5 letter word starting with sp

Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
spaad noun A kind of spar; earth flax, or amianthus.
space noun Extension, considered independently of anything which it may contain; that which makes extended objects conceivable and possible., Place, having more or less extension; room., A quantity or portion of extension; distance from one thing to another; an interval between any two or more objects; as, the space between two stars or two hills; the sound was heard for the space of a mile., Quantity of time; an interval between two points of time; duration; time., A short time; a while., Walk; track; path; course., A small piece of metal cast lower than a face type, so as not to receive the ink in printing, — used to separate words or letters., The distance or interval between words or letters in the lines, or between lines, as in books., One of the intervals, or open places, between the lines of the staff., To walk; to rove; to roam., To arrange or adjust the spaces in or between; as, to space words, lines, or letters.
spade noun A hart or stag three years old., A castrated man or beast., An implement for digging or cutting the ground, consisting usually of an oblong and nearly rectangular blade of iron, with a handle like that of a shovel., One of that suit of cards each of which bears one or more figures resembling a spade., A cutting instrument used in flensing a whale., To dig with a spade; to pare off the sward of, as land, with a spade.
spado noun Same as Spade, 2., An impotent person.
spaed imp. & past participle of Spae
spahi noun Alt. of Spahee
spaid noun See 1st Spade.
spake imp. of Speak., of Speak
spaky adjective Specky.
spale noun A lath; a shaving or chip, as of wood or stone., A strengthening cross timber.
spall noun The shoulder., A chip or fragment, especially a chip of stone as struck off the block by the hammer, having at least one feather-edge., To break into small pieces, as ore, for the purpose of separating from rock., To reduce, as irregular blocks of stone, to an approximately level surface by hammering., To give off spalls, or wedge-shaped chips; — said of stone, as when badly set, with the weight thrown too much on the outer surface.
spalt noun Spelter., Liable to break or split; brittle; as, spalt timber., Heedless; clumsy; pert; saucy., To split off; to cleave off, as chips from a piece of timber, with an ax.
spane verb t. To wean.
spang verb t. To spangle., To spring; to bound; to leap., A bound or spring., A spangle or shining ornament.
spank verb t. To strike, as the breech, with the open hand; to slap., A blow with the open hand; a slap., To move with a quick, lively step between a trot and gallop; to move quickly.
spare adjective To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save., To keep to one’s self; to forbear to impart or give., To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to., To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty., To deprive one’s self of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with., To be frugal; not to be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious., To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance., To desist; to stop; to refrain., Scanty; not abundant or plentiful; as, a spare diet., Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; chary., Being over and above what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous; as, I have no spare time., Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency; as, a spare anchor; a spare bed or room., Lean; wanting flesh; meager; thin; gaunt., Slow., The act of sparing; moderation; restraint., Parsimony; frugal use., An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket., That which has not been used or expended., The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare.
spark noun A small particle of fire or ignited substance which is emitted by a body in combustion., A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle., That which, like a spark, may be kindled into a flame, or into action; a feeble germ; an elementary principle., A brisk, showy, gay man., A lover; a gallant; a beau., To sparkle., To play the spark, beau, or lover.
spary adjective Sparing; parsimonious.
spasm verb t. An involuntary and unnatural contraction of one or more muscles or muscular fibers., A sudden, violent, and temporary effort or emotion; as, a spasm of repentance.
spate noun A river flood; an overflow or inundation.
spawl noun A splinter or fragment, as of wood or stone. See Spall., Scattered or ejected spittle., To scatter spittle from the mouth; to spit, as saliva.
spawn verb t. To produce or deposit (eggs), as fishes or frogs do., To bring forth; to generate; — used in contempt., To deposit eggs, as fish or frogs do., To issue, as offspring; — used contemptuously., The ova, or eggs, of fishes, oysters, and other aquatic animals., Any product or offspring; — used contemptuously., The buds or branches produced from underground stems., The white fibrous matter forming the matrix from which fungi.
