Also 7–8 spry(e. [app. related to the forms cited under SPRAY v.2 Cf. also SPREW1.]
1. Water blown from, or thrown up by, the waves of the sea in the form of a fine shower or mist.
α. 1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., II. (1626), 228. Now tossing Seas appeare to front the sky, And wrap their curles in clouds, frotht with their spry.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 42. We were immediately driven into our close Quarters to shelter us from the very Foam and Sprye of the Sea.
1750. G. Hughes, Barbados, 178. These trees … are chiefly planted near the sea-side to shelter the neighbouring fields … from being blasted by the salt spry of the sea.
1755. Johnson, Spray.… 2. The foam of the sea, commonly written spry.
1818. Keats, Endym., IV. 157. The salt sea-spry.
fig. 1751. Smollett, Per. Pic., lxxiii. Swab the spry from your bowsprit, my good lad.
β. 1726. Bailey (ed. 3), Spray (of the Sea), a sort of watery Mist like a small Rain, occasioned by the dashing of the Waves, which flies some Distance, and wets like a small Shower.
1789. Trotter, Dis. Seamen, 54. The gratings are also half covered when it blows hard, to keep out the salt spray or rain.
1813. Sir H. Davy, Agric. Chem. (1814), 339. In great storms the spray of the sea has been carried more than 50 miles from the shore.
1887. Fenn, Master of Ceremonies, i. There had been no windy nights when the spray was torn from the tops of waves to fly in showers over the houses.
b. Water or other liquid dispersed by impact or other means in fine mist-like particles.
1750. G. Hughes, Barbados, 124. A large fire … to burn the bark and dry up the Spry and juices that fly from them in cutting.
1824. Byron, Juan, XVI. ix. Like a soda bottle when its spray Has sparkled.
1837. W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, II. 131. Torrents came tumbling from crag to crag, dashing into foam and spray.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxviii. He almost fancied that that bright face and golden hair were looking upon him, out of the spray of the fountain.
1877. Miss A. B. Edwards, Up Nile, ix. 251. Still the boats chase each other along the dark river, scattering spray from their bows.
c. In fig. uses.
1796. [see SPOUTER 3 a].
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., I. IV. iv. One vast suspended-billow of Life,—with spray scattered even to the chimney-tops!
1889. Spectator, 9 Nov., 630/1. It may even be that … the vanquishers … are sending out a thick spray of roving robbers westward.
2. Med. A jet of medicated vapor or the like, used esp. as a disinfectant or a deodorizer.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2288/2. Spray,… the vapor from an atomizer.
1880. W. MacCormac, Antisept. Surg., 155. It may prove useful for dressing, and where a steam spray is not available.
1896. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., I. 305. The free application of antiseptic sprays for purifying the atmosphere of sick chambers.
b. An instrument used for applying such a jet.
1881. Richardson, in Good Wds., XXII. 52. Any servant can at any time use the spray.
1895. Arnold & Sons’ Catal. Surg. Instrum., 161. Cocaine Spray, complete.
3. a. attrib. (in sense 1), as spray-drop, -pearl, -rainbow, -smoke.
1826. Mrs. Hemans, Forest Sanct., I. lxv. Like spray-drops from the strife of torrents flung.
1860. Neale, in St. Margaret’s Mag. (1895), Jan., 247. The spray-rainbow sometimes arching above my head.
1864. Lowell, Fireside Trav., 286. The white spray smoke of Tivoli that drove down the valley.
1868. Adah I. Menken, Infelicia, 32. Yes, I will be a wave—a happy, dancing wave—and leap up in the sunshine to lay my crown of spray-pearls at his feet.
b. Comb., as spray-decked, -spangled, -topped, -wet adjs.: spray-like adj. and adv.
1832. Motherwell, Poems, Witches’ Joys, iv. Every labouring wave … Gives them a ghastly lover To wring their white hands over, And tear their spray-wet hair in the madness of despair.
1839. Bailey, Festus, 158. The failing of a fountain’s spray-topt stream.
1843. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., I. II. III. iv. § 6. The legitimate rain-cloud, with its ragged spray-like edges.
1848. Lever, H. Templeton, xx. 288. His fair brown hair spray-washed and floating back with the breeze.
1859. K. Cornwallis, New World, I. 7. The spray-decked waters of the Sound.
1861. E. T. Holland, in Peaks, Passes & Glac., Ser. II. I. 21. The one [stream] was broken and feathered in many a spray-spangled fountain.
c. attrib. in terms relating to artificial spraying or production of spray, as spray apparatus, inhalation, instrument, pipe, process, etc.
1867–72. Burgh, Mod. Marine Engin., 272/2. The spray pipes, in connection with the injection valves, are secured beyond them, within the condenser.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2288/2. Spray-instrument,… one for the administration of an anæsthetic or refrigerant in a finely divided liquid form.
1879. St. George’s Hosp. Rep., IX. 600. She was ordered spray inhalation of lactic acid … every two hours.
1880. Miss Bird, Japan, I. 303. The odour of carbolic acid pervaded the whole hospital, and there were spray producers enough to satisfy Mr. Lister!
1881. Richardson, in Gd. Words, XXII. 52. For practical purposes … I think the simple spray process is the best.
1896. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., I. 305. The method is the same, whether air be used, as in the well-known hand-ball spray apparatus, or steam.
