spleen

n. [ L. splen, Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_; the milt or spleen, affection of the spleen; cf. L. lien, plihan, plīhan. ] 1. (Anat.) A peculiar glandlike but ductless organ found near the stomach or intestine of most vertebrates and connected with the vascular system; the milt. Its exact function in not known. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anger; latent spite; ill humor; malice; as, to vent one's spleen. [ 1913 Webster ]

In noble minds some dregs remain,
Not yet purged off, of spleen and sour disdain. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A fit of anger; choler. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A sudden motion or action; a fit; a freak; a whim. [ Obs. or R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A thousand spleens bear her a thousand ways. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Melancholy; hypochondriacal affections. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bodies changed to various forms by spleen. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is a luxury in self-dispraise:
And inward self-disparagement affords
To meditative spleen a grateful feast. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A fit of immoderate laughter or merriment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy silly thought enforces my spleen. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To dislke. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hacket. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Displaying, or affected with, spleen; angry; fretful; melancholy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Myself have calmed their spleenful mutiny. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then rode Geraint, a little spleenful yet,
Across the bridge that spann'd the dry ravine. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Spleeny; affected with spleen; fretful. -- Spleen"ish*ly, adv. -- Spleen"ish*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no spleen; hence, kind; gentle; mild. [ Obs. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Spleen + wort; cf. L. splenium, asplenium, Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;, &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;, &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;. ] (Bot.) Any fern of the genus Asplenium, some species of which were anciently used as remedies for disorders of the spleen. [ 1913 Webster ]