Now dial. Forms: α. 6–7 speane, 6–7, 9 spean. β. 6– spene, 8–9 speen, 9 spen. [a. MDu. or MLG. spene (Du. and Flem. speen, WFris. spien, LG. spene, späne), = ON. speni (MSw. spene, späne, etc.; Norw., Sw., obs. Da. spene), related to OE. spana, spona: see SPANE v.]
† 1. Swelling of the uvula. Obs.–1
1527. Andrew, Brunswyke’s Distyll. Waters, C iv. It is also good to be gargoled agaynste vuala that is the spene in the strote.
2. A teat or nipple, esp. of a cow.
α. 1573. Twyne, Æneid., XI. Ii ij b. To her tendre lippes in milkinge, downe their speanes he raught.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 38. It [the Beare] hath also foure speanes to her Paps. Ibid., 126. The Hinde hath vdders betwixt her thighes with foure speanes like a cow. Ibid., 138. The females [Dogge], because they bring forth many whelps at a time, haue vnderneath their bellies great paps, with many speanes to sucke at.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. 171/2. The Speanes, or the Paps, the four Dugs, by which the Milk is drawn from the Udder.
1873–. in dial. glossaries (Surrey, Kent, Yks.).
β. 1674. Ray, S. & E. Co. Words, 76. A Seen [1691 Speen] or spene: a cows pappe, Kent. [Hence in Worlidge (1681), Phillips, etc.]
1736. Pegge, Kenticisms (E. D. S.), Speen, the teat of a cow.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), II. 104. The maid … milks two speens, while the calf sucks the other two.
1863–. in dial. glossaries, etc. (Kent, Sussex, Hants, Pemb., Wexford, etc.), in forms spene, speen, and rarely spen.
