spartium (tassh)

[Gr. spart i on =a small cord, a kind of broom; Spartium junceum.] Botany: A genus of Cytisee. Shrubs thickly set with brush-like verdant branches, very ornamental, and in summer covered with white or yellow papilionaceous flowers. Spartium junceum is the Spanish broom. In France and Spain a thread made from its fibers is twisted into cordage, or sometimes even woven into cloth. It is used also as a green food. Its flowers are very attractive to bees. S. mono spermum, which has snow-white flowers, grows on sand dunes in Spain, Barbary, Arabia, ., binding them together. Its twigs are used for tying bun dles, and as a food for goats. *spär-, *spar-ie, a. [Eng. spar (e); -y.] Sparing, parsimonious. spăşm, *spas me, s . [Fr. spas me the cramp, from Lat. spasmum , acc us. of spasm us, Gr. spasmos =a spasm, a convulsion, from spao =to draw, to pluck; Sp. espasmo , pasmo ; Ital. spasmo , spasimo .] 1. Pathol.: A violent and involuntary contraction of the muscles. When partial, of considerable duration, and attended by hardne of the muscles, but not by unconsciousne , they are called Tonic spasms or Spastic contractions; when there are rapidly alternating contractions and relaxations they are Clonic spasms. They may affect the bronchi i, the glottis, the bladder, . Nearly the same as Convulsion. "It cureth those who have their necks drawne backward to their shoulders with the spas me." -P. Holland : Pliny, ok. xx., ch. v. spăş modical, a. [Eng. spasmodic; -al.] Pertaining or relating to spasm; spasmodic. spăş-mod-ic-al-ly, adv. [Eng. spasmodical; -ly.] In a spasmodic manner. *spăş-mo dist, s. [ Eng.spasmod ( ic ); -ist .] One of the spasmodic school. ( Poe .) spăş-mol-ô-ģỹ, subst. [Gr. spasmos =a spasm, and logos a word, a discourse.) The doctrine of spasms. spăstic, adj. [Gr. spastikos.] Pertaining or relating to spasm; spasmodic.