sermon, homily; tirade, harangue, philippic; (sales) pitch, line, song and dance; Colloq spiel, blast: Her speech left her audience awed with her knowledge of the subject. When the householder opens the door, you launch into your speech about the encyclopedia. 3 dialect, idiolect, jargon, parlance, idiom, fa�on de parler, language, tongue, Colloq lingo: English speech varieties range from Scots to Cockney to Texan to Jamaican.
speechless | speechless: adj. 1 mute, dumb, voiceless: He was speechless and in shock for two days following the accident. They claim to speak for animals who are, of course, speechless themselves. 2 dumbfounded or dumfounded, dumbstruck or dumbstricken, wordless, struck dumb, tongue-tied, thunderstruck, shocked, dazed, inarticulate, paralysed, nonplussed, Slang Brit gobsmacked: He was speechless with fury to find his car missing.
speed | speed: n. 1 rapidity, fleetness, quickness, speediness, swiftness, velocity, dispatch or despatch, hurry, hurriedness, haste, hastiness, celerity, alacrity, expeditiousness, expedition, briskness, promptness, timeliness; suddenness, precipitateness, precipitousness, abruptness: We reached a speed of Mach 2. What is the speed of your new computer? The speed of her reactions will be recorded during the experiment. --v. 2 Often, speed up. accelerate, move, expedite, forward, advance, facilitate, boost, further, promote, help, assist, aid, Colloq give a leg up: He vowed to do anything he could to speed the troops'' return from the battlefield. 3 hasten, make haste, hurry, rush, charge, dart, bolt, shoot, run, race, sprint, fly, streak, scurry, tear, hustle, scramble, scamper, career, bowl along, go or fly like the wind, Colloq go hell for leather, go like a bat out of hell, belt along, step on it, put one''s foot down, zip, zoom, skedaddle, go like a shot, US hightail it, step on the gas, go like greased lightning, make tracks, Slang US burn rubber: Where the road is straight, cars speed along at up to 120 miles per hour.
speedy | speedy: adj. 1 quick, rapid, swift, brisk, expeditious, fast, immediate, prompt: What happened to the form of justice under which the accused were guaranteed a speedy trial? 2 hasty, precipitate, precipitous, hurried, summary: Some of the townspeople favoured the wrong kind of speedy justice - by lynching. 3 fleet, nimble, wing-footed, winged, fast, quick, rapid, swift: Carol is one of the speediest sprinters on our team.
spell� | spell�: n. 1 period, interval, time, term, season; stint, turn, run, course, shift, tour (of duty), watch, round: We had a spell of bad weather. Each of us had a spell at the tiller during the crossing. --v. 2 relieve, replace, substitute for, take over for or from: After 36 hours of uninterrupted duty, I needed someone to spell me for a while.
spell� | spell�: n. 1 enchantment, allure, charm, magic, witchcraft, witchery, fascination, captivation, enthralment: She had them all under her spell. 2 incantation, formula, charm: The priest uttered some spell and I found myself unable to move. 3 attraction, lure, allure, appeal, draw, pull, magnetism, fascination, influence, mesmerism, hypnotic effect: We were drawn ever onward by the spell of the jungle.
spell� | spell�: v. 1 augur, portend, presage, promise, hold promise of, signify, point to, indicate, omen, bode, look like, amount to, mean: Harry''s conviction will spell the end of his career as a bank robber. 2 spell out. specify, delineate, make clear or plain or explicit, clarify, elucidate: She despises you - I can''t spell it out for you more plainly than that.
spellbinding | spellbinding: adj. fascinating, enchanting, enthralling, captivating, enrapturing, bewitching, mesmerizing, charming, overpowering: The preacher put on one of his most spellbinding performances.
spend | spend: v. 1 pay out, disburse, expend, lay out, Colloq fork out, dish out, shell out, Brit splash out: That man spends more for a suit than you earn in a year. 2 squander, throw away, fritter away, waste, go through, splurge, lavish, dissipate: He spends money as if it''s going out of style. 3 devote, allot, assign, invest, put in, pass: If you don''t spend more time with the children they''ll forget they have a father.
spendthrift | spendthrift: n. 1 profligate, wastrel, (big) spender, squanderer, prodigal: Because her nephew is such a spendthrift, she put his inheritance in a trust fund. --adj. 2 wasteful, free-spending, prodigal, profligate, squandering, extravagant, improvident: The chancellor''s spendthrift budget will increase inflation.
spent | spent: adj. 1 drained, exhausted, prostrate, tired, fatigued, fagged out, weary, wearied, worn out, Colloq (dead) beat, done in, done for, all in, dog-tired, played out, burnt- or burned-out, used up, Brit knackered, done up, US pooped: He was totally spent after sitting in the airport all night during the storm. 2 exhausted, used up, emptied, gone, expended, finished, fini, consumed, depleted: At 70, he was wrong to feel that his life was spent.
