Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SPIN'DLE-SHAP-ED, a.

Having the shape of a spindle; fusiform. – Martyn.

SPIN'DLE-TREE, n.

A plant of the genus Euonymus.

SPINE, n. [L. and It. spina; Fr. epine; Sp. espinazo; W. yspin, from pin.]

1. The back bone of an animal. – Coxe.
2. The shin of the leg. – Coxe.
3. A thorn; a sharp process from the woody part of a plant. It differs from a prickle, which proceeds from the bark. A spine sometimes terminates a branch, and sometimes is axillary, growing at the angle formed by the branch or leaf with the stem. The wild apple and pear are armed with spines; the rose, bramble, gooseberry, &c. are armed with prickles. – Martyn.

SPIN'EL, or SPI-NELLE', n. [It. spinella.]

The spinelle ruby, says Haüy, is the true ruby, a gem of a red color, blended with tints of blue or yellow. It is in grains more or less crystalized. – Haüy. Phillips. A subspecies of octahedral corundum. – Jameson.

SPI-NELL'ANE, n.

A mineral occurring in small crystaline masses and in minute crystals. It has been found only near the lake of Laach. – Phillips.

SPI-NES'CENT, a. [from spine.]

Becoming hard and thorny. – Martyn.

SPIN'ET, n.¹ [It. spinetta; Fr. epinette; Sp. espineta.]

An instrument of music resembling a harpsichord, but smaller; a virginal; a clavichord.

SPIN'ET, n.² [L. spinetum.]

A small wood or place where briers and thorns grow. [Not in use.] – B. Jonson.

SPI-NIF'ER-OUS, a. [L. spina, spine, and fero, to bear.]

Producing spines; bearing thorns.

SPINK, n.

A bird; a finch. – Harte.

SPIN'NER, n.

1. One that spins; one skilled in spinning.
2. A spider. – Shak.

SPIN'NER, or SPIN'NER-ET, n.

In entomology, an organ with which insects form their webs.

SPIN'NING, n.

1. The act, practice or art of drawing out and twisting into threads, as wool, flax and cotton.
2. The act or practice of forming webs, as spiders.

SPIN'NING, ppr.

Drawing out and twisting into threads; drawing out; delaying.

SPIN'NING-JEN-NY, n.

An engine or complicated machine for spinning wool or cotton, in the manufacture of cloth.

SPIN'NING-WHEEL, n.

A wheel for spinning wool, cotton or flax into threads. – Gay.

SPIN'O-LET, n.

A small bird of the lark kind. – Dict. Nat. Hist.

SPI-NOS'I-TY, n.

The state of being spiny or thorny; crabbedness. – Manville.

SPI'NOUS, a. [L. spinosus, from spina.]

Full of spines; armed with thorns; thorny. – Martyn.

SPI'NO-ZISM, n.

The doctrines or principles of Spinoza, a native of Amsterdam, consisting in atheism and pantheism, or naturalism and hulotheism, which allows of no God but nature or the universe.

SPI'NO-ZIST, n.

A believer in the doctrines of Spinoza.

SPIN'STER, n. [spin and ster.]

1. A woman who spins, or whose occupation is to spin. Hence,
2. In law, the common title by which a woman without rank or distinction is designated. If a gentlewoman is termed a spinster, she may abate the writ. – Coxe.

SPIN'STRY, n.

The business of spinning. – Milton.

SPIN'THERE, n.

A mineral of a greenish gray color. – Ure.

SPI'NY, a. [from spine.]

1. Full of spines; thorny; as, a spiny tree.
2. Perplexed; difficult; troublesome. – Digby.