sprue

sprue ¹  (spr)

n.

A chronic, chiefly tropical disease characterized by diarrhea, emaciation, and anemia, caused by defective absorption of nutrients from the intestinal tract.

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[Dutch spruw, from Middle Dutch sprouwe.]

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sprue ²  (spr)

n.

1. The hole through which molten material is chanelled into a mold.

2. The waste material filling or protruding from this hole after hardening.

3. The usually plastic rod or framework that secures molded objects, such as model parts or game pieces, before their first use.

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[Perhaps of Scots origin.]

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sprue¹

n

1. (Engineering / Metallurgy) a vertical channel in a mould through which plastic or molten metal is introduced or out of which it flows when the mould is filled

2. (Engineering / Metallurgy) plastic or metal that solidifies in a sprue

[of unknown origin]

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sprue²

n

(Medicine / Pathology) a chronic disease, esp of tropical climates, characterized by flatulence, diarrhoea, frothy foul-smelling stools, and emaciation

[from Dutch spruw; related to Middle Low German sprüwe tumour]

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sprue³

n

(Cookery) London dialect an inferior type of asparagus

[of unknown origin]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

sprue - a chronic disorder that occurs in tropical and non-tropical forms and in both children and adults; nutrients are not absorbed; symptoms include foul-smelling diarrhea and emaciation psilosis, tropical sprue disorder, upset - a physical condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning; "the doctor prescribed some medicine for the disorder"; "everyone gets stomach upsets from time to time"