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Webster 1913 Edition

Spider

Spi′der

,
Noun.
[OE.
spiþre
, fr. AS.
spinnan
to spin; – so named from spinning its web; cf. D.
spin
a spider, G.
spinne
, Sw.
spindel
. See
Spin
.]
1.
(Zool.)
Any one of numerous species of arachnids comprising the order Araneina. Spiders have the mandibles converted into poison fangs, or falcers. The abdomen is large and not segmented, with two or three pairs of spinnerets near the end, by means of which they spin threads of silk to form cocoons, or nests, to protect their eggs and young. Many species spin also complex webs to entrap the insects upon which they prey. The eyes are usually eight in number (rarely six), and are situated on the back of the cephalothorax. See Illust. under
Araneina
.
☞ Spiders are divided into two principal groups: the Dipneumona, having two lungs: and the Tetrapneumona, having four lungs. See
Mygale
. The former group includes several tribes; as, the jumping spiders (see
Saltigradae
), the wolf spiders, or
Citigradae
(see under
Wolf
), the crab spiders, or
Laterigradae
(see under
Crab
), the garden, or geometric, spiders, or
Orbitellae
(see under
Geometrical
, and
Garden
), and others. See
Bird spider
, under
Bird
,
Grass spider
, under
Grass
,
House spider
, under
House
,
Silk spider
, under
Silk
.
2.
(Zool.)
Any one of various other arachnids resembling the true spiders, especially certain mites, as the red spider (see under
Red
).
3.
An iron pan with a long handle, used as a kitchen utensil in frying food. Originally, it had long legs, and was used over coals on the hearth.
4.
A trevet to support pans or pots over a fire.
5.
(Mach.)
A skeleton, or frame, having radiating arms or members, often connected by crosspieces; as, a casting forming the hub and spokes to which the rim of a fly wheel or large gear is bolted; the body of a piston head; a frame for strengthening a core or mold for a casting, etc.
Spider ant
.
(Zool.)
Same as
Solitary ant
, under
Solitary
.
–
Spider crab
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of maioid crabs having a more or less triangular body and ten long legs. Some of the species grow to great size, as the great Japanese spider crab (
Macrocheira Kempferi
), measuring sometimes more than fifteen feet across the legs when they are extended.
–
Spider fly
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of parasitic dipterous insects of the family
Hippoboscidae
. They are mostly destitute of wings, and live among the feathers of birds and the hair of bats. Called also
bird tick
, and
bat tick
.
–
Spider hunter
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of East Indian sunbirds of the genus
Arachnothera
.
–
Spider lines
,
filaments of a spider’s web crossing the field of vision in optical instruments; – used for determining the exact position of objects and making delicate measurements. Fine wires, silk fibers, or lines on glass similarly placed, are called spider lines.
–
Spider mite
.
(Zool.)
(a)
Any one of several species of parasitic mites of the genus
Argas
and allied genera. See
Argas
.
(b)
Any one of numerous small mites injurious to plants.
–
Spider monkey
(Zool.)
,
any one of numerous species of South American monkeys of the genus
Ateles
, having very long legs and a long prehensile tail.
–
Spider orchis
(Bot.)
,
a European orchidaceous plant (
Ophrys aranifera
), having flowers which resemble spiders.
–
Spider shell
(Zool.)
,
any shell of the genus
Pteroceras
. See
Pteroceras
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Spider

SPI'DER

,
Noun.
[I know not from what source this word is derived.] The common name of the insects of the genus Aranea, remarkable for spinning webs for taking their prey and forming a convenient habitation, and for the deposit of their food. The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine!

Definition 2024

spider

spider

English

Noun

spider ‎(plural spiders)

