Forms: α. 1 spoon, 1, 4–5 spon, 3–6 spone (5–6 sponne). β. 5 spoune, 6–7 spoun- (6 spown); 5– spoon, 6–7 spoone. γ. 5–6 north. and Sc. spoyn; north. 6 spoine, 9 spooin. δ. Sc. 5–6 spwne, 5–6, 9 spune, 9 speen; north. 5 spvne, 7, 9 speaun, 9 speun, speean, etc. [Common Teutonic: OE. spón, = OFris. spôn (WFris. spoen, spoan, EFris. spōn, NFris. spōn, spön, spūn), MLG. and LG. spôn, ON. and Icel. spónn (Norw. spōn); the original stem *spǣnu- is differently (but normally) represented in ON. spánn (MSw. spān, Sw. spån, Da. spaan), OHG. and MHG. spân (G. span), MDu. spaen (Du. spaan). In OE., as in most of the Continental languages, the word has only the general sense of ‘chip’; sense 2 is specifically Scandinavian (Norwegian and Icelandic), but MLG. spôn had also the meaning of ‘wooden spatula’ as in botter-spôn.]
† 1. A thin piece of wood; a chip, splinter or shiver. Obs.
c. 725. Corpus Gloss., G 100. Gingria, spon.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. II. (1890), 156. Moniʓe ʓen to-dæʓe of þæm treo þæs halʓan Cristes mæles sponas & scefþon neomað.
a. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 292. Ʒenim þone neowran wyrttruman, delf up, þwit niʓon sponas on þa winstran hand.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 2039. Bi water he sent adoun Liȝt linden spon.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 455. Of þe spones of þis croys beeþ i-doo meny vertues and wondres. Ibid., VI. 297. Þere was nouȝt oon spone þerof i-seie flete uppon þe water.
c. 1400. Beryn, 3430. And wee hewe a-mys eny maner spone, We knowe wele … what pardon wee shull have.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., V. cxxx. (1811), 113. Of the spones of yt crosse ar tolde manye wounders, the which I ouer passe.
† b. A roofing-shingle. Also collect. Obs.
1316–7. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 514. In vc. Bord. et Spone colpand., xxvj s. viij d. Ibid. (c. 1357), 560. Et in ij mill. Spons faciend. ibidem. Ibid. (1414–5), 611. Item in j Ml del spone empt. ad dictam Cameram (Prioris).
1475–6. in Swayne, Sarum Church-w. Acc. (1896), 361. Or William Edyngdon for spones of j elme, ix d.
2. A utensil consisting essentially of a straight handle with an enlarged and hollowed end-piece (the bowl), used for conveying soft or liquid food to the mouth, or employed in the culinary preparation or other handling of this.
Spoons are frequently distinguished according to the material of which they are made, as horn, silver, wooden spoon, or the special use for which they are adapted, as dessert-, marrow-, mustard-, salt-, soup-, table-, tea spoon.
α. c. 1340. Nominale (Skeat), 501. Cotel, saler et culier, Knyf, saler and spon.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 299. Þei bringen her cuppe and her spone, in tokene þat to drynke and pulment þei ben oblishid bifore oþer.
a. 1400–50. Bk. Curtasye, 674, in Babees Bk. Two keruyng knyfes,… Þe thrydde to þo lorde, and als a spone.
c. 1420. Liber Cocorum (1862), 51. Breke ten egges in cup fulle fayre,… And swyng þy ȝolkes with spone.
a. 1529. Skelton, Bouge of Court, 436. In his other sleue, me thought, I sawe A spone of golde, full of hony swete.
1553. Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 18. In the stede of spones, they vse leaues of trees.
β. 1426. Lydg., De Guil. Pilgr., 23678. And the fatte away thei pulle with the spoon of cruelte ycalled Syngularyte.
1531. Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905), 47. x spowns with dyomond Cnops.
1582. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees, 1835), 104. One dossen of silver spoones.
1605. H. Plat, Delights for Ladies, II. x. This you muste now and then taste in a spoone.
1651. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 38. A dissoun of spounis of mother of perill.
1681. Belon, New Myst. Physick, Introd. 57. This Extract is to be given of it self, in a Spoon.
1756–7. trans. Keysler’s Trav. (1760), II. 174. Utensils, as spoons, knives, writing instruments, &c. of foreign and distant nations.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), II. 191. The leaf of the first is rounded in form of a spoon.
c. 1850. Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 605. I began with some rice, which I took in the common way with a spoon.