spew | spew: v. Often, spew forth or out or up. belch (up or out or forth), vomit (up or forth), regurgitate, spit up or out, spout, discharge, emit, eject, send forth, spurt, gush, throw up or out, disgorge, Slang puke: The volcano spewed forth lava for six days and nights.
sphere | sphere: n. 1 globe, orb, globule, spherule; drop, droplet, bubble: Flotation is provided by thousands of hollow plastic spheres. 2 society, class, level, caste, rank, domain, walk of life, station, stratum, position: They did not belong to the same social sphere. 3 area, field, province, subject, discipline, range, speciality or US specialty, forte, Colloq bailiwick, territory, department, thing, bag: Are Gregorian chants within Stanley''s sphere of interest?
spherical | spherical: adj. spheric, globular, round, ball-shaped, ball-like, globelike, globe-shaped, globose or globous, globoid, globate(d), spheroid(al): They chose simple, spherical lampshades for the sitting-room.
spice | spice: n. 1 condiment, relish, seasoning, flavour(ing); herb: Much of the purpose of early explorers was to search for spices. 2 zest, spiciness, piquancy, tang, pungency, bite, sharpness, poignancy, gusto, excitement, seasoning, dash, �lan, colour, life, vigour, interest, stimulation, stimulant, spirit, Colloq vim, zip, pep, kick, pizazz, punch, ginger, pepper: A holiday in the Bahamas will add a little spice to our lives. --v. 3 season, flavour: Highly spiced food does not agree with many people. 4 Often, spice up. enliven, inspirit, stimulate, invigorate: The proprietor felt that the new editor should try to spice up the magazine.
spicy | spicy: adj. 1 zesty, zestful, piquant, tangy, (well-)spiced, (well-)seasoned, hot, peppery, sharp, pungent, snappy, biting, full-bodied, aromatic, savoury, flavoursome, flavourful: This curry is a little too spicy for my taste. 2 off colour, indelicate, suggestive, risqu�, improper, indecent, indecorous, ribald, racy, bawdy, unseemly, offensive, titillating, sexy, Colloq hot: This magazine often publishes spicy nude photos. 3 scandalous, sensational, outrageous, notorious, revealing, revelatory, intimate: She likes to read about the spicy goings-on in Hollywood.
spike | spike: n. 1 skewer, stake, prong, treenail, nail, peg, picket, pin, pike, spine: To subdue a vampire, drive a wooden spike through its heart. --v. 2 impale, stab, stick, spear, pierce, spit, lance: He was spiked through the thigh by a bayonet. 3 disable, thwart, nullify, disarm, block, frustrate, foil, void, balk, check, cancel, annul: Our plans for the picnic were spiked by the weather. 4 strengthen; drug, poison, Slang slip in a Mickey (Finn): I passed out because my drink was spiked.
spill | spill: v. 1 pour (out or over), overflow, slop or run or brim over: The milk spilt all over the floor. 2 waste, throw out, lose: Don''t cry over spilt milk. 3 spill the beans. reveal or tell or disclose or divulge all or everything, blab, tattle, let the cat out of the bag, confess, Slang squeal, be a stool-pigeon or stoolie, spill one''s guts, sing (like a canary), Brit blow the gaff: Finnegan spilled the beans to the cops. --n. 4 outpouring, flood, leak, leakage: Don''t tell me there''s been another oil spill! 5 fall, tumble, accident, Colloq cropper, header: Crutchley had a nasty spill at the third fence in the Grand National.
spin | spin: v. 1 revolve, turn, rotate, gyrate, twirl, whirl, twist, reel, pirouette, pivot: The car spun out of control on the ice. Fred spun Ginger around the dance floor. 2 invent, concoct, make up, devise, produce, fabricate; weave, relate, retail, recount, narrate, tell, unfold: Each night, father would spin a new chapter in the yarn of the vagabond princess. 3 be dizzy, suffer vertigo, swim, whirl, be giddy: My head was spinning from so much attention by the media. 4 spin off. separate, derive: The manufacturer spun off two new companies specializing in parts and service. 5 spin out. prolong, protract, drag or draw out, stretch out, perpetuate, continue, extend, keep alive, keep going: The case was spun out for years in the courts. --n. 6 whirl, whirling, twirl, twirling, turn, turning, gyration, reel, pirouette, revolution, revolving, rotation, rotating: He puts a spin on the ball when he throws it. Is the spin of all planets in the same direction? 7 drive, whirl, joyride, ride, tour, excursion, outing, jaunt: On Sunday afternoons we sometimes went for a spin in the car.
