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Synonyms

gangling, lanky, rangy—more at LANKY

spin·drift noun : spray blown from waves

spine noun 1 : the bony column in the back of a vertebrate that extends from the neck to the tail and protects the spinal cord : BACKBONE

2 : a stiff sharp process esp. on a plant or animal

3 : the part of a book where the pages are attached

Synonyms

backbone, vertebral column; also back, spinal cord, vertebra

spi·nel noun : a hard crystalline mineral of variable color used as a gem

spine·less adjective 1 : having no spines, thorns, or prickles

2 : lacking a backbone

3 : lacking courage or determination

Synonyms

chicken, cowardly, craven, dastardly, pusillanimous, recreant, yellow—more at COWARDLY

effete, frail, nerveless, soft, weak, wimpy, wishy-washy—more at WEAK

spin·et noun 1 : an early harpsichord having a single keyboard and only one string for each note

2 : a small upright piano

spin·na·ker noun : a large triangular sail set on a long light pole

spinning jen·ny noun : an early multiple-spindle machine for spinning wool or cotton

spinning wheel noun : a small machine for spinning thread or yarn in which a large wheel drives a single spindle

spin–off noun 1 : a usu. useful by-product

2 : something (as a TV show) derived from an earlier work

— spin off verb

Synonyms

derivative, offshoot, outgrowth—more at DERIVATIVE

spin·ster noun : an unmarried woman past the common age for marrying

— spin·ster·hood noun

spiny adjective 1 : abounding with difficulties, obstacles, or annoyances

2 : covered or armed with spines

Synonyms

catchy, delicate, difficult, knotty, problematic, thorny, ticklish, touchy, tough, tricky—more at TRICKY

spiny lobster noun : any of several edible crustaceans differing from the related lobsters in lacking the large front claws and in having a spiny carapace

1spiral adjective : winding or coiling around a center or axis and usu. getting closer to or farther away from it

— spi·ral·ly adverb

Synonyms

helical, winding; also curving, curling, twisting

2spiral noun 1 : something that has a spiral form; also : a single turn in a spiral object

2 : a continuously spreading and accelerating increase or decrease

3spiral verb -raled or -ralled; -ral·ing or -ral·ling 1 : to move and esp. to rise or fall in a spiral course

2 : to form into a spiral

Synonyms

coil, curl, entwine, twine, twist, wind—more at WIND

spi·rant noun : a consonant (as \f\, \s\, \sh\) uttered with decided friction of the breath against some part of the oral passage

— spirant adjective

spire noun 1 : a slender tapering stalk (as of grass)

2 : a pointed tip (as of an antler)

3 : STEEPLE

— spiry adjective

spi·rea or spi·raea noun : any of a genus of shrubs related to the roses with dense clusters of small usu. white or pink flowers

1spirit noun [ORIGIN: ME, fr. OF or L; OF, fr. L spiritus, lit., breath, fr. spirare to blow, breathe]

1 : a life-giving force; also : the animating principle : SOUL

2 cap : HOLY SPIRIT

3 : an often malevolent being that is bodiless but can become visible : GHOST

4 : PERSON

5 : an inclination, impulse, or tendency of a specified kind : MOOD

6 : a lively or brisk quality in a person or a person's actions

7 : essential or real meaning : INTENT

8 : distilled alcoholic liquor — often used in pl.

9 : LOYALTY

Synonyms

[3] apparition, bogey, ghost, phantasm, phantom, poltergeist, shade, shadow, specter, spook, vision, wraith—more at GHOST

[5] cheer, frame, humor, mode, mood, temper—more at MOOD

[6] bounce, dash, drive, esprit, ginger, pep, punch, snap, verve, vim, zing, zip; also animation, briskness, jauntiness, liveliness, vivaciousness, vivacity; ardor, fervor, fire, passion, zeal; eagerness, enthusiasm; energy, go, spunk, starch, vigor, vitality; character, force, substance

spirits [8] alcohol, booze, drink, intoxicant, liquor, moonshine—more at ALCOHOL

2spirit verb : to carry off secretly or mysteriously

spir·it·ed adjective