Now rare. Forms: α. 5– spondyle, 5–7 -dile, 8–9 sphondyle. β. 6– spondyl, 6–7 -dyll, 6 -dylle, 6–7 -dille, 7 -dil(l. γ. 5–7 spondel, 6 -dele, -delle, 7 spondle. [a. F. spondyle, † spondile, -ille (= Sp. espondil, Pg. espondyl, It. spondillo), or ad. L. spondylus, sphondylus, ad. Gr. σπ-, σπόνδυλος. Cf. SPONDYLUS.]
† 1. One or other of the joints of the spine; a vertebra. Obs.
α. c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 146. Bitwene þe firste spondile & þe secunde. Ibid. (Addit. MS. 12056). The firste spondyle ys y-bounden to þe secunde.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg., E ij. It descendeth by the spondyles vnto the ende of the backe.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 257. The first spondyle or turning joint in the chine of a Dragon.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xxvii. To others again he unjoynted the spondyles or knuckles of the neck.
β. 1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg., D iv b. Through the myddes of the spondylles or rydge bones tyll vnto the ende of the backe.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, x. 10 b. A senowe the whyche doth growe out of the myddle of the spondyls.
1590. Barrough, Meth. Physick, I. xvii. (1639), 28. It is good also to annoint the first and second Spondill in the neck.
1637. B. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, II. vii. A kind of rack Runs downe along the Spondylls of his back.
1667. Lond. Gaz., No. 159/4. A great shot … entring the spondilles of his back.
γ. c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 146. In þe necke þer ben .vij. spondelis, þat is to seie whirlboonys.
1548–77. Vicary, Anat., vi. (1888), 45. The Spondelles of the necke be seuen.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 120. The spondles or ioynts of the backe-bone.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 113. It hath his beginning at the first spondle of the loynes.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 194. Being pliant, [it] easily permits the Spondels to slip awry inwards.
† b. transf. A formation like a vertebra. Obs.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 937. The third species hath four wings;… in the tail there are five red spondils.
† 2. A joint of a wheel, vessel, etc. Obs.
1650. Charleton, Paradoxes, 40. You may rejoyne, that … there succeeds a participation of the substance of the Loadstone in the porosities … of the steel, or spondils of the glasse.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Ductor, Ep. Ded. That every spondyl of the wheels may mark out those vertues which we are then to exercise.
1662. J. Chandler, Van Helmont’s Oriat., 217. The Sea salt … doth stick fast to the spondils or chinks of the vessels.
3. Zool. = SPONDYLUS.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., 130. Exanguious Testaceous Animals…. 4. Oyster. Spondyl.
1776. Mendes da Costa, Elem. Conch., 248. The spondyles are most generally eared shells with unequal valves, rude or uncouth in shape.
1835. Kirby, Hab. & Inst. Anim., I. viii. 256. Lamarck … observes that the Spondyls have the margin of the mantle furnished with two rows of tentacular threads.
1854. Badham, Halieut., 42. Such a pond, too, is the best nidus for … balani, and sphondyles.
† 4. Some kind of fossil. Obs.–1
1708. Phil. Trans., XXVI. 78. Ichthyospondylus, The Spondyl, or Fairy Salt-seller.
