spiny
1342
receives a kiss from the person of the opposite sex at whom
the bottle points when it stops spinning
spin-y /'spaɪni/ adj like or full of SPINES: a fish's spiny fins
spi-ral¹ /'spaɪərəl/ adj in the form of a curve winding round
and round a central point and continually moving closer
towards it or further away from it: a spiral watch-spring | a
spiral nebula
spiral² n 1 a spiral curve 2 a
process of continuous
upward or downward move-
ment: We are in danger of
getting into an inflationary
spiral.
spiral³ v -ll- BrE || -l- AmE
[I] 1 [+adv/prep] to move in a
spiral course; rise or fall in a
winding way: The stairs spi-
ralled round the central
pillar. | The damaged plane
spiralled to earth. 2 to fall
or especially rise continuously: the spiralling cost of legal
services
spiral 'staircase n a set of stairs in the form of a spiral, built
around a central COLUMN. They are found especially in
castles, churches, or large houses.
spire /spaɪəʳ/ n a roof rising steeply to a point on top of a
tower, especially on a church; (the top of a) STEEPLE → see
also DREAMING SPIRES
spir-it¹ /'spɪrɪt/ n 1 [C] the part of a person's mind that is
able to think and is a) talked about as clearly opposed to
the body: He was tortured by the secret police; but they could
not break his spirit. | (fig.) I can't come to your wedding, but I'll
be there in spirit. (=I'll be thinking about you at the time
when it happens) b) thought of as remaining alive, espe-
cially without appearing in physical form: He is dead, but his
spirit lives on. | She was possessed by evil spirits. → compare
SOUL; see also HOLY SPIRIT; see also the spirit is willing but
the flesh is weak (FLESH) 2 [S(oft)] the central quality or force
of something: He came to the party, but didn't really enter
into the spirit of it. (=did not try to enjoy it) | You should try
to obey the spirit of the law (=the law's real intention) even
if you don't always follow its letter. (=what it actually
says) 3 [S] an intention or feeling in the mind; ATTITUDE: I
hope you will take my remarks in the spirit in which they were
intended, and not be offended. | They came to the meeting in a
spirit of genuine reconciliation. 4 [U] apprec a quality of
lively determination or brave effort: She played the sonata
with great spirit. | He fell over several times but, with consid-
erable spirit, got up and finished the race. 5 [U] strongly-felt
loyalty to the stated group of which one is a member:
team/community spirit → see also PUBLIC SPIRIT 6 [C] a
person thought of because of a particular quality or activity:
one of the leading spirits of the party 7 also spirits pl. — [C] a
strong alcoholic drink produced by distillation (DISTIL):
Whisky is a spirit, and so is brandy. | I never drink spirits. →
see Feature on page A24 8 [U] also spirits [P] any of various
liquids, such as alcohol, used especially for breaking down
solids or as FUELS → see also METHYLATED SPIRITS, WHITE
SPIRIT 9 -spirited /spɪrɪtɪd/ having the stated feelings or
SPIRITS: mean-spirited | public-spirited | high-spirited → see
also LOW-SPIRITED, SPIRITS
spirit² v [T+obj+adv/prep] to take in a secret or mysterious way:
The actress was spirited off/away in a car before the reporters
could get to her.
Spirit a US spacecraft that landed on Mars in 2003. For three
months it moved around the surface of Mars to find signs of
water, take SAMPLES of soil, and take pictures.