spine | spine: n. 1 backbone, spinal column, vertebrae: He can''t stand up straight - he has curvature of the spine. 2 thorn, needle, barb, spike, spur, prong, quill, ray, barbel, bristle, prickle, Technical barbule, spicule or spiculum or spicula: The surface of the sea urchin is covered with needle-like spines.
spineless | spineless: adj. 1 Technical invertebrate: There are more species of spineless creatures than those with internal backbones. 2 weak, feeble, flabby, irresolute, weak-willed, indecisive, ineffectual, ineffective, impotent, powerless: After her reign, any king would appear spineless. 3 cowardly, dastardly, pusillanimous, timorous, lily-livered, white-livered, craven, fearful, timid, spiritless, squeamish, Colloq yellow, chicken-hearted, chicken, yellow-bellied, wimpish: She said you were spineless because you refused to go into the lions'' cage.
spiral | spiral: n. 1 helix, coil, corkscrew, screw, scroll; whorl, volute, turn, curl: In earlier Greek motifs, the spiral is commoner than the rectangular fret. --adj. 2 helical, coiled, screw, corkscrew, cochlear or cochleate; scrolled, volute(d), whorled: A spiral staircase is attractive and space-saving, but hard to use.
spire | spire: n. 1 column, tower, belfry; steeple, fl�che: The spire of the church was repeatedly struck by lightning that night. 2 top, pinnacle, apex, peak, summit, acme, tip, crest, crown, vertex: We climbed till we stood on the highest spire above the valley.
spirit | spirit: n. 1 anima, breath, life, vitality, vital spirit, pneuma, soul, consciousness, psyche, self, heart, essence: Though past eighty, Mr Wilkins has a great deal of spirit. Even though she is gone, Annabel''s spirit is still with us. 2 character, temperament, temper, persona, disposition, mind, will, will-power, attitude, bent, inclination, energy, ardour, desire, impetus, drive, urge, eagerness, zest, zeal, zealousness, fire, passion(s), enthusiasm, motivation, mettle, resolution, resolve, intention, enterprise: We have always admired the spirit of the early pioneers. Bill has shown a lot of the right spirit. 3 zest, pungency, piquancy, warmth, fire, animation, life, liveliness, vivacity, vivaciousness, panache, �lan, dash, spice, Colloq sauce, pepper: He needs to put more spirit into his sales presentation. 4 See spectre, 1, above. 5 bravery, courage, grit, backbone, valour, pluck, daring, stout-heartedness, manfulness, manliness, gameness, resoluteness, will, will-power, Colloq vim, spunk, get-up-and-go, (right) stuff, guts, US sand: Johnston has the spirit to be a marine. 6 meaning, sense, tenor, signification, purport, intent, intention, purpose, aim, implication, message, essence, quintessence, core, heart, meat, pith, substance, marrow: The spirit of the agreement is different from the way the lawyers worded the contract. Is it in keeping with the spirit of the law? 7 attitude, principle, thought, idea, inspiration, notion, feeling, inclination, impulse: Christmas is associated with the spirit of giving. 8 Often, spirits. temper, mood, sentiments, feelings, cheer, humour, frame of mind; morale: I hope he took my criticism in good spirit. You seem to be in pretty good spirits today. My spirits are quite low. 9 spirits. a feelings, mood, temper, sentiments; morale, esprit de corps, team spirit: Spirits were high at the annual boat races. b alcohol, liquor, whisky, strong drink, Colloq booze, fire-water, Slang chiefly US and Canadian hooch or hootch: It is illegal to sell spirits to minors. --v. 10 spirit away or off. abduct, make off or away with, carry off, transport, take away, kidnap, steal (off or away with), whisk away, abscond with; make disappear: A thief spirited away a painting from the exhibition. She was spirited away by a band of elves.
spirited | spirited: adj. lively, sprightly, energetic, vigorous, animated, sparkling, dynamic, buoyant, effervescent, vivacious, ardent, mettlesome: The horse I chose was a bit too spirited. The barrister presented a spirited defence for his client. The 1970s saw spirited revivals of art nouveau and art deco styles.
spiritual | spiritual: adj. 1 sacred, ecclesiastic(al), churchly, clerical, priestly, devotional, holy, divine, sacerdotal, religious, non-secular: Father Craig was in charge of the spiritual aspects of our lives. 2 non-material, incorporeal, psychic(al), mental, psychological, inner: Spiritual needs are less easily satisfied than physical needs.
spit | spit: v. 1 expectorate; dribble, salivate, drool, slaver, sputter, splutter; discharge, spew (forth), eject: Spitting is forbidden. Don''t you hate people who spit when they talk? The volcano spat huge boulders into the sky. 2 spitting image or spit and image. twin, duplicate, clone, image, counterpart, likeness, copy: She is the spitting image of her mother. --n. 3 spittle, saliva, drool, Technical sputum: A large gobbet of spit clung to his beard.
