Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Spawn
Spawn
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Spawned
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Spawning
.] 1.
To produce or deposit (eggs), as fishes or frogs do.
2.
To bring forth; to generate; – used in contempt.
One edition [of books]
spawneth
another. Fuller.
Spawn
,Verb.
I.
1.
To deposit eggs, as fish or frogs do.
2.
To issue, as offspring; – used contemptuously.
1.
The ova, or eggs, of fishes, oysters, and other aquatic animals.
2.
Any product or offspring; – used contemptuously.
3.
(Hort.)
The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
4.
(Bot.)
The white fibrous matter forming the matrix from which fungi.
Spawn eater
(Zool.)
, a small American cyprinoid fish (
Notropis Hudsonius
) allied to the dace.Webster 1828 Edition
Spawn
SPAWN
,Noun.
1.
The eggs of fish or frogs, when ejected.2.
Any product or offspring; an expression of contempt.3.
Offsets; shoots; suckers of plants. [Not in use in American.]SPAWN
, v.t.1.
To produce or deposit, as fishes do their eggs.2.
To bring forth; to generate; in contempt.SPAWN
,Verb.
I.
1.
To deposit eggs, as fish or frogs.2.
To issue, as offspring; in contempt.Definition 2024
spawn
spawn
English
Verb
spawn (third-person singular simple present spawns, present participle spawning, simple past and past participle spawned)
- (transitive) To produce or deposit (eggs) in water.
- (transitive) To generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers.
- (transitive) To bring forth in general.
- (transitive) To induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn
- (transitive) To plant with fungal spawn
- (intransitive) To deposit (numerous) eggs in water.
- 2014 April 20, Richard Conniff, “An evolutionary family drama”, in The New York Times:
- Alewives are anadromous fish: Born in freshwater, they spend their lives in the ocean, returning annually to their birthplaces to spawn.
-
- (intransitive) To reproduce, especially in large numbers.
- (ergative, video games, of a character or object) (To cause) to appear spontaneously in a game at a certain point and time.
Derived terms
Translations
to produce or deposit (eggs) in water
to generate, bring into being, especially non-mammalian beings in very large numbers
|
to bring forth in general
to induce (aquatic organisms) to spawn
to plant with fungal spawn
to deposit (numerous) eggs in water
to reproduce, especially in large numbers
to appear spontaneously in a game at a certain point and time
Noun
spawn (plural spawn)
- The numerous eggs of an aquatic organism.
- Mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation.
- (by extension, sometimes derogatory) Any germ or seed, even a figurative source; offspring.
- 2012 June 3, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Mr. Plow” (season 4, episode 9; originally aired 11/19/1992)”, in (Please provide the title of the work):
- Even the blithely unselfconscious Homer is more than a little freaked out by West’s private reverie, and encourages his spawn to move slowly away without making eye contact with the crazy man.
-
- (horticulture) The buds or branches produced from underground stems.
- (video games) The location in a game where characters or objects spontaneously appear.
Derived terms
Translations
the numerous eggs of an aquatic organism
mushroom mycelium prepared for (aided) propagation
any germ or seed, even a figurative source; offspring