spoke imp. of Speak, of Speak, imp. of Speak., The radius or ray of a wheel; one of the small bars which are inserted in the hub, or nave, and which serve to support the rim or felly., A projecting handle of a steering wheel., A rung, or round, of a ladder., A contrivance for fastening the wheel of a vehicle, to prevent it from turning in going down a hill., To furnish with spokes, as a wheel.
speak verb i. To utter words or articulate sounds, as human beings; to express thoughts by words; as, the organs may be so obstructed that a man may not be able to speak., To express opinions; to say; to talk; to converse., To utter a speech, discourse, or harangue; to adress a public assembly formally., To discourse; to make mention; to tell., To give sound; to sound., To convey sentiments, ideas, or intelligence as if by utterance; as, features that speak of self-will., To utter with the mouth; to pronounce; to utter articulately, as human beings., To utter in a word or words; to say; to tell; to declare orally; as, to speak the truth; to speak sense., To declare; to proclaim; to publish; to make known; to exhibit; to express in any way., To talk or converse in; to utter or pronounce, as in conversation; as, to speak Latin., To address; to accost; to speak to.
spear noun A long, pointed weapon, used in war and hunting, by thrusting or throwing; a weapon with a long shaft and a sharp head or blade; a lance., Fig.: A spearman., A sharp-pointed instrument with barbs, used for stabbing fish and other animals., A shoot, as of grass; a spire., The feather of a horse. See Feather, n., 4., The rod to which the bucket, or plunger, of a pump is attached; a pump rod., To pierce with a spear; to kill with a spear; as, to spear a fish., To shoot into a long stem, as some plants. See Spire.
spece noun Species; kind.
speck noun The blubber of whales or other marine mammals; also, the fat of the hippopotamus., A small discolored place in or on anything, or a small place of a color different from that of the main substance; a spot; a stain; a blemish; as, a speck on paper or loth; specks of decay in fruit., A very small thing; a particle; a mite; as, specks of dust; he has not a speck of money., A small etheostomoid fish (Ulocentra stigmaea) common in the Eastern United States., To cause the presence of specks upon or in, especially specks regarded as defects or blemishes; to spot; to speckle; as, paper specked by impurities in the water used in its manufacture.
speed noun Prosperity in an undertaking; favorable issue; success., The act or state of moving swiftly; swiftness; velocity; rapidly; rate of motion; dispatch; as, the speed a horse or a vessel., One who, or that which, causes or promotes speed or success., To go; to fare., To experience in going; to have any condition, good or ill; to fare., To fare well; to have success; to prosper., To make haste; to move with celerity., To be expedient., To cause to be successful, or to prosper; hence, to aid; to favor., To cause to make haste; to dispatch with celerity; to drive at full speed; hence, to hasten; to hurry., To hasten to a conclusion; to expedite., To hurry to destruction; to put an end to; to ruin; to undo., To wish success or god fortune to, in any undertaking, especially in setting out upon a journey.
speer noun A sphere., To ask.
speet verb t. To stab.
speir verb i. To ask. See Spere.
speke verb i. & t. To speak.
spelk noun A small stick or rod used as a spike in thatching; a splinter.
spell noun A spelk, or splinter., To supply the place of for a time; to take the turn of, at work; to relieve; as, to spell the helmsman., The relief of one person by another in any piece of work or watching; also, a turn at work which is carried on by one person or gang relieving another; as, a spell at the pumps; a spell at the masthead., The time during which one person or gang works until relieved; hence, any relatively short period of time, whether a few hours, days, or weeks., One of two or more persons or gangs who work by spells., A gratuitous helping forward of another’s work; as, a logging spell., A story; a tale., A stanza, verse, or phrase supposed to be endowed with magical power; an incantation; hence, any charm., To tell; to relate; to teach., To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm., To constitute; to measure., To tell or name in their proper order letters of, as a word; to write or print in order the letters of, esp. the proper letters; to form, as words, by correct orthography., To discover by characters or marks; to read with difficulty; — usually with out; as, to spell out the sense of an author; to spell out a verse in the Bible., To form words with letters, esp. with the proper letters, either orally or in writing., To study by noting characters; to gain knowledge or learn the meaning of anything, by study.
