Spider

Spider, spī′dėr, n. an arachnid of the order Araneida, the body divided into two distinct parts—an unsegmented cephalo-thorax, bearing six pairs of appendages, and a soft unsegmented abdomen, at the end of which are the spinnerets from each of which numerous 'spinning-spools' ooze forth the viscid fluid which hardens into the silken thread: a frying-pan with feet, a trivet.—ns. Spī′der-catch′er, the wall-creeper; Spī′der-crab, a spider-like crab, or sea-spider with long thin legs; Spī′der-dīv′er, the little grebe, or dabchick; Spī′derdom, spiders collectively.—adj. Spī′dered, cobwebbed.—n. Spī′der-fly, a pupiparous fly, as a bird-louse, &c.—adj. Spī′der-like, like a spider.—ns. Spī′derling, a young spider; Spī′der-mon′key, an American platyrrine monkey, with long slender legs and tail; Spī′der-stitch, a stitch in lace or netting in which threads are carried diagonally and parallel to each other; Spī′der-wasp, a pompilid wasp which fills its nest with spiders for its young; Spī′der-web, the snare spun by the spider; Spī′der-wheel, in embroidery, a circular pattern with radiating lines; Spī′der-work, lace worked by spider-stitch; Spī′der-wort, any plant of the genus Tradescantia, esp. T. virginica, an American perennial with deep-blue or reddish-violet flowers.—adj. Spī′dery, spider-like. [M. E. spither—A.S. spinnan, to spin; cf. Dan. spinder, Ger. spinne.]