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[4] baby, coddle, indulge, mollycoddle, nurse, pamper—more at BABY

[5] break down, corrupt, decay, decompose, disintegrate, molder, putrefy, rot—more at DECAY

spoil·age noun : the act or process of spoiling

Synonyms

breakdown, corruption, decay, decomposition, putrefaction, rot—more at CORRUPTION

spoil·er noun 1 : one that spoils

2 : a device (as on an airplane or automobile) used to disrupt airflow and decrease lift

spoil·sport noun : one who spoils the fun of others

1spoke past & archaic past participle of SPEAK

2spoke noun : any of the rods extending from the hub of a wheel to the rim

spo·ken adjective : delivered by word of mouth; also : characterized by speaking in (such) a manner

Synonyms

oral, unwritten, verbal—more at VERBAL

spokes·man noun : a person who speaks as the representative of another or others

spokes·per·son noun : a person who speaks as the representative of another or others : SPOKESMAN

Synonyms

mouthpiece, speaker, spokesman, spokeswoman; also talker; agent, delegate, deputy, representative

spokes·wom·an noun : a woman who speaks as the representative of another or others

spo·li·a·tion noun : the act of plundering : the state of being plundered

1sponge noun 1 : an elastic porous water-absorbing mass of fibers that forms the skeleton of various primitive sea animals; also : any of a phylum of chiefly marine sea animals that are the source of natural sponges

2 : a spongelike or porous mass or material

3 : one who lives on others

Synonyms

hanger-on, leech, parasite—more at LEECH

2sponge verb sponged; spong·ing 1 : to bathe or wipe with a sponge

2 : to live at another's expense

3 : to gather sponges

4 : to absorb with or as if with or in the manner of a sponge

Synonyms

absorb, drink, imbibe, soak, suck—more at ABSORB

sponge cake noun : a light cake made without shortening

spong·er noun : one that sponges

sponge rubber noun : a cellular rubber resembling natural sponge

spongy adjective 1 : resembling a sponge

2 : not firm or solid

Synonyms

flabby, mushy, pulpy, soft—more at SOFT

spon·sor noun [ORIGIN: LL, fr. L, guarantor, surety, fr. spondēre to promise]

1 : one who takes the responsibility for some other person or thing : SURETY

2 : GODPARENT

3 : a business firm that pays the cost of a radio or television program usu. in return for advertising time during its course

— sponsor verb

— spon·sor·ship noun

Synonyms

backer, guarantor, patron, surety; also chaperon; advocate, champion, supporter; benefactor; coach, mentor, teacher

spon·ta·ne·ity noun : the quality or state of being spontaneous

Synonyms

abandon, abandonment, ease, lightheartedness, naturalness, unrestraint—more at ABANDON

spon·ta·ne·ous adjective [ORIGIN: LL spontaneus, fr. L sponte of one's free will, voluntarily]

1 : done or produced freely or naturally

2 : acting or taking place without external force or cause

— spon·ta·ne·ous·ly adverb

Synonyms

automatic, involuntary, mechanical, natural—more at AUTOMATIC

spontaneous combustion noun : a bursting into flame of material through heat produced within itself by chemical action (as oxidation)

1spoof verb 1 : DECEIVE, HOAX

2 : to make good-natured fun of

— spoof noun

2spoof noun : a light humorous parody

Synonyms

burlesque, caricature, parody, takeoff—more at PARODY

1spook noun 1 : a disembodied soul : GHOST

2 : SPY 2

2spook verb : to make frightened or frantic : FRIGHTEN

Synonyms

alarm, frighten, horrify, panic, scare, shock, startle, terrify, terrorize—more at FRIGHTEN

spooky adjective 1 : relating to, resembling, or suggesting spooks

2 : easily frightened

Synonyms

[1] creepy, eerie, haunting, uncanny, unearthly, weird—more at EERIE

[2] excitable, flighty, fluttery, high-strung, jittery, jumpy, nervous, skittish—more at EXCITABLE

spool noun : a cylinder on which flexible material (as thread) is wound

1spoon noun [ORIGIN: ME, fr. OE spōn splinter, chip]

1 : an eating or cooking implement