spelt of Spell, imp. & p. p. of Spell. Spelled., A species of grain (Triticum Spelta) much cultivated for food in Germany and Switzerland; — called also German wheat., Spelter., To split; to break; to spalt.
spent imp. & past participle of Spend, Exhausted; worn out; having lost energy or motive force., Exhausted of spawn or sperm; — said especially of fishes.
spend verb t. To weigh or lay out; to dispose of; to part with; as, to spend money for clothing., To bestow; to employ; — often with on or upon., To consume; to waste; to squander; to exhaust; as, to spend an estate in gaming or other vices., To pass, as time; to suffer to pass away; as, to spend a day idly; to spend winter abroad., To exhaust of force or strength; to waste; to wear away; as, the violence of the waves was spent., To expend money or any other possession; to consume, use, waste, or part with, anything; as, he who gets easily spends freely., To waste or wear away; to be consumed; to lose force or strength; to vanish; as, energy spends in the using of it., To be diffused; to spread., To break ground; to continue working.
spere verb i. To search; to pry; to ask; to inquire., A sphere.
sperm noun The male fecundating fluid; semen. See Semen., Spermaceti.
spewy adjective Wet; soggy; inclined to spew.
sphex noun Any one of numerous species of sand wasps of the genus Sphex and allied genera. These wasps have the abdomen attached to the thorax by a slender pedicel. See Illust. of Sand wasp, under Sand.
spial noun A spy; a scout.
spica noun A kind of bandage passing, by successive turns and crosses, from an extremity to the trunk; — so called from its resemblance to a spike of a barley., A star of the first magnitude situated in the constellation Virgo.
spice noun Species; kind., A vegetable production of many kinds, fragrant or aromatic and pungent to the taste, as pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, ginger, cloves, etc., which are used in cookery and to flavor sauces, pickles, etc., Figuratively, that which enriches or alters the quality of a thing in a small degree, as spice alters the taste of food; that which gives zest or pungency; a slight flavoring; a relish; hence, a small quantity or admixture; a sprinkling; as, a spice of mischief., To season with spice, or as with spice; to mix aromatic or pungent substances with; to flavor; to season; as, to spice wine; to spice one’s words with wit., To fill or impregnate with the odor of spices., To render nice or dainty; hence, to render scrupulous.
spick noun A spike or nail.
spicy superl. Flavored with, or containing, spice or spices; fragrant; aromatic; as, spicy breezes., Producing, or abounding with, spices., Fig.: Piquant; racy; as, a spicy debate.
spied imp. & p. p. of Spy., of Spy
spike noun A sort of very large nail; also, a piece of pointed iron set with points upward or outward., Anything resembling such a nail in shape., An ear of corn or grain., A kind of flower cluster in which sessile flowers are arranged on an unbranched elongated axis., To fasten with spikes, or long, large nails; as, to spike down planks., To set or furnish with spikes., To fix on a spike., To stop the vent of (a gun or cannon) by driving a spike nail, or the like into it., Spike lavender. See Lavender.
spiky adjective Like a spike; spikelike., Having a sharp point, or sharp points; furnished or armed with spikes.
spile noun A small plug or wooden pin, used to stop a vent, as in a cask., A small tube or spout inserted in a tree for conducting sap, as from a sugar maple., A large stake driven into the ground as a support for some superstructure; a pile., To supply with a spile or a spigot; to make a small vent in, as a cask.
