Spyridia (spiridia)

[NL. (Harvey), Spy Wednesdayt. The Wednesday immediately preceding Easter: so called in allusion to the preparations made by Judas Iscariot on that day to betray Christ. sq. An abbreviation of square: as, sq. ft. (that is, square foot or feet); sq. m. (square mile or miles). II. in trans. 1. To search narrowly; scrutisquat, n. An old spelling of squaw . nize; pry. It is my nature's plague To spy into abuses. Shak ., Othello, iii. 8. 147. 2. To play the spy; exercise surveillance. This evening I will spy upon the bishop, and give you Donne, Letters, lxxvii. an account to-morrow morning of his disposition. small explosions; emit small particles, as of grease, soot, etc., with some crackling or noise. They could neither of 'em speak for Rage; and so fell a sputt'ring at one another like two roasting Apples. Congreve, Way of the World, iv. 8. Like the green wood, That, sputtering in the flame, works outward into tears. Dryden, Cleomenes, i. 1. 2. To speak so rapidly and vehemently as to seem to spit out the words, as in excitement or anger. The soul, which to a reptile had been changed, Along the valley hi ing takes to flight, And after him the other speaking sputters . Long fellow , tr. of Dante's Inferno, xxv. 138. II. trans. 1. To emit forcibly in small or a spy; from the verb: see spy, v. Cf. spion.] 1. A person who keeps a constant watch on the actions, motions, conduct, etc., of others; one who secretly watches what is going on. This sour informer, this bate-breeding spy . Shak ., Venus and Adonis, 1. 655. He told me that he had so good spies that he hath had the keys taken out of De Witt's pocket when he was a-bed, and his closet opened, and papers brought to him, and left in his hands for an hour, and carried back and laid in the place again, and keys put into De Witt's pocket again. Pepys , Diary, IV. 72. IMG:content-1885.png:[blocks in formation] In the midst of care es accusations! to sputter out the basest Swift . On the morowe erly Gawein sente a spie for to se what the saisnes diden that the i hadde lefte at the brigge of Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ii. 290. dione. Edmund Palmer, an officer in the enemy's service, was taken as a spy lurking within our lines; he has been tried as a spy, condemned as a spy, and shall be executed as a spy. Gen. Israel Putnam, To Sir Henry Clinton, Aug. 7, 1777. 3t. The pilot of a ve el. - 4t. An advanced guard; a forerunner. [Rare.] squabl (skwob), v.; pret. and pp. squabbed, ppr. squabbing. [Also in some senses squob; cf. Sw. dial. squapp, a word imitative of a splash (Icel. skvampa, paddle in water), Norw. squapa, tremble, shake, = G. schwapp, a slap, E. swap, strike (see swap, swab, squabble ); akin to Norw. krep pa, shake, slip, shudder, and to E. quap1, quop, quabl.] I in trans. To fall plump; strike heavily; flap; flop. They watched the street, and beheld ladies in... short cloaks with hoods squabbing behind (known as cardinals). S. Judd , Margaret, ii. 11. II. trans. To squeeze; knock; beat. Halli well. [Prov. Eng.] squabl (skwob), adv. [An elliptical use of squabl, v.] So as to strike with a crash; with a heavy fall; plump. [Colloq.] The eagle took the tortoise up into the air and dropt him down, squab , upon a rock. Sir R. L'Estrange , Fables. squab2 (skwob), a. and n. [Also squob ; cf. Sw. dial. squabb , loose or fat flesh, squabba , a fat woman, squab big , flabby; connected with the verb squabl . Cf. quab3.] I. a. 1. Fat; short and stout; plump; bulky. A little squab French page who speaks no English. Wycherley, Country Wife, iv. 3. 2. Short; curt; abrupt. (Rare.] We have returned a squab answer retorting the infraction of treaties. Walpole, To Mann, July 25, 1756. ( Davies.) 3. Unfledged, newly hatched, or not yet having attained the full growth, as a dove or a pigeon. Why must old pigeons, and they stale, be drest, When there's so many squab ones in the nest? W. King , The Old Cheese. Sir W. Davenant , The Just Italian, v. 1 (song). Hence-4. Shy, as from extreme youth; coy. Since knowledge is but sorrow's spy, It is not safe to know. IMG:content-1886.jpg:[blocks in formation] querulous cries for food it becomes a squealer or squeaker, and so continues as long as it is fed by the parents, which is generally until it is fully fledged; but it continues to be called squab as marketable for its flesh. (6) Figuratively, a young and inexperienced person. Brit . I warrant you, is he a trim youth? Mon. We must make him one, Jacke; 'tis such a squab as thou never sawest; such a lumpe, we may make what we will of him. Brome , Sparagus Garden, ii. 2. 2. A short, fat, flabby person: also used figuratively. Gorgon i us sits, abdominous and wan, Like a fat squab upon a Chinese fan. Cowper, Progre of Error, 1. 218. We shall then see how the prudes of this world owed all their fine figure only to their being a little straiter laced, and that they were naturally as arrant squabs as those that went more loose. Pope , To Lady M. W. Montagu, Aug. 18, 1716. 3. (a) A thickly stuffed cushion, especially one for a piece of furniture, as an upholstered chair or sofa, to which it may or may not be attached. Hence-( b ) A sofa in which there is no part of the frame visible, and which is stuffed and caught through with strong thread at regular intervals, but so as to be very soft. Be ie herself lay on a squab, or short sofa, placed under the window. Mrs. Gaskell, North and South, xiii. (c) An ottoman. I have seen a folio writer place himself in an elbow chair, when the author of duodecimo has, out of a just deference to his superior quality, seated himself upon a squab . Add is on, Spectator, No. 529. squab2 (skwob), v. t.; pret. and pp. squabbed, ppr. squabbing. [ placed in the depre ions to hide the stitches. upholstered in this manner is said to be squabbed. squabash (skwa-bash'), v. t. [Appar. an arbitrary formation, or an extension of squab1.] To crush; squash; quash: also used as a noun. [Slang.] His [Gifford's] satire of the Baviad and Mæviad squabashed, at one blow, a set of coxcombs who might have humbugged the world long enough. Scott , Diary, Jan. 17, 1827. ( Lockhart .) squabbish (skwob'ish), a. [ squab2 + -ish1.] Thick; fat; heavy. Diet renders them of a squabbish or lardy habit of body. Harvey. squabble (skwob'l), v.; pret. and pp. squabbled, ppr. squabbling. [ Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble? swagger? Shak., Othello, ii. 3. 279. swear? We should squabble like Brother and Sister. Steele, Tender Husband, i. 1. =Syn. To jangle. See quarrell , n. II. trans. In printing , to disarrange and mix (lines of composed types) when they are standing on their feet. The letters do not range well, giving an irregular or squabbled appearance to the line. Science, VIII. 254. squabble (skwob'l), n. [ skvabbel , a dispute; from the verb.] A wrangle; a dispute; a brawl; a scuffle; a noisy quarrel. Pragmatic fools commonly begin the squabble , and crafty knaves reap the benefit. Sir R. L'Estrange. This contrariety of humours betwixt my father and my uncle was the source of many a fraternal squabble . Sterne, Tristram Shandy, i. 21. =Syn. Brawl , Wrangle, etc. See quarrell . 5873