spite | spite: n. 1 spitefulness, maliciousness, malice, malevolence, malignity, ill will, venom, spleen, rancour, animosity, gall (and wormwood), resentment, bitterness, hostility, antagonism, hatred, hate, Colloq bitchiness: Just out of spite, Marian saw to it that he didn''t get the job. 2 in spite of. despite, notwithstanding, regardless of, ignoring, in defiance of: In spite of his efforts to be helpful, she despises him. --v. 3 annoy, irritate, vex, upset, disconcert, offend, provoke, discomfit, pique, put out, hurt, injure, wound, Colloq peeve, get under (someone''s) skin, needle, US do a number on: He would cut off his nose to spite his face. He told her he was happy only to spite her for having divorced him.
spiteful | spiteful: adj. rancorous, bitter, acrimonious, malevolent, malicious, venomous, hateful, invidious, hostile, antagonistic, unfriendly, unforgiving, retaliative or retaliatory, punitive, retributive or retributory: Cutting off Colin''s allowance because he forgot your birthday was a spiteful thing to do.
splash | splash: v. 1 spatter, bespatter, splatter, shower, spray, sprinkle, besprinkle, Brit splodge or US also splotch; mottle, spot: The painters splashed paint all over the floor. My freshly washed car was soon splashed with mud again. 2 blazon, spread, plaster: Was that your picture splashed across the front page of yesterday''s paper? --n. 3 spatter, spray, splatter, sprinkle, spot, stain, smear, smudge, Brit splodge or US also splotch: There''s a splash of tomato sauce on the tablecloth. 4 impression, show, uproar, ado, brouhaha, sensation, commotion, excitement, US foofaraw, Colloq to-do: After all the advance publicity, he was sure to make a big splash in the theatre.
splendid | splendid: adj. 1 splendorous, magnificent, resplendent, dazzling, gorgeous, showy, dashing, marvellous, spectacular, grand, glorious, lavish, ornate, sumptuous, majestic, brilliant, extraordinary, exceptional, superb, supreme, imposing, impressive, awe-inspiring, awesome, lush, plush, rich, luxurious, Colloq splendiferous, posh, swank(y), ritzy: The mausoleum built by Shah Jehan for his wife was far more splendid than his own palace. 2 impressive, marvellous, brilliant, eminent, prominent, superior, noteworthy, notable, celebrated, illustrious, famous, distinguished, exemplary, remarkable, admirable, conspicuous, outstanding, sublime, striking, extraordinary, successful, admirable, meritorious, creditable: His splendid victory at Waterloo was the climax of his military career. 3 excellent, superior, pre-eminent, fine, marvellous, extraordinary, exceptional, unbelievable, incredible, first-class, unequalled, unsurpassed, fabulous, peerless, matchless, nonpareil, superlative, praiseworthy, laudable, Brit brilliant, Colloq great, colossal, supercolossal, stupendous, fab, fantastic, super, smashing, A1 or A-1 or A-one, tiptop, capital, Brit brill, Slang far-out, way-out, dandy, cool, keen, US solid, out of sight, fantabulous, boss, neat, major: Bill is a splendid dancer.
splendour | splendour: n. 1 magnificence, grandeur, brilliance, display, radiance, resplendence, sumptuousness, stateliness, majesty, panoply, spectacle, show, glory, pomp, gorgeousness, dazzle, refulgence, beauty, splendidness, exquisiteness, luxuriousness, richness, lavishness, luxury, Colloq swankiness, poshness, swank, ritziness: There was nothing to match the splendour of the court of Louis XIV. 2 brilliance, shine, lustre, light, effulgence, brightness, glitter, dazzle, refulgence, luminosity, luminousness, gloss: The splendour of the city''s golden domes was reflected in the setting sun.
splice | splice: v. 1 join, unite, marry, bind, conjoin; knit, entwine, intertwine, braid, plait, twist, interlace: After the two rope ends are spliced together, they should be seized with marline. --n. 2 joining, union, splicing, joint, connection or Brit connexion, tie, bond, binding, fastening, linking, linkage: A proper splice will probably be stronger than the single cable.
splinter | splinter: n. 1 sliver, fragment, piece; scrap, shard, shred, chip: A splinter of glass is stuck in my finger. --v. 2 shatter, break, fragment, split, disintegrate, smash to smithereens: The lamp hit the floor and splintered into a million pieces.