spill noun A bit of wood split off; a splinter., A slender piece of anything., A peg or pin for plugging a hole, as in a cask; a spile., A metallic rod or pin., A small roll of paper, or slip of wood, used as a lamplighter, etc., One of the thick laths or poles driven horizontally ahead of the main timbering in advancing a level in loose ground., A little sum of money., To cover or decorate with slender pieces of wood, metal, ivory, etc.; to inlay., To destroy; to kill; to put an end to., To mar; to injure; to deface; hence, to destroy by misuse; to waste., To suffer to fall or run out of a vessel; to lose, or suffer to be scattered; — applied to fluids and to substances whose particles are small and loose; as, to spill water from a pail; to spill quicksilver from a vessel; to spill powder from a paper; to spill sand or flour., To cause to flow out and be lost or wasted; to shed, or suffer to be shed, as in battle or in manslaughter; as, a man spills another’s blood, or his own blood., To relieve a sail from the pressure of the wind, so that it can be more easily reefed or furled, or to lessen the strain., To be destroyed, ruined, or wasted; to come to ruin; to perish; to waste., To be shed; to run over; to fall out, and be lost or wasted.
spilt imp. & past participle of Spill, of Spill, imp. & p. p. of Spill. Spilled.
spine noun A sharp appendage to any of a plant; a thorn., A rigid and sharp projection upon any part of an animal., One of the rigid and undivided fin rays of a fish., The backbone, or spinal column, of an animal; — so called from the projecting processes upon the vertebrae., Anything resembling the spine or backbone; a ridge.
spink noun The chaffinch.
spiny adjective Full of spines; thorny; as, a spiny tree., Like a spine in shape; slender., Fig.: Abounding with difficulties or annoyances., See Spinny.
spire verb i. To breathe., A slender stalk or blade in vegetation; as, a spire grass or of wheat., A tapering body that shoots up or out to a point in a conical or pyramidal form. Specifically (Arch.), the roof of a tower when of a pyramidal form and high in proportion to its width; also, the pyramidal or aspiring termination of a tower which can not be said to have a roof, such as that of Strasburg cathedral; the tapering part of a steeple, or the steeple itself., A tube or fuse for communicating fire to the chargen in blasting., The top, or uppermost point, of anything; the summit., To shoot forth, or up in, or as if in, a spire., A spiral; a curl; a whorl; a twist., The part of a spiral generated in one revolution of the straight line about the pole. See Spiral, n.
spirt verb & noun Same as Spurt.
spiry adjective Of a spiral form; wreathed; curled; serpentine., Of or pertaining to a spire; like a spire, tall, slender, and tapering; abounding in spires; as, spiry turrets.
spiss adjective Thick; crowded; compact; dense.
spite noun Ill-will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart; petty malice; grudge; rancor; despite., Vexation; chargrin; mortification., To be angry at; to hate., To treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart., To fill with spite; to offend; to vex.
splay verb t. To display; to spread., To dislocate, as a shoulder bone., To spay; to castrate., To turn on one side; to render oblique; to slope or slant, as the side of a door, window, etc., Displayed; spread out; turned outward; hence, flat; ungainly; as, splay shoulders., A slope or bevel, especially of the sides of a door or window, by which the opening is made larged at one face of the wall than at the other, or larger at each of the faces than it is between them.
split imp. & past participle of Split, To divide lengthwise; to separate from end to end, esp. by force; to divide in the direction of the grain layers; to rive; to cleave; as, to split a piece of timber or a board; to split a gem; to split a sheepskin., To burst; to rupture; to rend; to tear asunder., To divide or break up into parts or divisions, as by discord; to separate into parts or parties, as a political party; to disunite., To divide or separate into components; — often used with up; as, to split up sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid., To part asunder; to be rent; to burst; as, vessels split by the freezing of water in them., To be broken; to be dashed to pieces., To separate into parties or factions., To burst with laughter., To divulge a secret; to betray confidence; to peach., to divide one hand of blackjack into two hands, allowed when the first two cards dealt to a player have the same value., A crack, or longitudinal fissure., A breach or separation, as in a political party; a division., A piece that is split off, or made thin, by splitting; a splinter; a fragment., Specif (Leather Manuf.), one of the sections of a skin made by dividing it into two or more thicknesses., A division of a stake happening when two cards of the kind on which the stake is laid are dealt in the same turn., the substitution of more than one share of a corporation’s stock for one share. The market price of the stock usually drops in proportion to the increase in outstanding shares of stock. The split may be in any ratio, as a two-for-one split; a three-for-two split., the division by a player of one hand of blackjack into two hands, allowed when the first two cards dealt to a player have the same value; the player is usually obliged to increase the amount wagered by placing a sum equal to the original bet on the new hand thus created., Divided; cleft., Divided deeply; cleft.
