[spade] See: CALL A SPADE A SPADE.

[Spain] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR or BUILD CASTLES IN SPAIN.

[spar with] See: FENCE WITH.

[speak] See: ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, CHILDREN AND FOOLS SPEAK THETRUTH, NOT TO MENTION or NOT TO SPEAK OF, SHORT-SPOKEN, SO TO SPEAK, TO SPEAKOF.

[speakeasy]{n.} A bar during Prohibition where illegal alcoholicbeverages were sold. •/Al Capone’s associates met in a Chicago speakeasy todrink and discuss business./

[speaker] See: PUBLIC SPEAKER.

[speak for]{v.} 1. To speak in favor of or in support of. •/At themeeting John spoke for the change in the rules./ •/The other girls madejokes about Jane, but Mary spoke for her./ 2. To make a request for; to askfor. •/The teacher was giving away some books. Fred and Charlie spoke for thesame one./ 3. To give an impression of; be evidence that (something) is orwill be said. — Used with the words "well" or "ill". •/It seems that it willrain today. That speaks ill for the picnic this afternoon./ •/Who robbedthe cookie jar? The crumbs on your shirt speak ill for you, Billy./ •/Johnwore a clean shirt and a tie when he went to ask for a job, and that spoke wellfor him./ •/It speaks well for Mary that she always does her homework./

[speak of the devil and he appears] A person comes just when you aretalking about him. — A proverb. •/We were just talking about Bill when hecame in the door. Speak of the devil and he appears./

[speak one’s mind]{v. phr.} To say openly what you think; give advicethat may not be liked. •/John thought it was wrong to keep George out of theclub and he spoke his mind about it./ Compare: SOUND OFF.

[speak one’s piece] See: SAY ONE’S PIECE.

[speak out of turn]{v. phr.} To say something tactless; commit anindiscretion. •/You spoke out of turn in criticizing Aunt Hermione’s oldfurniture; she considers herself quite a connoisseur on the subject./

[speak out] or [speak up] {v.} 1. To speak in a loud or clearvoice. •/The trucker told the shy boy to speak up./ 2. To speak in supportof or against someone or something. •/Willie spoke up for Dan as clubpresident./ •/Ed spoke up against letting girls join the club./

[speak the same language]{v. phr.} To have similar feelings, thoughts,and tastes; have a mutual understanding with another person. •/We both lovelistening to Mozart. Obviously, we speak the same language./

[speak volumes]{v. phr.} To tell or show much in a way other thanspeaking; be full of meaning. •/The nice present she gave you spoke volumesfor what she thinks of you./ •/A child’s choice of hobbies speaksvolumes./ Compare: READ BETWEEN THE LINES.

[speak well of]{v. phr.} To approve of; praise. •/Everyone alwaysspeaks well of my sister because she’s so kind./

[speak with a forked tongue]{v. phr.}, {literary} To lie; to sayone thing while thinking of the opposite. •/I have learned not to trustPeter’s promises because he speaks with a forked tongue./

[speed trap]{n.} A place where police hide and wait to catch driverswho are going even a little faster than the speed limit. •/Mr. Jones wascaught in a speed trap./

[speed up]{v.} To go faster than before; also, to make go faster.•/The car speeded up when it reached the country./ •/Push in the throttleto speed up the engine./ Compare: PICK UP(12). Contrast: SLOW DOWN.

[spell out]{v.} 1. To say or read aloud the letters ot a word, one byone; spell. •/John could not understand the word the teacher was saying, soshe spelled it out on the blackboard./ 2. To read slowly, have trouble inunderstanding. •/The little boy spelled out the printed words./ 3.{informal} To explain something in very simple words; explain very clearly.•/The class could not understand the problem, so the teacher spelled it outfor them./ •/Before the game the coach spelled out to the players what hewanted them to do./ Compare: WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE.

[spell trouble]{v. phr.} To signify major difficulties ahead. •/Thenote we just received from the Chancellor seems to spell trouble./

[spending money] or [pocket money] {n.} Money that is given to aperson to spend. •/When the seniors went to New York City on a trip, each wasgiven $10 in spending money./ •/Father gave John a nickel in pocket moneywhen he went to the store with Mother./

[spend the night]{v. phr.} To sleep somewhere. •/It was so lateafter the party that we decided to spend the night at our friends' house./

[spick-and-span]{adj.} Sparkling clean; having a brand new look.•/She is such a good housekeeper that her kitchen is alwaysspick-and-span./

[spill] See: CRY OVER SPILLED MILK.

[spill the beans]{v. phr.}, {informal} To tell a secret to someonewho is not supposed to know about it. •/John’s friends were going to have asurprise party for him, but Tom spilled the beans./ Compare: GIVE AWAY(3),LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG, TELL TALES OUT OF SCHOOL.

[spin a yarn]{v. phr.} To tell a story of adventure with someexaggeration mixed in; embellish and protract such a tale. •/Uncle Fred, whoused be a sailor, knows how to spin a fascinating yarn, but don’t alwaysbelieve everything he says./

[spine-chilling]{adj.} Terrifying; causing great fear. •/Manychildren find the movie, "Frankenstein," spine-chilling./ •/A wasspine-chilling to learn that a murderer was in our neighborhood./ Compare:HAIR STAND ON END.

[spine-tingling]{adj.} Very exciting; thrilling. •/Our ride up themountain in a chair lift was spine-tingling./ •/The children’s plane ridewas a spine-tingling adventure to them./

[spinoff]{n.} A byproduct of something else. •/The television soapopera "Knot’s Landing" was considered a spinoff of "Dallas," with many of thesame characters featured in both./

[spin off]{v. phr.} To bring something into existence as a byproductof something that already exists. •/When Dr. Catwallender opened his medicalpractice, he also spun off a small dispensary beside it where patients couldget their prescriptions filled./

[spin one’s wheels]{v. phr.} 1. Said of cars stuck in snow or mudwhose wheels are turning without the car moving forward. •/There was so muchsnow on the driveway that my car’s wheels were spinning in it and we couldn’tget going./ 2. To exert effort in a job without making any progress. •/I’vebeen working for the firm for two decades, but I feel I am merely spinning mywheels./

[spin out]{v. phr.} 1. To go out of control. •/The bus spun out onthe icy road and fell into the ditch./ 2. To make something go out ofcontrol. •/Tom stepped on the brakes so fast that he spun his car out ofcontrol and went off the road./

[spirit away]{v. phr.} To hide or smuggle something out; abduct.•/The famous actress was spirited away by her bodyguards as soon as sheemerged from the door./

[spite] See: CUT OFF ONE’S NOSE TO SPITE ONE’S FACE.

[spit] or [piss into the wedding cake] {v. phr.}, {vulgar},{avoidable} To spoil someone’s pleasure or celebration by doing or sayingsomething harsh or unseemly in an otherwise happy gathering; bring updepressing or unhappy subjects at a supposedly happy time. •/Stuart reallyspit into the wedding cake when he told Burt in a bragging fashion that Lucy,Burl’s bride, used to be his girlfriend./