old wife

old wife
Spot Spot (sp[o^]t), n. [Cf. Scot. & D. spat, Dan. spette, Sw. spott spittle, slaver; from the root of E. spit. See {Spit} to eject from the mouth, and cf. {Spatter}.] 1. A mark on a substance or body made by foreign matter; a blot; a place discolored. [1913 Webster]

Out, damned spot! Out, I say! --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. A stain on character or reputation; something that soils purity; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish. [1913 Webster]

Yet Chloe, sure, was formed without a spot. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

3. A small part of a different color from the main part, or from the ground upon which it is; as, the spots of a leopard; the spots on a playing card. [1913 Webster]

4. A small extent of space; a place; any particular place. ``Fixed to one spot.'' --Otway. [1913 Webster]

That spot to which I point is Paradise. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

``A jolly place,'' said he, ``in times of old! But something ails it now: the spot is cursed.'' --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]

5. (Zo["o]l.) A variety of the common domestic pigeon, so called from a spot on its head just above its beak. [1913 Webster]

6. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A sci[ae]noid food fish ({Liostomus xanthurus}) of the Atlantic coast of the United States. It has a black spot behind the shoulders and fifteen oblique dark bars on the sides. Called also {goody}, {Lafayette}, {masooka}, and {old wife}. (b) The southern redfish, or red horse, which has a spot on each side at the base of the tail. See {Redfish}. [1913 Webster]

7. pl. Commodities, as merchandise and cotton, sold for immediate delivery. [Broker's Cant] [1913 Webster]

{Crescent spot} (Zo["o]l.), any butterfly of the family {Melit[ae]id[ae]} having crescent-shaped white spots along the margins of the red or brown wings.

{Spot lens} (Microscopy), a condensing lens in which the light is confined to an annular pencil by means of a small, round diaphragm (the spot), and used in dark-field illumination; -- called also {spotted lens}.

{Spot rump} (Zo["o]l.), the Hudsonian godwit ({Limosa h[ae]mastica}).

{Spots on the sun}. (Astron.) See {Sun spot}, ander {Sun}.

{On the spot}, or {Upon the spot}, immediately; before moving; without changing place; as, he made his decision on the spot.

It was determined upon the spot. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Stain; flaw; speck; blot; disgrace; reproach; fault; blemish; place; site; locality. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Old wife — Old Old, a. [Compar. {Older}; superl. {Oldest}.] [OE. old, ald, AS. ald, eald; akin to D. oud, OS. ald, OFries. ald, old, G. alt, Goth. alpeis, and also to Goth. alan to grow up, Icel. ala to bear, produce, bring up, L. alere to nourish. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • old wife — Old Old, a. [Compar. {Older}; superl. {Oldest}.] [OE. old, ald, AS. ald, eald; akin to D. oud, OS. ald, OFries. ald, old, G. alt, Goth. alpeis, and also to Goth. alan to grow up, Icel. ala to bear, produce, bring up, L. alere to nourish. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • old|wife — «OHLD WYF», noun, plural wives, or old wife, 1. any one of various fishes, such as the alewife, menhaden, and certain triggerfish. 2. = old squaw. (Cf. ↑old squaw) ╂[(def. 1) probably variant of alewife] …   Useful english dictionary

  • old wife — /oʊld ˈwaɪf/ (say ohld wuyf) noun (plural old wives /oʊld ˈwaɪvs/ (say ohld wuyvs)) 1. an old woman. 2. a silver white to brown fish, Enoplosus armatus, with six to eight black bands of variable width; found in southern waters of Australia; zebra …  

  • old wife — Sea bream Sea bream (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several species of sparoid fishes, especially the common European species ({Pagellus centrodontus}), the Spanish ({P. Oweni}), and the black sea bream ({Cantharus lineatus}); called also {old wife}. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • old wife — žvaigždėtoji raguotė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Abalistes stellaris angl. old wife; starry triggerfish rus. обыкновенный абалист ryšiai: platesnis terminas – Sealio raguotės …   Žuvų pavadinimų žodynas

  • old wife — noun (plural old wives) Etymology: Middle English : a prattling old woman : gossip a mishmash of old wives tales J.N.Leonard …   Useful english dictionary

  • old-wife — …   Useful english dictionary

  • Old — Old, a. [Compar. {Older}; superl. {Oldest}.] [OE. old, ald, AS. ald, eald; akin to D. oud, OS. ald, OFries. ald, old, G. alt, Goth. alpeis, and also to Goth. alan to grow up, Icel. ala to bear, produce, bring up, L. alere to nourish. Cf. {Adult} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Old age — Old Old, a. [Compar. {Older}; superl. {Oldest}.] [OE. old, ald, AS. ald, eald; akin to D. oud, OS. ald, OFries. ald, old, G. alt, Goth. alpeis, and also to Goth. alan to grow up, Icel. ala to bear, produce, bring up, L. alere to nourish. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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