split | split: v. 1 Often, split up or apart. divide, separate, cleave, cut or chop apart, cut or chop in two, pull or tear apart, rend, break or snap apart or in two, break up, come apart, rupture, partition, detach, become detached; bisect, dichotomize: He split the log with one blow of his axe. The ship split apart on the reef. The party may split on the tax issue. 2 Often, split up. divorce, separate, go separate ways, break up, part company: After 30 years, the Hitchcocks have decided to split up. 3 Often, split up. branch, fork, diverge, separate: The road splits to pass round the pond. 4 Often, split up. divide (up), apportion, deal out, dole out, distribute, allot, share or parcel out, carve up: Why don''t we split the dinner bill five ways? 5 burst, crack or break up, fall apart or about, Slang bust: I laughed so much I thought I''d split! 6 leave, depart, go, Slang take a (run-out) powder, take it on the lam, beat it, scram, skedaddle: When they heard the sirens of the police cars, they split. --n. 7 crack, cleft, fissure, chink, cranny, slit, slot, crevice, groove, furrow, channel, sulcus; gap, hiatus, lacuna, opening, separation, division, chasm; rift, break, rupture, fracture; slash, gash, tear, rip, rent: The edges of the tectonic plates mark splits in the earth''s crust. Pressure caused the splits in these plaster columns. I had to borrow a tablecloth to cover up the split in my trousers. 8 division, dichotomy, schism, breach, rupture, partition, disunion, discord; break, separation: Don''t you think that the issue will cause a split within the party? --adj. 9 divided, separated; halved, bisected, cleft; cut, broken, fractured: The result was a split vote along party lines. Their first containers were of split bamboo.
splurge | splurge: n. 1 display, show, ostentatiousness, extravagance, indulgence, access, splash, burst, outburst, spree: In his final splurge he bet everything on the number 14. --v. 2 Often, splurge on. squander or dissipate or waste or burn (up) or throw away money (on), show off or flaunt one''s money, Slang blow everything (on): Victor splurged on toys for the children.
spoil | spoil: v. 1 ruin, destroy, wreck, queer, mess up, upset, demolish, harm, damage, Colloq kill: You really spoiled everything by telling Mum about my pet frog. Spare the rod and spoil the child. 2 damage, mar, injure, harm, deface, disfigure, scar, blemish: The painting was spoiled by some fanatic who slashed it. 3 baby, mollycoddle, coddle, indulge, pamper, dote on, spoonfeed, Rare cocker: Barbara really spoils her family terribly by indulging their every whim. 4 turn, go off or bad, curdle, moulder, decay, decompose, become addle(d), rot, putrefy, mildew: The milk will spoil if not refrigerated. 5 be spoiling for. itch (for or after), yearn (for), be eager (for), be keen (for), look for, be bent on, be desirous of, crave, be after: If you give Tom a drink he''ll be spoiling for a fight. Oh, I thought he was always spoiling for a fight. --n. 6 spoils. loot, booty, plunder, pillage, prizes, pickings, Slang swag, take, goods, boodle: The Nazis took the paintings as spoils of war.
spoilsport | spoilsport: n. killjoy, damper, dog in the manger, Colloq wet blanket, US party pooper: Some spoilsport tipped off Jane about her surprise birthday party.
spoken | spoken: adj. 1 oral, vocal, verbal, viva voce: My spoken commentary was recorded for later broadcast. He has an excellent command of spoken French. 2 spoken for. See speak, 13, above.
sponsor | sponsor: n. 1 backer, supporter, promoter, angel, patron, Maecenas, subsidizer: Make a contribution and we will list you as a sponsor of the games. 2 (radio or television) advertiser: The American broadcasting catch-phrase ''A word from our sponsor'' is not to be taken literally. --v. 3 back, support, promote, fund, patronize, subsidize, finance, underwrite: Hughes agreed to sponsor a campaign to clean up the environment.
spontaneous | spontaneous: adj. 1 unannounced, unpremeditated, unplanned, impromptu, extemporaneous, extempore, unprepared, unrehearsed, offhand, ad lib, spur-of-the-moment, Colloq off the cuff: Miss Malkin''s spontaneous speech could not have been better had it been written out. 2 natural, unforced, unbidden, instinctive, instinctual, unconscious, reflex, automatic, mechanical, immediate, offhand, unguarded, unthinking, unwitting, involuntary, impetuous, impulsive, Slang knee-jerk: How could you doubt the sincerity of such an outburst of spontaneous affection? My spontaneous reaction is to beg you not to take up sky-diving.
sporadic | sporadic: adj. occasional, intermittent, random, irregular, uneven, erratic, chance, unexpected; spasmodic(al), fitful, periodic(al): There has been sporadic unrest in that area of the city.
