倫倫的小blog

spongy  /'spʌndʒɪ/

sponge-y

adj. 海綿狀的; 富有彈性的; 多孔的 

   ps. sponge n.海綿

   ex. bike's spongy hand-grip for keeping our hands away from cold metal.

   ex. Their systems are so spongy that they can be expanded and contracted.

spontaneous   /spɒnˈteɪnɪəs/

spont(L. sponte; willing)-an-eous

adj.自發的 [coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation] 

  ex. spontaneous applause 自發的鼓掌

  (ex. spontaneous abortion ..spontaneous human combustion...Mary Reeser or here)

  ex. spontaneous decay. (nuclear physics)

  ex. Don't be too organized, keep things spontaneous.

(激發態原子或是分子的電子自發地從高能階向低能階躍遷，同時發射出一光子。)

spontaneity    /ˌspɒntəˈniːɪtɪ,/

spontaneous+ity

n. [the quality or state of being spontaneous]

  ex. Underwater photography always involves an element of spontaneity and ability to adapt to changes.

spoof

n. [a mocking imitation of someone or something, usually light and good-humored; lampoon or parody] 

  ex. The show was a spoof of college life.

review:

from wiki :: A parody (also called send-up, spoof or lampoon), in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or make fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation.

 Windows 8 Consumer Preview Official Demo Parody

sporadic   /spəˋrædɪk/

adj.偶爾發生的 [happening or seen only occasionally or in a few places; occurring irregularly]

   ex. I go to the beach sporadically.

  聯想：sport + radio: Tv 有時會壞掉了，只好拿radio聽 sport program.

sprain

v.扭傷 [to overstrain or wrench (the ligaments of an ankle, wrist, or other joint) so as to injure without fracture or dislocation.]

   ps. you might sprain your legs, wrist when playing basketball.

  聯想：sp + rain

sprawl

v.  [sit, lie or fall with the arms and legs spread out loosely]

  note: 大字形的坐著或躺著，也常用來形容藤蔓到處長的樣子。但常有帶有凌亂的意味。

  ex. He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV.

  sprawling adj.

 c.f. urban sprawls: 不規則擴建

 c.f. urban spawns: 產生

 note: spawn n. v. (p. 441)

ex. new housing estates spawn everywhere 處處湧現出的新住宅區.

sprig

n.小枝 [small twig (of a plant or bush) with leaves] 

  wiki: A twig is frequently referred to as a sprig as well, especially when it has been plucked.

  聯想：在春天spring，很多sprig長了出來。

sprightly   /ˋspraɪtlɪ/

adj. [animated, vivacious, or gay; lively.] 

  ex. Now, as a highly experienced politician in his late 50s, he looks sprightly, able, upbeat, and still set on some kind of public role. (Newsweek Jan 28, 2013)

  聯想：spring + bright

  etymology: from the word sprite, which is a small, elf-like fairy creature.

  ps. sprite就是一種汽水的名稱，為雪碧。去掉r就是spite，pretty ill-well.

sprout

v.發芽; 萌芽 [begin to grow or appear] 

  ex. We can't use these potatoes; they've all sprouted.

  ex. Children are sprouting.

  syn:  to burgeon v.急速成長 (p.68) , germinate v.發芽 (p.220),  shoot (p.428)

n.芽; 嫩枝 [new shoot or bud of a plant ]

spruce

n.雲杉

v. [make(oneself/sb) tidy and clean; smarten up]

  ex. to spruce up for a weeding.

  ex. He spruced up for the interview.

  ps. 也可以說是 to slick up, to groom

adj. [tidy and clean in appearance; smart]

  Ps. Bruce Wayne spruces up to meet cat woman.

spur

n.馬刺 [either of a pair of sharp-toothed wheels or projecting points, worn on the heels of a rider's boots and used to make a horse go faster ]

  note: NBA: San Antonio Spurs.

v.激勵 [strongly encourage sb/sth to do better, achieve more, etc; incite or stimulate sb/sth] 

  ex. It's the money that spurs these fishermen to risk a long ocean journey in their flimsy boats.

  ex. In normal times central banks would try to spur growth by adjusting interest rates to discourage saving and encourage borrowing. (Economist Sep 26, 2013)

  <> deter v.[to discourage or restrain from acting ]

spurious  /ˋspjʊrɪəs/

adj. [not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; counterfeit.] 

  ex. Quite a lot of allegations of misjustice are spurious.

  ex. a spuriously scientific book.

squabble  /ˋskwɑbl/

v. [to engage in a petty quarrel, to quarrel noisily]

  ex. The two brothers are squabbling about which role is better between Batman and Superman.

n. [a petty quarrel]

  note: spat(小爭吵), tiff(拌嘴)

  note: quibble (p.389) [argue about small differences or disagreements]

//-abble 有說話不清楚的傾向

gabble     v.急促不清地說 ( 無意義的話 ) ＝jabber

rabble     n.烏合之眾，下等人 ( 騷動粗俗的人群 )

squabble v/n. 爭吵(由瑣事而引發的)