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The faculty of uttering articulate sounds or words; the faculty of expressing thoughts by words or articulate sounds; the power of speaking. There is none comparable to the variety of instructive expressions by speech, wherewith man alone is endowed for the communication of his thoughts. Holder.

pean broad-leaved lavender, or aspic (Lavendula Spica), used in artist's varnish and in veterinary medicine. It is often adulterated with oil of turpentine, which it much resembles.

of Strasburg cathedral; the tapering part of a steeple, or the steeple itself. "With glistering spires and pinnacles adorned." Milton. A spire of land that stand apart, Cleft from the main. Tennyson. Tall spire from which the sound of cheerful bells Just undulates upon the listening ear. Cowper.

To spirt in a scattering manner.

or rend into long, thin pieces; to shiver; as, the lightning splinters a tree. After splintering their lances, they wheeled about, and . . . abandoned the field to the enemy. Prescott.

A blustering demonstration, or great effort; a great display. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.

, or from a spout; as, water spouts from a hole; blood spouts from an artery. All the glittering hill Is bright with spouting rills. Thomson.

An instrument or vessel used in sprinkling; specifically, a watering pot.

To spurt or shoot in a scattering manner. [Obs.] Drayton.

rapidly as to emit saliva. They could neither of them speak their rage, and so fell a sputtering at one another, like two roasting apples. Congreve.

of wood standing flush with the wall on each of its sides, at the external angles of plastering, to prevent their being damaged. -- The staff of life, bread. "Bread is the staff of life." Swift. -- Staff tree (Bot.), any plant of the genus Celastrus, mostly climbing shrubs of the northern hemisphere. The American sp…

den. Then stalking through the deep, He fords the ocean. Addison. I forbear myself from entering the lists in which he has long stalked alone and unchallenged. Mericale.

n which small articles of merchandise are exposed for sale. How peddlers' stalls with glittering toys are laid. Gay.

To make involuntary stops in uttering syllables or words; to hesitate or falter in speaking; to speak with stops and diffivulty; to stutter. I would thou couldst stammer, that thou mightest pour this conclead man out of thy mouth, as wine comes out of a narrow-mouthed bottle, either too much at once, or none at all. Sh…

Apt to stammer; hesitating in speech; stuttering. -- Stam"mer*ing*ly, adv.

The light given by the stars. Nor walk by moon, Or glittering starlight, without thee is sweet. Milton.

To cause to cease; to put an end to. Stay your strife. Shak. For flattering planets seemed to say This child should ills of ages stay. Emerson.

Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm. "The softest, steadiest plume." Keble. Their feet steady, their hands diligent, their eyes watchful, and their hearts resolute. Sir P. Sidney.

Bright; glittering; fiery. [Obs.] His eyen steep, and rolling in his head. Chaucer.

A stone laid before a door as a stair to rise on in entering the house.