sport | sport: n. 1 recreation, diversion, pastime, amusement, entertainment, play, distraction, relaxation, divertissement, pleasure, enjoyment, fun: I fish for sport, not to earn a living. 2 jest, humour, fun, mockery: They often call him rude names, but only in sport. 3 make sport of. tease, deride, make a laughing-stock (of), (hold up to) ridicule, make a fool of: She doesn''t like it when you make sport of her husband. --v. 4 frolic, gambol, cavort, romp, caper, play, frisk, lark, rollick, skip about: These octogenarians are sporting about like young foals. 5 show off, exhibit, flaunt, display, wear: Keith arrived, sporting the latest in Italian footwear.
sportive | sportive: adj. frisky, gambolling, cavorting, frolicking, romping, capering, rollicking, sprightly, coltish, spirited, frolicsome, buoyant, gamesome, gay, kittenish, merry, playful, gleeful, light-hearted, blithe, prankish, waggish: He watched a sportive group of children playing hide-and-seek.
sportsmanship | sportsmanship: n. fair play, sportsmanliness, fairness, honourableness, honesty, honour, probity, scrupulousness, integrity, uprightness, justice, justness: Good sportsmanship requires that the loser congratulate the winner.
sporty | sporty: adj. informal, casual; stylish, chic, smart, trendy, fashionable, modish, � la mode, up to date, showy, rakish, Colloq swank(y), loud, Slang classy, swell, flashy, snazzy, sharp, US and Canadian spiffy: He came to dinner wearing sporty clothes. Yes, I suppose you might call Fred a sporty dresser.
spot | spot: n. 1 mark, patch, speck, blot, blotch, blemish, speckle, fleck, particle, mote, macula, smudge, stain, stigma, discoloration, Brit splodge or US also splotch: There''s a spot of ink on your shirt. 2 site, place, locale, location, locality, scene, setting, section, area, neighbourhood, quarter: The Coopers picked out a lovely spot to build their new house. 3 morsel, bit, bite, Colloq smidgen or smidgin: Let''s stop in here for a spot of tea. 4 predicament, situation, quandary, mess: John said he was in a bit of a spot, and needed to borrow �20 until the end of the week. 5 spots. eruptions, pimples, acne, pustules, blackheads, comedos or comedones, whiteheads; boils, blains, wens; pock-marks; Old-fashioned US and Canadian hickeys: Teenagers often get spots. --v. 6 see, catch sight of, glimpse, discern, identify, pick out, distinguish, single out, detect, sight, recognize, make out, descry: I think I spotted Molly in the crowd. 7 mark, stain, fleck, speckle, spray, splash, spatter, bespatter, sully, soil, dirty, taint, besmirch, smudge: The car''s shiny new paintwork was spotted with mud.
spotless | spotless: adj. 1 immaculate, clean, gleaming, shiny, polished, unspotted, spick and span: The floor is so spotless you could eat off it. 2 pure, unsullied, unassailable, flawless, faultless, untarnished, blameless, irreproachable: Samantha has a spotless reputation.
spotlight | spotlight: n. 1 arc light, searchlight, US pin spotlight, Colloq US (pin) spot: I couldn''t see the audience with the spotlight shining in my eyes. 2 focus (of attention), limelight, public eye: How does it feel to have been in the spotlight most of your life, Miss Hallward? --v. 3 light (up), illuminate, focus (light) upon or on, shine or shed or throw or cast light upon or on, emphasize, highlight, draw attention to, feature, give prominence to, stress, accentuate, accent, point up, underscore, underline, point up: The students held a sit-in to spotlight the cuts in their grants.
spotty | spotty: adj. 1 spotted, dotted, speckled, freckled, flecked, blotched, blotchy, stained, marked, pied, piebald, brindle(d), skewbald, mottled, motley, dapple(d), macular, foxed; soiled, dirty; Brit splodgy, splodged or US also splotchy, splotched: Pages of some old books are spotty with brown stains. 2 pimply, pimpled, blotched, blotchy, acned, pock-marked, pocky, bad, Scots plouky or plooky: Ian used to have a spotty complexion, but it''s clear now. 3 patchy, irregular, uneven, erratic, sporadic, capricious, fitful: Radio reception in our area is spotty during electrical storms.
spout | spout: v. 1 discharge, emit, squirt, spurt, jet, shoot, gush, erupt, spew (up or out or forth), spit, eject, disgorge, vomit (up or forth), pour (out or forth), flow, stream: Steam spouts from many vents in Iceland. The water came spouting out of the hose and drenched me. 2 ramble on, rant, rave, carry on, pontificate, orate, declaim, hold forth, maunder (on), witter on, hold forth, expatiate, speechify, talk, Colloq go on, Brit rabbit on: Harry, as usual, was spouting about his golf handicap. --n. 3 waterspout, gargoyle, downspout, duct, drain, outlet, conduit: The rainwater drains into the gutters, then into the spouts. 4 up the spout. gone, lost, destroyed, beyond hope or recovery, to be written off or abandoned: Our dream of finding the treasure was now up the spout.
