a. Obs. Also 6 spysse, 6–7 spisse. [ad. L. spiss-us (whence It. spesso, Pg. espesso, Sp. espeso, OF. espes, espeis, espais, F. épais).] Thick, dense, compact, close.
c. 1530. Judic. Urines, I. iii. 9 b. Spisse is thycke. Ibid., II. vii. 28 b. And in these maner wyse maye vryne be spysse.
1567. Maplet, Gr. Forest, 67. The male [plant] is of more spisse or tough branches.
1614. Brerewood, Lang. & Relig., To Rdr. (1635), 2. This spisse and dense, yet polished, this copious, yet concise … Treatise of the variety of Languages and religions through the chiefe regions of the world.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., III. xvii. 275. Boil these to a spisse Cataplasme.
1670. Phil. Trans., V. 1028. This little Chrystalline being of a more spiss consistence then the great one, its refraction is also more strong. Ibid. (1711), XXVII. 274. I saw, a Spot arise…, and again nearly disappear; and then again appear strong and spiss.
1784. J. Keeble, Harmonics, 29. The number of spiss or small intervals.
Hence † Spissly adv.; † Spissness. Obs.
1598. Florio, Condensità, a thicknes, a densitie, a spisnes. Ibid., Spessezza, thicknes, spissenes.
1611. Cotgr., Espessement, thickly, spissely, close together. Ibid., Espesseur, thicknesse, densitie, spissenesse, closenesse.
