Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Spawn?

\Spawn\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spawned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Spawning}.] [OE. spanen, OF. espandre, properly, to shed, spread, L. expandere to spread out. See {Expand}.] 1. To produce or deposit (eggs), as fishes or frogs do. 2. To bring forth; to generate; -- used in contempt. One edition [of books] spawneth another. --Fuller.
\Spawn\, v. i. 1. To deposit eggs, as fish or frogs do. 2. To issue, as offspring; -- used contemptuously.
\Spawn\, n. [[root]170. See {Spawn}, v. t.] 1. The ova, or eggs, of fishes, oysters, and other aquatic animals. 2. Any product or offspring; -- used contemptuously. 3. (Hort.) The buds or branches produced from underground stems. 4. (Bot.) The white fibrous matter forming the matrix from which fungi. {Spawn eater} (Zo["o]l.), a small American cyprinoid fish ({Notropis Hudsonius}) allied to the dace.