spoil verb t. To plunder; to strip by violence; to pillage; to rob; — with of before the name of the thing taken; as, to spoil one of his goods or possession., To seize by violence;; to take by force; to plunder., To cause to decay and perish; to corrput; to vitiate; to mar., To render useless by injury; to injure fatally; to ruin; to destroy; as, to spoil paper; to have the crops spoiled by insects; to spoil the eyes by reading., To practice plunder or robbery., To lose the valuable qualities; to be corrupted; to decay; as, fruit will soon spoil in warm weather., That which is taken from another by violence; especially, the plunder taken from an enemy; pillage; booty., Public offices and their emoluments regarded as the peculiar property of a successful party or faction, to be bestowed for its own advantage; — commonly in the plural; as to the victor belong the spoils., That which is gained by strength or effort., The act or practice of plundering; robbery; aste., Corruption; cause of corruption., The slough, or cast skin, of a serpent or other animal.
spong noun An irregular, narrow, projecting part of a field.
sponk noun See Spunk.
spook noun A spirit; a ghost; an apparition; a hobgoblin., The chimaera.
spool noun A piece of cane or red with a knot at each end, or a hollow cylinder of wood with a ridge at each end, used to wind thread or yarn upon., To wind on a spool or spools.
spoom verb i. To be driven steadily and swiftly, as before a strong wind; to be driven before the wind without any sail, or with only a part of the sails spread; to scud under bare poles.
spoon verb i. See Spoom., An implement consisting of a small bowl (usually a shallow oval) with a handle, used especially in preparing or eating food., Anything which resembles a spoon in shape; esp. (Fishing), a spoon bait., Fig.: A simpleton; a spooney., To take up in, or as in, a spoon., To act with demonstrative or foolish fondness, as one in love.
spoor noun The track or trail of any wild animal; as, the spoor of an elephant; — used originally by travelers in South Africa., To follow a spoor or trail.
spore noun One of the minute grains in flowerless plants, which are analogous to seeds, as serving to reproduce the species., An embryo sac or embryonal vesicle in the ovules of flowering plants., A minute grain or germ; a small, round or ovoid body, formed in certain organisms, and by germination giving rise to a new organism; as, the reproductive spores of bacteria, etc., One of the parts formed by fission in certain Protozoa. See Spore formation, belw.
sport noun That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement., Mock; mockery; contemptuous mirth; derision., That with which one plays, or which is driven about in play; a toy; a plaything; an object of mockery., Play; idle jingle., Diversion of the field, as fowling, hunting, fishing, racing, games, and the like, esp. when money is staked., A plant or an animal, or part of a plant or animal, which has some peculiarity not usually seen in the species; an abnormal variety or growth. See Sporting plant, under Sporting., A sportsman; a gambler., To play; to frolic; to wanton., To practice the diversions of the field or the turf; to be given to betting, as upon races., To trifle., To assume suddenly a new and different character from the rest of the plant or from the type of the species; — said of a bud, shoot, plant, or animal. See Sport, n., 6., To divert; to amuse; to make merry; — used with the reciprocal pronoun., To represent by any knd of play., To exhibit, or bring out, in public; to use or wear; as, to sport a new equipage., To give utterance to in a sportive manner; to throw out in an easy and copious manner; — with off; as, to sport off epigrams.
