Collins English-English Dictionary

spider ['spaɪdə]

1. 1. n any predatory silk-producing arachnid of the order Araneae, having four pairs of legs and a rounded unsegmented body consisting of abdomen and cephalothorax - See also wolf spider trap-door spider tarantula black widow

2. 2. n [Brit] octopus a cluster of elastic straps fastened at a central point and used to hold a load on a car rack, motorcycle, etc

3. 3. n any of various similar or related arachnids

4. 4. n a hub fitted with radiating spokes or arms that serve to transmit power or support a load

5. 5. n [agriculture] an instrument used with a cultivator to pulverize soil

6. 6. n any implement or tool having the shape of a spider

7. 7. n [nautical] a metal frame fitted at the base of a mast to which halyards are tied when not in use

8. 8. n any part of a machine having a number of radiating spokes, tines, or arms

9. 9. n [billiards] [snooker] a rest having long legs, used to raise the cue above the level of the height of the ball

10. 10. n [angling] an artificial fly tied with a hackle and no wings, perhaps originally thought to imitate a spider

11. 11. n [computing] a computer program that is capable of performing sophisticated recursive searches on the internet

12. 12. n short for spider phaeton

13. 13. n [Etymology] Old English spithra; related to Danish spinder, German Spinne; see spin