  1. Any of various eight-legged, predatory arthropods, of the order Araneae, most of which spin webs to catch prey.
  2. (Internet) A program which follows links on the World Wide Web in order to gather information.
  3. (chiefly Australia and New Zealand) A float (drink) made by mixing ice-cream and a soda or fizzy drink (such as lemonade).
    • 2002, Katharine Gasparini, Cranberry and vanilla ice cream spider, recipe in Cool Food, page 339.
  4. (slang) A spindly person.
  5. (slang) A man who persistently approaches or accosts a woman in a public social setting, particularly in a bar.
  6. (snooker, billiards) A stick with a convex arch-shaped notched head used to support the cue when the cue ball is out of reach at normal extension; a bridge.
  7. (cooking, US, Britain, chiefly historical and now dialectal) A cast-iron frying pan with three legs, once common in open-hearth cookery.
    • 1846, Mary Hooker Cornelius, The Young Housekeeper's Friend, page 146, recipe 28 “To fry salt pork”:
      Cut slices and lay them in cold water in the spider; boil them up two or three minutes, then pour off the water and set the spider again on the coals and brown the slices on each side.
    • 2005, Marty Davidson, Grandma Grace's Southern Favorites, recipe for “strawberry coconuts”, Rutledge Hill Press, ISBN 1-4016-0219-3, page 193:
      In spider pan or deep skillet set over hot coals, quickly fry a few at a time in deep lard until brown.
    • 2008, Corona Club (San Francisco, California), Corona Club Cook Book, page 202,
      Melt ½ the dry sugar in the spider, stirring with knife until all is melted.
  8. (cooking) Implement for moving food in and out of hot oil for deep frying, with a circular metal mesh attached to a long handle.
    • 1996, City and Guilds of London Institute, Food preparation and cooking. Cookery units. Student guide., Stanley Thornes, ISBN 0-7487-2566-0, unit 2ND5, element 2, page 157:
      If you are deep-frying your falafel, use a spider or basket to place them gently into the hot oil, which should be preheated to a temperature of 175°C (330°F).
    • 2008, Anna Kasabian and David Kasabian, The Wild Fish Cookbook, Creative Publishing International, ISBN 1-58923-317-4, page 84:
      Consider investing in a frying basket or a spider for small amounts of fish. A spider looks like a metal web and has a long handle and can lower and raise fish from the hot oil.
  9. A part of a crank, to which the chainrings are attached
  10. (slang) Heroin (street drug).
  11. (music) Part of a resonator instrument that transmits string vibrations from the bridge to a resonator cone at multiple points.
  12. A skeleton or frame with radiating arms or members, often connected by crosspieces, such as a casting forming the hub and spokes to which the rim of a fly wheel or large gear is bolted; the body of a piston head; or a frame for strengthening a core or mould for a casting.

Synonyms

  1. attercop (obsolete except in dialects)
  2. cop (obsolete)

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

spider ‎(third-person singular simple present spiders, present participle spidering, simple past and past participle spidered)

  1. To move like a spider.
    • 2001, Life Books, Life: The Greatest Adventures of All Time, Time Home Entertainment Incorporated (ISBN 9781929049066)
      A year later she returned to El Cap and spidered up the wall again — this time in 23 hours.
    • 2009, Michael Crummey, Galore: A novel, Doubleday Canada (ISBN 9780307372291)
      They saved the hall though the facing and part of the roof had to be torn out and replaced, men spidered over the building to repair it before Coaker's arrival.
    • 2012, David Gross, Lord of Stormweather: Sembia: Gateway to the Realms, Wizards of the Coast (ISBN 9780786962853)
      Briefly he considered letting go to glide along in Radu's wake as the assassin spidered up the wall.
  2. To cover a surface like a cobweb.
    • 2011, Jenna Burtenshaw, Wintercraft: Blackwatch, Hachette UK (ISBN 9780755371242)
      High walls surrounded it on all sides, each one covered with the skeletal stems of climbing plants that spidered across the stones, and the ground was cobbled between patches of frozen grass.
    • 2011, MJ Ware, Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb, MJA Ware (ISBN 9781466355019)
      Large cracks spidered across the mask's glass where the nozzle had hit.
    • 2013, Mary Gentle, Rats and Gargoyles, Hachette UK (ISBN 9780575128804)
      Moss spidered across the stone, fresh green. Seaweed sprouted bright yellows and ochres between the vast webs of fingers.
  3. (Internet, of a computer program) To follow links on the World Wide Web in order to gather information.
    The online dictionary is regularly spidered by search engines.

Derived terms

  • Web spidering

See also

Anagrams

Italian

Etymology

English

Noun

spider m ‎(invariable)

  1. (computing) spider (Internet software)

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English spithre, from Old English spīder, spīþra ‎(“spider”), from Proto-Germanic *spinþrô ‎(“spider", literally, "spinner”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend-, *(s)pen- ‎(“to pull, stretch, spin”). Cognate with Scots spider ‎(“spider”), West Frisian spin ‎(“spider”), Dutch spin ‎(“spider”), German Spinne ‎(“spider”), Danish spinder ‎(“spinner, spider”), Swedish spindel ‎(“spider”). More at spin.

Pronunciation

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