speering (sper ing)

[Sc. also speiring; verbal n. of speer1, v.] A question; an inquiry. [Old Eng. and Scotch.] speett, v. An obsolete form of spit1 . speightt, n. [Early mod. E. also speght , specht , spight ; = D. specht , specht , MHG. OHG. speht (MHG. OHG. also spech, > OF. espeche , F. épeiche ), a woodpecker; perhaps akin to L. pic us , a woodpecker (see pie ); otherwise con- nected with OHG. spehon, MHG. spehen, G. spähen , look, spy: see spyl .] A woodpecker. [Prov. Eng.] Eue, walking forth about the For rests, gathers Speights, Parrots, Peacocks, Estrich scattered feathers. Sylvester , tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Handy-Crafts.