sprawl | sprawl: v. 1 spread (out), stretch (out), straddle, ramble, meander, wander, straggle, branch out: Greater Los Angeles sprawls over a huge area of some 450 square miles. 2 spread out, stretch out, loll, lounge, slouch, slump, recline, lie about or around: A dozen guests were sprawled on blankets at the beach party. --n. 3 spread, stretch, expansion, extension: Some suburbs of large cities have been swallowed up in urban sprawl.
spray� | spray�: v. 1 sprinkle, spatter, scatter, shower, disperse, diffuse, atomize, spread: Try to spray the insecticide evenly over the plants. --n. 2 shower, sprinkling, drizzle, mist, sprinkle, spindrift or spoondrift: The strong wind carried the spray from the whitecaps right up into the streets of the town. 3 atomizer, sprayer, sprinkler, vaporizer, aerosol: Richard bought me a cologne spray for Mother''s Day.
spray� | spray�: n. flower or floral arrangement, nosegay, posy, bouquet, sprig, branch, bough: The scores of tiny roses were interspersed with sprays of baby''s-breath.
spread | spread: v. 1 Often, spread out. diffuse, distribute, disperse, disseminate, broadcast, sow, scatter, strew, shed, dispel, dissipate: Spread the mulch as evenly as possible to a depth of several inches. 2 Often, spread about or around. broadcast, publicize, make known, bruit about, air, televise, circulate, publish, distribute, disseminate, trumpet, announce, pronounce, promulgate, advertise, enounce, make public, tell the world, herald, repeat, recite: Start spreading the news: I''m leaving today. 3 Often, spread out. unfold, draw out, display, stretch out, open out, extend, lay out, fan out, unroll, unfurl: Please spread the cloth on the table. 4 Often, spread out. stretch (out), extend, protract, prolong, drag out, distribute, disperse: The bank said I could spread the payments over twenty years. 5 Often, spread out. stretch, extend, separate, put apart or out, part: He spread his arms and Lorna rushed into them. 6 grow, develop, increase, broaden, expand, extend, widen, enlarge, mushroom, proliferate, sprawl, branch out; metastasize: To meet the demand for the pies, bakeries began to spread throughout the country. The cancer, unchecked, was bound to spread. 7 smear, apply, smooth, put, rub, cover, layer, plaster, plate, coat, wash, glaze, paint, varnish, overlay, overspread; cloak, mantle, swaddle, wrap, blanket: I was careful to spread the paint evenly, avoiding streaks. When the cake has cooled, spread the chocolate icing over it. --n. 8 spreading, extension, extending, expansion, expanding, enlargement, enlarging, development, developing, increase, increasing, proliferation, proliferating, broadening, growth, widening, mushrooming, dispersion, dispersal, dispersing, dissemination, disseminating, distribution, distributing, dispensation, dispensing: The spread of the disease is uncontrolled. One of the functions of a university is to encourage the spread of knowledge. 9 extent, expanse, area, span, sweep, vastness, stretch, reach, breadth, depth, size, dimensions, compass, limits, bounds, boundary or boundaries: As our craft accelerated past the moon, we were awed by the spread of empty space that lay before us. 10 range, extent, scope, span, difference: There was too much of a spread between the cost and the selling price. 11 feast, banquet, meal, dinner, repast, barbecue; table; Colloq feed: I have never seen a spread like the one laid on for the returning champions. 12 butter, margarine, jam, jelly, preserve, conserve, confiture, paste, US old-fashioned oleo: What kind of spread do you like on your toast? 13 ranch, landholding, holding, property, place, plantation, farm, homestead, place: His spread in Texas eventually amounted to 10,000 acres. 14 bedspread, counterpane, coverlet, bed-cover, cover, quilt, eiderdown, duvet, afghan, US comforter, US and Canadian throw: Leave the spread off the bed, Carlotta, as I want to take a nap.
spree | spree: n. frolic, romp, lark, outing, escapade, revel, wild party, fling, debauch, orgy, bacchanalia; drinking-bout, carousal, Colloq bender, binge, jag: Bruce has gone off on another of his sprees.
sprightly | sprightly: adj. lively, chipper, spry, vivacious, cheerful, gay, brisk, animated, sportive, active, alert, nimble, agile, energetic, jaunty, perky, playful, spirited: She is quite sprightly for a grandmother of 78.
