|
11. (Naut.) (a) A crack or fissure in a mast or yard, running obliquely or transversely. (b) A line led
from a vessel's quarter to her cable so that by tightening or slacking it she can be made to lie in any
desired position; a line led diagonally from the bow or stern of a vessel to some point upon the wharf to
which she is moored.
Air spring, Boiling spring, etc. See under Air, Boiling, etc. — Spring back (Bookbinding), a back
with a curved piece of thin sheet iron or of stiff pasteboard fastened to the inside, the effect of which is
to make the leaves of a book thus bound (as a ledger or other account or blank book) spring up and
lie flat. — Spring balance, a contrivance for measuring weight or force by the elasticity of a spiral
spring of steel. — Spring beam, a beam that supports the side of a paddle box. See Paddle beam,
under Paddle, n. — Spring beauty. (a) (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Claytonia, delicate herbs
with somewhat fleshy leaves and pretty blossoms, appearing in springtime. (b) (Zoöl.) A small, elegant
American butterfly (Erora læta) which appears in spring. The hind wings of the male are brown, bordered
with deep blue; those of the female are mostly blue. — Spring bed, a mattress, under bed, or bed
bottom, in which springs, as of metal, are employed to give the required elasticity. — Spring beetle
(Zoöl.), a snapping beetle; an elater. — Spring box, the box or barrel in a watch, or other piece of
mechanism, in which the spring is contained. — Spring fly (Zoöl.), a caddice fly; - - so called because
it appears in the spring. — Spring grass (Bot.), a vernal grass. See under Vernal. — Spring gun,
a firearm disharged by a spring, when this is trodden upon or is otherwise moved. — Spring hook
(Locomotive Engines), one of the hooks which fix the driving-wheel spring to the frame. — Spring
latch, a latch that fastens with a spring. — Spring lock, a lock that fastens with a spring. — Spring
mattress, a spring bed. — Spring of an arch (Arch.) See Springing line of an arch, under Springing.
— Spring of pork, the lower part of a fore quarter, which is divided from the neck, and has the leg
and foot without the shoulder. [Obs.] Nares.
Sir, pray hand the spring of pork to me. Gayton. — Spring pin (Locomotive Engines), an iron rod fitted between the springs and the axle boxes, to
sustain and regulate the pressure on the axles. — Spring rye, a kind of rye sown in the spring; —
in distinction from winter rye, sown in autumn. — Spring stay (Naut.), a preventer stay, to assist
the regular one. R. H. Dana, Jr. — Spring tide, the tide which happens at, or soon after, the new
and the full moon, and which rises higher than common tides. See Tide. — Spring wagon, a wagon
in which springs are interposed between the body and the axles to form elastic supports. — Spring
wheat, any kind of wheat sown in the spring; — in distinction from winter wheat, which is sown in autumn.
|