spir-it-ed /'spɪrɪtɪd/ adj apprec full of SPIRIT; forceful: a
spirited quarrel | a spirited defence of his policies | a spirited
horse
spir-it-less /'spɪrɪtləs/ adj 1 weak or lazy; without
SPIRIT 2 sad; not cheerful; in low SPIRITS —ness n [U]
'spirit ,level also level AmE — n a tool for testing whether a
surface is level, made of a bar containing a short glass tube of
liquid with a BUBBLE which will be in the centre if the
surface is level
Spirit of St. Lou-is, The /ˌspɪrɪt əv sənt 'luːɪl-seɪnt
'luːɪs/ the aircraft in which Charles LINDBERGH made the first
flight by one person across the Atlantic Ocean
spir-its /'spɪrɪts/ n [P] the cheerful or sad state of one's
mind: Their letters of support raised my spirits. | He was in
high/low spirits. (=cheerful/not cheerful)
spir-i-tu-al¹ /'spɪrɪtʃuəl/ adj 1 of the spirit rather than the
body: one's spiritual nature | The priest is responsible for your
spiritual welfare. 2 religious: an adviser in spiritual mat-
ters 3 [A] related or close in spirit; connected by qualities or
interests of a deep kind: She's English, but India is her
spiritual home. 4 [after n] fml of the church: The lords
spiritual (= BISHOPS) sit in Parliament. → compare TEMPO-
RAL —ly adv
spiritual² n a religious song of the type sung originally by
African Americans in the US
spir-i-tu-al-ism /'spɪrɪtʃuəlzəm/ n [U] the belief that the
dead may send messages to living people usually through a
MEDIUM (=person with special powers) —ist n: a spiritualist
seance —istic /ˌspɪrɪtʃu'əlɪstɪk/ adj
spir-i-tu-al-i-ty /ˌspɪrɪtʃu'ælɪti/ n [U] the quality of being
interested in spiritual or religious matters, worship, prayer etc;
DEVOTION
spir-i-tu-ous /'spɪrɪtʃuəs/ adj [A] fml or tech being or contain-
ing alcohol: spirituous liquors
spit¹ /spɪt/ v spat /spæt/ also spit AmE; present participle spit-
ting 1 [(at, on); T(OUT)] to throw out (liquid or other contents)
from the mouth with force: He spat at his opponent
contemptuously. | I didn't want to eat the pips so I spat them
out. | He's very ill and spitting blood. 2 [T(OUT)] to say or
express sharply or angrily, as if spitting: She spat out her
reply. 3 [I] [(with)] especially BrE to rain very lightly: We can't go
out yet; it's still spitting (with rain). 4 [I] (especially of a fire or
something cooking) to make small explosions; SPUTTER:
The sausages were spitting in the pan. 5 spit it out [usually
imperative] infml to say openly and without delay what one is
thinking or worrying about
spit² n 1 [U] the liquid in the mouth; SALIVA 2 [the+of] the
exact likeness: That boy is the spit of his father. → see also
SPITTING IMAGE
spit³ n 1 a thin pointed rod for sticking meat onto and
turning, for cooking over a fire: A huge side of beef was
slowly roasting on the spit. 2 a small usually sandy point of
land running out into a stretch of water
Spit-al-fields /'spɪtlfɪːldz/ a place in East London where
there used to be a market selling fruit, vegetables, and flowers.
There is now a new market which sells clothes, CRAFTS
(=things made skilfully with your hands), furniture, and
food.
spit and 'polish n [U] infml great attention to a clean and
shiny appearance, especially in the army, navy etc
spit and 'sawdust adj [A] BrE infml (of PUBS) simple, rough,
and dirty
spit-ball /'spɪtbɔːl/ n AmE 1 a small piece of paper which has
been shaped into a ball and made wet with SALIVA: The boys
were throwing spitballs when the teacher came back to the
classroom. 2 a BASEBALL which has been made wet with
SALIVA so that it moves in an unusual way: The rules of
baseball do not allow a pitcher to throw spitballs.
spite¹ /spaɪt/ n [U] 1 an unpleasant desire to annoy or harm
another person, especially in some small way: I'm sure he
took my parking space just out of/from spite → see also
SPITEFUL 2 in spite of taking no notice of, or not prevented
by; DESPITE: I went out in spite of the rain. | In spite of a slight
improvement in sales, the company is still making a loss.
spite² v [T] to annoy or harm (someone) intentionally,
especially in some small way: I'm sure he took my parking
space just to spite me.
spite-ful /'spaɪtfəl/ adj showing spite or full of spite: a nasty
spiteful little boy | It was very spiteful of her to do that. —ly
adv —ness n [U]
spit-fire /'spɪtfaɪəʳ/ n infml a person, especially a woman,
with a fierce temper
Spitfire n a type of small FIGHTER aircraft used by the British
airforce during World War II. It was especially important in
the BATTLE of BRITAIN.