1853. Soyer, Pantroph., 263. The Roman spoons … end on one side by a point, to pick shell-fish from their shell.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2288/1. Ancient Egyptian spoons were made shell-shaped.
transf. 1706. Stevens, Span. Dict., s.v. Cuchara, When a Man makes a Spoon of a Crust, as soon as he has supp’d his Broath, he eats his Spoon.
γ. c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 272. His fostyr modyr … with a spoyn gret kyndnes to him kyth.
1483. Cath. Angl., 357/1. A spoyn, cocliar.
1527. Knaresb. Wills (Surtees), I. 21. A sylver spoyn.
1561. Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees, 1835), 193. A pistola of gold & a syluer spoine.
δ. c. 1475. Cath. Angl. (A) 357/1. A Spvne, cocliar.
1492. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 200. To the Dwke of Ross, to bordour a spwne obowte, iij vnicornis.
1543. Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 187. Ane masar of siluer, ane spwne of syluer.
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. (1873), 43. Euyrie scheiphird hed ane horne spune.
1684, 1818. [see 3 a].
18[?]. Ballad, The Ram of Diram, iv. The horns that war on the ram’s head, Were fifty packs o’ speens.
b. In allusion to the gift of a spoon to a child at its christening. Obs.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., V. iii. 168. Come, come my Lord, you’d spare your spoones.
3. In proverbial and other phrases:
a. In the proverb He should have a long spoon that sups with the Devil, or variations of this.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 594. Therfore bihoueth hire a ful long spoon That shal ete with a feend.
1539. Taverner, Erasm. Prov. (1552), 9. He had nede to haue a longe spone that shulde eate with the deuyl.
1597. Jas. I., Dæmonol., I. v. 16. They that suppe keile with the Deuill, haue neede of long spoons.
1610. Shaks., Temp., II. ii. 103. This is a diuell, and no Monster: I will leaue him, I haue no long Spoone.
1623. Webster, Devil’s Law-Case, IV. ii. Here’s a latten spoon, and a long one, to feed with the devil!
1684. Yorkshire Dial., 55 (E.D.S.). He mun heve a lang-Shafted speaun that sups kail with the Devil.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xlv. He suld hae a lang-shankit spune that wad sup kale wi’ the deil.
1838. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. I. Lay St. Nicholas. Who suppes with the Deville sholde have a long spoone!
1886. Mrs. Lynn Linton, Paston Carew, xxxvii. He had voluntarily supped with the devil, and his spoon had been too short.
b. In miscellaneous uses (see quots.).
1634. Rowley, Noble Soldier, III. iii. in Bullen, Old Pl. (1882). I, Now! what hot poyson’d Custard must I put my Spoone into?
a. 1635. Corbet, Poet. Strom. (1648), 69. When private Men gett sonnes they get a spoone, Without Ecclypse, or any Starr at noone.
1722–7. Boyer, Dict. Royal, II. s.v., To be past the Spoon, (to be beyond the State of Infancy).
1825. Knapp & Baldwin, Newgate Cal., IV. 283/2. Throws out with a shovel what he brings in with a spoon.
1859. Bartlett, Dict. Amer. (ed. 2), 437. ‘To do business with a big spoon,’ is the same as to cut a big swathe.
1863. Trafford (Mrs. Riddell), World in Church, I. 296. Miss Sarah was always fond of putting her spoon into other people’s broth.
c. To be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth, to be born in affluence or under lucky auspices.
1801. Deb. U.S. Congress, 9 Jan. (1851), 905. It was a common proverb that few lawyers were born with silver spoons in their mouths.
1849. Lytton, Caxtons, II. iii. I think he is born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
1885. E. Gosse, Shakesp. to Pope, 80. There never was a child so plainly born with the traditional silver-spoon in his mouth as Waller.
d. To make a spoon or spoil a horn, to make a determined effort to achieve something, whether ending in success or failure. Orig. Sc.
The making of spoons out of the horns of cattle or sheep was common in Scotland till late in the 19th cent.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxii. I aye said he was ane o’ them wad make a spune or spoil a horn.
1820. Hogg, Tales (1866), 262. Cliffy Mackay will either mak a speen or spill a guid horn.
1860. Trollope, Castle Richmond, xv. It’s better to make the spoon at once, even if we do run some small chance of spoiling the horn.
1892. Boy’s Own Paper, Dec., 87/1. Your son … will turn out something some day. He’ll make a spoon or spoil a horn.
4. An implement of the form described above (sense 2), or something similar to this, used for various purposes: a. As a surgical instrument.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 24. Take þe instrument þat is called coclear—a spone.
