Spriteful, a. Spritefully, adv., Spriteliness Air spring, Boiling spring, etc. See under Air, Boiling, etc. -- Spring back (Bookbinding), a back with a curved piece of thin sheet iron or of stiff pasteboard fastened to the inside, the effect of which is to make the leaves of a book thus bound (as a ledger or other account or blank book) spring up and lie flat. -- Spring balance, a contrivance for measuring weight or force by the elasticity of a spiral spring of steel. -- Spring beam, a beam that supports the side of a paddle box. See Paddle beam, under Paddle, n. -- Spring beauty. (a) (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Claytonia, delicate herbs with somewhat fleshy leaves and pretty blossoms, appearing in springtime. (b) (Zo'94l.) A small, elegant American butterfly (Erora l'91ta) which appears in spring. The hind wings of the male are brown, bordered with deep blue; those of the female are mostly blue. -- Spring bed, a mattress, under bed, or bed bottom, in which springs, as of metal, are employed to give the required elasticity. -- Spring beetle (Zo'94l.), a snapping beetle; an elater. -- Spring box, the box or barrel in a watch, or other piece of mechanism, in which the spring is contained. -- Spring fly (Zo'94l.), a caddice fly; -- so called because it appears in the spring. -- Spring grass (Bot.), a vernal grass. See under Vernal. -- Spring gun, a firearm disharged by a spring, when this is trodden upon or is otherwise moved. -- Spring hook (Locomotive Engines), one of the hooks which fix the driving-wheel spring to the frame. -- Spring latch, a latch that fastens with a spring. 1394 -- Spring lock, a lock that fastens with a spring. -- Spring mattress, a spring bed. -- Spring of an arch (Arch.) See Springing line of an arch, under Springing. -- Spring of pork, the lower part of a fore quarter, which is divided from the neck, and has the leg and foot without the shoulder. [Obs.] Nares.> Sprite"ful , a. Sprite"ful*ly, adv., Sprite"li*ness , n., Sprite"ly, a., etc. See Sprightful, Sprightfully, Sprightliness, Sprightly, etc.

A spirit; a soul; a shade; also, an apparition. See Spright.