spading

[SPADE, v.l The act or operation of digging with a spade; the operation of paring off the surface or sward of gra land with a paring-spade, preparatory to turning it, and thus improving the land. spā dix, s. (Lat., from Gr. spadix =a palm-leaf torn off with the inflorescence of the tree.] 1. Bot .: A kind of inflorescence in which unisexual flowers are closely arranged around a fleshy rachis, or imbedded in its substance. The rachis often terminates above in a soft, club-shaped, cellular ma , extending far beyond the flower. The spadix is found only in Aracese and Palms; in the former it is fleshy, in the latter woody. It is uniformly surrounded by a large bract, called a spathe (q. v.). A 2. Zool .: An organ consisting of four tentacles which have coalesced in the males of the Tetrabranchiate Cephalopods. The normal number being twelve.eight remain free. spā-dō, s. [Lat.] *1. A castrated animal; a geld ing. Arum Maculatum. A. Spadix. B B. Spathe. 2. Civil Law : One who, from any cause, has not the power of procreation; an impotent person. spa-droôn', s . [Fr. & Sp. espadon ; Ital. spadone .] A cut-and-thrust sword, lighter than a broadsword. spãe, spay, v. i. ort. [Icel.spd; Dan.spaœ=to foretell.] To foretell, to divine, to forebode. spae-man, spay-man, subst. A fortune-teller, a prophet, a soothsayer. ( Scotch.) spae-wark, subst. Fortune-telling, predicting, prophesying. "To be sure he did gie an awsome glance up at the auld castle and there was some spae - wark gaed on-I aye heard that." -Scott: Guy Manner ing , ch. xi. spae-wife, spay-wife, subst. A female fortune telfer. spā-er, s . [Eng. spa (e); -er.] A fortune-teller. spa-ghetti, s. [Ital.] A species of macaroni made into small tubes or sticks.