spring | spring: v. 1 leap, bound, jump, hop, vault, dart, fly, bounce: He sprang to his feet when she came into the room. When Tom came to the stream, he sprang over it. The leprechaun sprang out from behind a tree. 2 arise, appear, grow, come up, rise, come into being or existence, be born, emerge, sprout, shoot up, burst forth: Where the dragon''s teeth were sown, an entire army sprang up. 3 Often, spring up or from. originate, begin, start, evolve; proceed from, stem from, descend from, derive from, come from, develop from: He learned how the practice of scratching the head in perplexity had sprung up. I wondered where the term horse latitudes sprang from. 4 start or begin or experience or cause to occur or appear or happen suddenly or unexpectedly, broach, pop, introduce or divulge or reveal or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly: The canoe sprang a leak and started to sink. He likes to spring trick questions at candidates in an interview. 5 spring for. pay for, treat (someone) to, assume the expense(s) of: If you go to a place I choose, I''ll spring for dinner. --n. 6 leap, bound, jump, hop, vault, bounce, skip: In one spring the cat cleared the garden wall and was off. 7 bounciness, bounce, resiliency, resilience, springiness, buoyancy, elasticity, sprightliness, airiness, flexibility: Despite her age, there''s still a lot of spring in her step. 8 source, fount, fountain-head, well-spring, well, origin, beginning, root: From what secret spring does his understanding arise? 9 springtime, Eastertide, Maytime: At 35, James is still in the spring of life. --adj. 10 vernal: We exulted in the spring sunshine.
sprout | sprout: v. bud, germinate, come up, arise, begin, bloom, blossom, flower: With this warm weather, everything in my garden is beginning to sprout.
spruce | spruce: adj. 1 neat, dapper, smart, trim, well turned out, well-groomed, elegant, Colloq natty: Peter Thornton turned up for dinner looking as spruce as can be. --v. 2 spruce up. tidy (up), neaten (up), primp, clean (up), straighten out or up, smarten (up), titivate or tittivate: Some people are coming to dinner, so first spruce up your room and then spruce yourself up.
spunk | spunk: n. nerve, courage, pluck, spirit, gameness, resolve, resolution, mettle, heart, grit, spunkiness, backbone, marrow, Colloq guts, gumption, Brit bottle, US sand: Frances has shown she has tremendous spunk to have got this far despite her handicap.
spur | spur: n. 1 goad, prod, urging, impulse, incitement, instigation, prompting, pressure, stimulus, stimulation, incentive, provocation, inducement, encouragement, motive, motivation: The company paid the workers a bonus for each piece they completed as a spur to productivity. 2 projection, prong, spike, spine, gaff, barb, quill, tine, barbel, barbule, process: The hook has a spur that prevents the fish from disengaging. 3 on the spur of the moment. impetuously, impulsively, unthinkingly, unpremeditatedly, impromptu, on the spot; rashly, thoughtlessly, recklessly, hastily, brashly, incautiously, unexpectedly, suddenly: On the spur of the moment, we decided to fly to Cap d''Antibes for the weekend. --v. 4 goad, prod, urge, egg on, impel, incite, prompt, press, push, pressure or Brit pressurize, stimulate, drive, provoke, induce, encourage, motivate, excite, animate: The sales force are spurred on by the huge bonuses the company offers.
spurious | spurious: adj. false, counterfeit, sham, fake, fraudulent, bogus, mock, imitation, simulated, unauthentic, ungenuine, forged, feigned, pretended, deceitful, meretricious, contrived, factitious, artificial, ersatz, synthetic, Colloq pseudo, phoney or US also phony: His brother was jailed for peddling spurious Egyptian burial artefacts to archaeologists.
spurn | spurn: v. reject, disdain, scorn, contemn, despise, rebuff, repudiate, refuse, sneer at, snub, brush off, turn down, turn one''s back on or upon, look down on or upon, Colloq cold-shoulder, turn one''s nose up at, sneeze at: Judith spurned her father''s offer of a loan.
spurt | spurt: n. 1 burst, access, effort, outbreak, spell, interval, spate, moment, instant: With a sudden spurt of speed he caught up with me. 2 increase, advance, acceleration, rise, improvement: After a brief spurt in business in January, everything stopped. --v. 3 gush, spew, squirt, jet, shoot, erupt, burst, surge: The minute the plumber left, water began spurting out of the drain again.
spy | spy: n. 1 double agent, foreign agent, secret(-service) agent, intelligence agent, undercover agent, mole, fifth-columnist, CIA man or woman or agent, MI5 or MI6 man or woman or agent; informer, informant, Colloq mole, Slang stool-pigeon, stoolie, fink, ratfink: In those days, everyone was a spy and you could trust no one. --v. 2 Usually, spy on or upon. follow, shadow, trail, watch, observe, reconnoitre, keep under surveillance, US surveil, Colloq tail, check out, case: Why should anyone from a foreign government be spying on my mother? 3 espy, glimpse, spot, catch sight or a glimpse of, descry, note, notice, see, discern: I spied him getting into a yellow convertible.
spying | spying: n. espionage, undercover work, secret service; detection, intelligence, surveillance: Virtually every government engages in spying.