1895. Arnold & Sons’ Catal. Surg. Instrum., Index, Spoons, Cataract. Spoons, Enucleation. Spoons, Erasion.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VI. 293. The pus and decomposing clot are scraped away with a sharp spoon.
b. In melting, heating or assaying substances. † Also, the bowl of a ladle.
1496. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 296. For a ladil of irne, for the plumbis ȝetting, and a spune of irne.
1692. Capt. Smith’s Seaman’s Gram., II. vii. 95. Eight, Is the Length of the Spoon of the Ladle.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xxiii. (1842), 577. The wires of deflagrating spoons may be passed through them.
1838. T. Thomson, Chem. Org. Bodies, 742. It does not burn by itself when heated in an open spoon.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Spoon, an instrument made of an ox or buffalo horn, in which earth or pulp may be delicately tested by washing to detect gold, amalgam, etc.
c. A wooden golfing-club having a slightly concave head.
1814. C. Jones, Hoyle’s Games Impr., 419. The spoon [is used] when in an hollow.
1878. ‘Capt. Crawley,’ Football, etc. 80. (Golf), A variety of clubs known as the long spoon, short spoon, putter, &c.
1897. Encycl. Sport, I. 459. Spoons, or wooden clubs of different lengths, with their faces hollowed out at various angles, are now almost obsolete.
d. A kind of artificial bait having the form of the bowl of a spoon, used in spinning or trolling.
1851. G. H. Kingsley, Sport & Trav. (1900), 449. In the broken water above I spun my spoon.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, iv. 113. The spoon is an excellent lure; they may be had of all sorts, sizes, fashions, and colours.
1897. Encycl. Sport, I. 14. There is probably no better all-round artificial spinning-bait for salmon and pike than the spoon.
e. A part of a cotton drawing-frame.
1853. Ure, Dict. Arts (ed. 4), II. 830. The slivers from these pass over a series of conductors, termed ‘spoons.’… These instruments are weighted guide levers, mounted so as to be capable of turning upon centres.
5. † a. Spoon of the brisket, the hollow at the lower end of the breast-bone. Obs.
1576. Turberv., Venerie, 129. The rauens morsell (which is the gryssell at the spoone of the brisket). Ibid., 135. There is a little gristle which is vpon the spoone of the brysket, which we cal the Rauens bone.
1637. B. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, I. vi. He that undoes him; Doth cleave the brisket-bone, upon the spoone Of which, a little gristle growes.
[1863. Thornbury, True as Steel, III. 3. He scooped out the gristle from the spoon of the brisket.]
† b. Spoon of the stomach, the pit of the stomach. Obs.–1
c. 1550. H. Lloyd, Treas. Health, I v. Boyle Frankensence … and make a plaster therof and bynd it to the spone of the stomake.
c. Zool. A spoon-shaped part or process.
1725. Sloane, Jamaica, II. 317. Its [a spoonbill’s] Head … ended in a round Spoon of two Inches Diameter.
1861. in Rep. Smithsonian Instit. 1850, 251. Anatina has the spoon [supra a spoon-shaped plate] supported by a clavicle at the umbos.
6. The student last in each class in the list of mathematical honours at Cambridge; spec. the ‘wooden spoon’ (see WOODEN a.).
1824. Gradus ad Cantabr., s.v., The last of each class of the honours is denominated The Spoon.… The Wooden Spoon, however, is κατ᾽ ἐξοχην The Spoon.
1852. C. A. Bristed, Five Yrs. Eng. Univ., 125. There was more numerical difference between them than between the Second Wrangler and the spoon. Ibid., 225. The Senior Wrangler having perhaps 3,000 or 3,500 marks to the Spoon’s 200.
7. slang or colloq. A shallow, simple or foolish person; a simpleton, ninny, goose.
1799. Carlton Ho. Mag., 217. The spoons or novices are permitted from prudential motives to be successful at the commencement.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., s.v. Spoony, It is usual to call a very prating shallow fellow, a rank spoon.
