spean
Americanverb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of spean
1565–75; variant of dial. spane, Middle English spanen; cognate with Low German, Dutch spenen, German (dial.) Spänen
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These sweetie wives were not young by any means—save one or two— “But withered beldames, auld and droll, Rig-woodie hags would spean a foal.”
From Annie o' the Banks o' Dee by Gordon Stables
But wither'd beldams, auld and droll, Rigwoodie hags, wad spean a foal, Lowpin' and flingin' on a cummock, I wonder didna turn thy stomach.
From The Book of Humorous Verse by Carolyn Wells
O for a good wat nurse to spean ye, like John Adamson's lambs!
From The Shepherd's Calendar Volume I (of II) by James Hogg
Do," cried Robin; "sir, she's an auld withered hag, would spean a foal.
From Ringan Gilhaize or The Covenanters by John Galt
He was one of the most conceited persons in the world, but a good teacher; one of the ugliest countenances he had that need be exhibited—enough, as we say, to spean weans.
From Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Volume I (of 10) by J. G. (John Gibson) Lockhart
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
