Spasmodic
(Spas"mod"ic) a. [Gr. a convulsion + likeness: cf. F. spasmotique.]
1. (Med.) Of or pertaining to spasm; consisting in spasm; occuring in, or characterized by, spasms; as, a
spasmodic asthma.
2. Soon relaxed or exhausted; convulsive; intermittent; as, spasmodic zeal or industry.
Spasmodic croup (Med.),
an affection of childhood characterized by a stoppage of brathing developed
suddenly and without fever, and produced by spasmodic contraction of the vocal cords. It is sometimes
fatal. Called also laryngismus stridulus, and childcrowing. — Spasmodic stricture, a stricture caused
by muscular spasm without structural change. See Organic stricture, under Organic.
Spasmodic
(Spas*mod"ic), n. (Med.) A medicine for spasm.
Spasmodical
(Spas*mod"ic*al) a. Same as Spasmodic, a. — Spas*mod"ic*al*ly adv.
Spastic
(Spas"tic) a. [L. spasticus, Gr. fr. to draw: cf. F. spastique. See Spasm.] (Med.) Of or pertaining
to spasm; spasmodic; especially, pertaining to tonic spasm; tetanic.
Spastically
(Spas"tic*al*ly) adv. Spasmodically.
Spasticity
(Spas*tic"i*ty) n.
1. A state of spasm.
2. The tendency to, or capability of suffering, spasm.
Spat
(Spat) imp. of Spit. [Obs. or R.]
Spat
(Spat), n. [From the root of spit; hence, literally, that which is ejected.] A young oyster or other
bivalve mollusk, both before and after it first becomes adherent, or such young, collectively.
Spat
(Spat), v. i. & t. To emit spawn; to emit, as spawn.
Spat
(Spat), n. [Cf. Pat.]
1. A light blow with something flat. [U.S. & Prov. Eng.]
2. Hence, a petty combat, esp. a verbal one; a little quarrel, dispute, or dissension. [U. S.]
Spat
(Spat), v. i. To dispute. [R.] Smart.
Spat
(Spat), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spatted; p. pr. & vb. n. Spatting.] To slap, as with the open hand; to
clap together; as the hands. [Local, U.S.]
Little Isabel leaped up and down, spatting her hands.
Judd. Spatangoid
(Spa*tan"goid) a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the Spatangoidea. — n. One of the Spatangoidea.
Spatangoidea
(||Spat`an*goi"de*a) n. pl. [NL. See Spatangus, and -oid.] (Zoöl.) An order of irregular
sea urchins, usually having a more or less heart-shaped shell with four or five petal-like ambulacra above.
The mouth is edentulous and situated anteriorly, on the under side.
Spatangus
(||Spa*tan"gus) n. [NL., fr. L. spatangius a kind of sea urchin, Gr. .] (Zoöl.) A genus of
heart-shaped sea urchins belonging to the Spatangoidea.
Spatchcock
(Spatch"cock`) n. See Spitchcock.