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To have a slight taste, or a slight, superficial knowledge, of anything; to smack.

One who has only a slight, superficial knowledge; a sciolist.

A slight, superficial knowledge of something; sciolism. I had a great desire, not able to attain to a superficial skill in any, to have some smattering in all. Burton.

To express slight contempt by a look implying sarcasm or pity; to sneer. 'T was what I said to Craggs and Child, Who praised my modesty, and smiled. Pope.

A slight, hasty repast. [Colloq.]

), an iridaceous plant (Hermodactylus tuberosus) of the Mediterranean region. The flowers slightly resemble a serpent's open mouth.

A slight hit or tip of the ball, often unintentional.

Slight snow; sleet. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

A slight frame of wood three or four feet long and about one third as wide, with thongs or cords stretched across it, and having a support and holder for the foot; -- used by persons for walking on soft snow.

To treat with contempt or neglect, as a forward or pretentious person; to slight designedly. To snub a cable or rope (Naut.), to check it suddenly in running out. Totten.

Having a short, flat nose, slightly turned up; as, the snub- nosed eel. Snub-nosed cachalot (Zoöl.), the pygmy sperm whale.

ent, and otherwise. -- Sodium bicarbonate, a white crystalline substance, HNaCO3, with a slight alkaline taste resembling that of sodium carbonate. It is found in many mineral springs and also produced artificially,. It is used in cookery, in baking powders, and as a source of carbonic acid gas (carbon dioxide) for so…

ommitted a dangerous solecism in politics. C. Middleton. The idea of having committed the slightest solecism in politeness was agony to him. Sir W. Scott.

The large succulent and slightly acid fruit of a small tree (Anona muricata) of the West Indies; also, the tree itself. It is closely allied to the custard apple.

. See under Potato. -- Spanish red, an ocherous red pigment resembling Venetian red, but slightly yellower and warmer. Fairholt. -- Spanish reef (Naut.), a knot tied in the head of a jib-headed sail. -- Spanish sheep (Zoöl.), a merino. -- Spanish white, an impalpable powder prepared from chalk by pulverizing and re…

e capable of speech; hence, lifelike; as, a speaking likeness. A speaking acquaintance, a slight acquaintance with a person, or one which merely permits the exchange of salutations and remarks on indifferent subjects. -- Speaking trumpet, an instrument somewhat resembling a trumpet, by which the sound of the human voi…

A genus of mosses having white leaves slightly tinged with red or green and found growing in marshy places; bog moss; peat moss.

n a small degree, as spice alters the taste of food; that which gives zest or pungency; a slight flavoring; a relish; hence, a small quantity or admixture; a sprinkling; as, a spice of mischief. So much of the will, with a spice of the willful. Coleridge.

To rain or snow slightly, or with sprinkles. It had been spitting with rain. Dickens. To spit on or upon, to insult grossly; to treat with contempt. "Spitting upon all antiquity." South.

contempt of; notwithstanding. "Continuing, spite of pain, to use a knee after it had been slightly ibnjured." H. Spenser. "And saved me in spite of the world, the devil, and myself." South. "In spite of all applications, the patient grew worse every day." Arbuthnot. See Syn. under Notwithstanding. -- To owe one a spit…