spasm /spæ zəm/ (spasms )
1 N‑VAR [oft into N ] A spasm is a sudden tightening of your muscles, which you cannot control. □ A muscular spasm in the coronary artery can cause a heart attack. □ A lack of magnesium causes muscles to go into spasm.
2 N‑COUNT A spasm is a sudden strong pain or unpleasant emotion which lasts for a short period of time. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ of ] A spasm of pain brought his thoughts back to the present.
spas|mod|ic /spæzmɒ d I k/ ADJ Something that is spasmodic happens suddenly, for short periods of time, and at irregular intervals. □ He managed to stifle the spasmodic sobs of panic rising in his throat.
spas|tic /spæ st I k/ (spastics ) ADJ Someone who is spastic is born with a disability which makes it difficult for them to control their muscles, especially in their arms and legs. People now refer to someone with this disability as having cerebral palsy . [OFFENSIVE ] ● N‑COUNT A spastic is someone who is spastic. [OFFENSIVE ]
spat /spæ t/ (spats )
1 Spat is the past tense and past participle of spit .
2 N‑COUNT A spat between people, countries, or organizations is a disagreement between them. □ …a spat between America and Germany over interest rates and currencies.
spate /spe I t/ (spates ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A spate of things, especially unpleasant things, is a large number of them that happen or appear within a short period of time. □ [+ of ] …the recent spate of attacks on horses.
spa|tial /spe I ʃ ə l/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Spatial is used to describe things relating to areas. □ …the spatial distribution of employment and population in the country. □ …spatial constraints.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Your spatial ability is your ability to see and understand the relationships between shapes, spaces, and areas. □ His manual dexterity and fine spatial skills were wasted on routine tasks. □ …spatial awareness.
spat|ter /spæ tə r / (spatters , spattering , spattered ) VERB If a liquid spatters a surface or you spatter a liquid over a surface, drops of the liquid fall on an area of the surface. □ [V prep] He stared at the rain spattering on the glass. □ [V n prep] Gently turn the fish, being careful not to spatter any hot butter on yourself. □ [V n] Blood spattered the dark concrete.
-spattered /-spætə r d/ COMB -spattered is added to nouns to form adjectives which indicate that a liquid has spattered onto something. □ …the blood-spattered body.
spatu|la /spæ tʃʊlə/ (spatulas ) N‑COUNT A spatula is an object like a knife with a wide, flat blade. Spatulas are used in cooking. □ Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing over the top with a spatula.
spawn /spɔː n/ (spawns , spawning , spawned )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [usu n N ] Spawn is a soft, jelly-like substance containing the eggs of fish, or of animals such as frogs. □ …her passion for collecting frog spawn.
2 VERB When fish or animals such as frogs spawn , they lay their eggs. □ [V ] …fish species like salmon and trout which go upstream, spawn and then die.
3 VERB If something spawns something else, it causes it to happen or to be created. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] Tyndall's inspired work spawned a whole new branch of science.
spay /spe I / (spays , spaying , spayed ) VERB [usu passive] When a female animal is spayed , it has its ovaries removed so that it cannot become pregnant. □ [be V -ed] All bitches should be spayed unless being used for breeding.
speak ◆◆◆ /spiː k/ (speaks , speaking , spoke , spoken )
1 VERB When you speak , you use your voice in order to say something. □ [V ] He tried to speak, but for once, his voice had left him. □ [V + to ] I rang the hotel and spoke to Louie. □ [V + with ] She says she must speak with you at once. □ [V + of/about ] She cried when she spoke of Oliver. □ [V n] …as I spoke these idiotic words. ● spo|ken ADJ [ADJ n] □ …a marked decline in the standards of written and spoken English.
2 VERB When someone speaks to a group of people, they make a speech. □ [V + to ] When speaking to the seminar Mr Franklin spoke of his experience, gained on a recent visit to Trinidad. □ [V ] He's determined to speak at the Democratic Convention. □ [V + of ] The President spoke of the need for territorial compromise.
3 VERB If you speak for a group of people, you make their views and demands known, or represent them. □ [V + for ] He said it was the job of the Church to speak for the underprivileged. □ [V + for ] I speak for all 7,000 members of our organization.
4 VERB If you speak a foreign language, you know the language and are able to have a conversation in it. □ [V n] He doesn't speak English.
5 VERB People sometimes mention something that has been written by saying what the author speaks of . □ [V + of ] Throughout the book Liu speaks of the abuse of Party power. □ [V + as ] St Paul speaks of the body as the 'temple of the Holy Spirit'.
6 VERB [with neg] If two people are not speaking , they no longer talk to each other because they have quarrelled. □ [V + to ] He is not speaking to his mother because of her friendship with his ex-wife. □ [V ] The co-stars are still not speaking.