spout verb t. To throw out forcibly and abudantly, as liquids through an office or a pipe; to eject in a jet; as, an elephant spouts water from his trunk., To utter magniloquently; to recite in an oratorical or pompous manner., To pawn; to pledge; as, spout a watch., To issue with with violence, or in a jet, as a liquid through a narrow orifice, or from a spout; as, water spouts from a hole; blood spouts from an artery., To eject water or liquid in a jet., To utter a speech, especially in a pompous manner., That through which anything spouts; a discharging lip, pipe, or orifice; a tube, pipe, or conductor of any kind through which a liquid is poured, or by which it is conveyed in a stream from one place to another; as, the spout of a teapot; a spout for conducting water from the roof of a building., A trough for conducting grain, flour, etc., into a receptacle., A discharge or jet of water or other liquid, esp. when rising in a column; also, a waterspout.
sprad p. p. of Spread.
sprag noun A young salmon., A billet of wood; a piece of timber used as a prop., To check the motion of, as a carriage on a steep grade, by putting a sprag between the spokes of the wheel., To prop or sustain with a sprag., See Sprack, a.
sprat noun A small European herring (Clupea sprattus) closely allied to the common herring and the pilchard; — called also garvie. The name is also applied to small herring of different kinds., A California surf-fish (Rhacochilus toxotes); — called also alfione, and perch.
spray noun A small shoot or branch; a twig., A collective body of small branches; as, the tree has a beautiful spray., A side channel or branch of the runner of a flask, made to distribute the metal in all parts of the mold., A group of castings made in the same mold and connected by sprues formed in the runner and its branches., Water flying in small drops or particles, as by the force of wind, or the dashing of waves, or from a waterfall, and the like., A jet of fine medicated vapor, used either as an application to a diseased part or to charge the air of a room with a disinfectant or a deodorizer., An instrument for applying such a spray; an atomizer., To let fall in the form of spray., To throw spray upon; to treat with a liquid in the form of spray; as, to spray a wound, or a surgical instrument, with carbolic acid.
spree noun A merry frolic; especially, a drinking frolic; a carousal.
sprew noun Thrush.
sprig noun A small shoot or twig of a tree or other plant; a spray; as, a sprig of laurel or of parsley., A youth; a lad; — used humorously or in slight disparagement., A brad, or nail without a head., A small eyebolt ragged or barbed at the point., To mark or adorn with the representation of small branches; to work with sprigs; as, to sprig muslin.
sprit verb i. To throw out with force from a narrow orifice; to eject; to spurt out., To sprout; to bud; to germinate, as barley steeped for malt., A shoot; a sprout., A small boom, pole, or spar, which crosses the sail of a boat diagonally from the mast to the upper aftmost corner, which it is used to extend and elevate.
sprod noun A salmon in its second year.
sprue noun Strictly, the hole through which melted metal is poured into the gate, and thence into the mold., The waste piece of metal cast in this hole; hence, dross., Same as Sprew.
sprug verb t. To make smart.
spuke noun See Spook.
spume noun Frothy matter raised on liquids by boiling, effervescence, or agitation; froth; foam; scum., To froth; to foam.
spumy adjective Consisting of, containing, or covered with, froth, scum, or foam; frothy; foamy.
spunk noun Wood that readily takes fire; touchwood; also, a kind of tinder made from a species of fungus; punk; amadou., An inflammable temper; spirit; mettle; pluck; as, a man of spunk.
spurn verb t. To drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick., To reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept; to treat with contempt., To kick or toss up the heels., To manifest disdain in rejecting anything; to make contemptuous opposition or resistance., A kick; a blow with the foot., Disdainful rejection; contemptuous tratment., A body of coal left to sustain an overhanding mass.
spurt verb i. To gush or issue suddenly or violently out in a stream, as liquor from a cask; to rush from a confined place in a small stream or jet; to spirt., To throw out, as a liquid, in a stream or jet; to drive or force out with violence, as a liquid from a pipe or small orifice; as, to spurt water from the mouth., A sudden and energetic effort, as in an emergency; an increased exertion for a brief space., To make a sudden and violent exertion, as in an emergency.
spute verb t. To dispute; to discuss.
sputa plural of Sputum
spies plural of Spy
spyne noun See Pinnace, n., 1 (a).