1837. J. Morier, Abel Allnutt, xxii. 130. ‘None but a spoon would ever think so,’ said the stranger.
1862. Mrs. Houstoun, ‘Recommended to Mercy,’ I. ii. 62. There now, you are going to cry!…; now, that is being a spoon.
8. To be spoons with or on, to be sentimentally in love with (a girl). slang.
1860. Slang Dict., 224. ‘When I was spoons with you,’ i. e., when young, and in our courting days before marriage.
1863. E. Arden (parody), in Melbourne Punch.
| Philip Ray and Enoch Arden, | |
| Both were ‘Spoons’ on Annie Lee; | |
| Phil did not ful-fill her notions, | |
| She preferred to mate with E. |
1883. D. C. Murray, Gate of the Sea, I. i. 7. ‘Tregarthen,’ said the Captain, ‘has gone spoons on the Churchill.’
b. Without const.: Sentimental or silly fondness. Also applied to persons: Sweethearts.
1868. Yates, Rock Ahead, II. ii. This time it’s an awful case of spoons.
1882. H. C. Merivale, Faucit of B., III. II. xii. 42. They were old spoons too when they were young.
1888. Gunter, Mr. Potter, x. 127. The moment he saw Ethel it became a wonderful case of ‘spoons’ upon his part.
9. attrib. a. In general use, as spoon-case, -diet, -food, † -stele, etc.
1483. Cath. Angl., 357/1. A *Spoyn case, cocliarium.
1534. Wells Wills (1890), 91. ix coclearia argentea, que continentur in quodam loculo vocato ‘a spone case.’
1826. in A. C. Hutchison, Pract. Obs. Surg. (ed. 2), 161. The rigid adherence to *spoon diet.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 185. The meal of it is seldom made into bread;… they use it mostly in *spoon-food.
1896. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., I. 393. In case of mumps spoon-food only is to be given.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 296. It is an usuall thing … to bore the same through with a *spoone stele or bodkin.
1880. Spurgeon, Serm., XXVI. 590. *Spoon victuals and milk must always be in the house.
b. In the sense ‘resembling a spoon in shape,’ as spoon-apparatus, -bonnet, -chisel, etc.
1846. Holtzapffel, Turning, II. 539. The *spoon-bit, is generally bent up at the end to make a taper point.
1863. Kingsley, Water-Bab., iii. 90. People must always follow the fashion, even if it be *spoon-bonnets.
1902. Westm. Gaz., 2 Dec., 9/1. She will have the same *spoon bow and a long overhang aft and a modified fin keel.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2288/1. *Spoon-chisel, a bent chisel with the basil on both sides, used by sculptors.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 23. *Spoon-forks, as those articles,… furnished with four or five prongs, are denominated.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2288/1. *Spoon-gouge, a gouge with a crooked end, used in hollowing out deep parts of wood.
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 139. Melt them together in a silver or brass *spoon ladle.
1851. Kingsley, Yeast, iii. We show them where the fish lie, and then … they can’t get them out without us and the *spoon-net.
1758. [R. Dossie], Elaboratory laid open, 45. *Spoon stoppers must be fitted to these necks.
1858. Lardner, Hand-bk. Nat. Phil., 139. A horizontal wheel which has been much used in France, called roue à cuiller, or *spoon wheel.
10. Comb. a. In parasynthetic adjs., as spoon-beaked, -billed, -bowed, -fashioned, -formed.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 6 b/2. That instrumente which we call the spoonewyse or spoonefashoned bullet-drawer.
1822. J. Parkinson, Outl. Oryctol., 178. Myariæ—Bivalves;… a spoon-formed tooth on one or both valves.
1896. Lydekker, Roy. Nat. Hist., V. 513. The spoon-beaked sturgeon (Polyodon folius) of the Mississippi.
1900. Westm. Gaz., 18 Aug., 6/3. It is so rarely that the … spoon-bowed cruiser of modern build is seen with such a name at her stern.
b. Miscell., as spoon-maker, -manufacturer, -warmer; spoon-like, -wise adjs.
a. 1686. Sir T. Browne, Norf. Birds, Wks. 1852, III. 314. They … are … remarkable in their white colour, copped crown, and *spoon or spatule-like bill.
1708. Sewel, II. Lepelswyze, spoon-like.
1837. Penny Cycl., VII. 430/1. On each side of this spoon-like process … is seen in each valve a large thick tooth.
1881. Encycl. Brit., XII. 300/1. Its own point falls into a spoon-like indent.
1490. Canterb. City Rec., Stephanus Rycards, *spoonemaker.
1647. Hexham, I. A spoone-maker, een lepel-maker.
1881. Instr. Census Clerks (1885), 46. Domestic Implement Maker:… Spoon Maker.
1835. Statist. Acc. Scot. (1845), III. 166. The *spoon-manufacturer, who must remain stationary to fabricate his wares.
1885. Catal. Service of Plate, 4. A *spoon-warmer.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 7 b/2. With the little *spoonewyse bullet-drawer, we shalbe able to drawe forth the bullets.
11. Special Combs.: spoon-bait, = sense 4 d; † spoon-brod, brads for nailing roof-shingles; spoon-child, a child who has to be fed with a spoon; spoon-fashion adv., fitting into each other after the manner of spoons; † spoon-feather, -feathered a. (?); spoon-fed a., fed with a spoon like a child; fig. artificially nourished or supported; † spoon-hammer, -hand (see quots.); spoon-hook, a spoon-bait; spoon-nail, † (a) shingle-nails; (b) an irregular form of the human nail; † spoon-tree (see quot.); spoonways adv., = spoon-fashion; spoon-wood (see quots.).
1883. Fisheries Exhib. Catal., 195. *Spoon-baits, trolling-spoons,… and insects for salmon … and pickerel fishing.
1888. Goode, Amer. Fishes, 61. Uncultured brethren who prefer the ignominious method of trolling with hand-line and spoon-bait.
1361–2. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 127. In cc *Sponbrod empt.,… xij d.
1868. W. Cory, Lett. & Jrnls. (1897), 244. The waiter almost feeds one like a *spoon-child.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xxii. 222. Petersen and myself, reclining *‘spoon-fashion,’ cowered among them.
1879. Atcherley, Trip Boërland, 162. All five were fast asleep ‘spoon fashion’ on the ground.
1648. Hexham, II. Een duyfken,… a young Dove, or a Pigeon with *spoone feathers.
c. 1340. Nominale (Skeat), 852. Poucynes enbrauncheez, *Sponfytherede chykenes.
1657. Reeve, God’s Plea, 189. When your prosperity crept out of the nest, and first cast the shell from her spoonfeathered head.
1901. Daily Chron., 21 May, 6 (Encycl. D.). The Conservative papers claim that *spoonfed undertakings have no solid commercial basis.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 309. The *Spoon hammer … hath round Buttons at both ends.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar T., *Spoon hand, the right hand.
1888. Goode, Amer. Fishes, 465. The latter is taken by trolling with a … minnow bait, or a *spoon-hook.
1894. Outing, XXIV. 227/1. A swivel and a fluted or kidney-shaped spoon-hook.
c. 1310. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 511. In cccc de *Sponayl empt. pro camera Prioris, xij d.
1899. Hutchinson’s Arch. Surg., X. 148. The nail, instead of presenting a convex surface, is depressed into a slight hollow—‘the *spoon nail.’
1772. J. R. Forster, trans. Kalm’s Trav. N. Amer., I. 262. The *Spoon-tree never grows to a great height…. The Indians … used to make their spoons and trowels of the wood of this tree.
1789. Trotter, Dis. Seamen, 54. They are slowed *spoonways, and so closely locked into one another’s arms, that it is difficult to move without treading upon them.
1814. Pursh, Flora Amer. Septentr., II. 362. Tilia glabra.… This tree is known by the name of Lime- or Line-tree; Basswood; *Spoonwood.
1847. Darlington, Amer. Weeds, etc. (1860), 214. Kalmia latifolia. Mountain Laurel. Calico Bush. Spoon-wood.
b. In the names of animals, birds, etc., as spoon-beak, -ege, -goose, -hinge, -muscle, -shell, -worm (see quots.).
1893. Cozens-Hardy, Broad Norf., 49. *Spoonbeak—Shoveller duck.
c. 1711. Petiver, Gazophyl., X. xciv. Many girdled *Spoon-egg.
1782. P. H. Bruce, Mem., VIII. 259. There is another kind called *spoon-geese; their beaks … at the extremity are flat like the mouth of a spoon beaten out.
c. 1711. Petiver, Gazophyl., X. xciv. Small, white, thin *Spoon-hinge. Ibid. Small, white, thin, *Spoon-Muscle.
1867. Lovell, Edible Mollusks, 155. On some parts of the Devonshire coast it [truncated mya] is known as the *spoon-shell.
1841. E. Forbes, Brit. Star-fishes, 259. Gaertner’s *Spoonworm. Thalassema Neptuni. Ibid., 263. Common Spoonworm. Echiurus vulgaris.
1855. Kingsley, Glaucus, 83. That curious and rare radiate animal, the Spoonworm.
1879. E. P. Wright, Anim. Life, 580. One … is known on the coast of the South of England as Neptune’s Spoon-worm.
