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spontaneousmore about spontaneous

spontaneous

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Spontaneous  \Spon*ta"ne*ous\,  a.  [L.  spontaneus,  fr  sponte  of 
  free  will  voluntarily.] 
  1.  Proceding  from  natural  feeling,  temperament,  or 
  disposition,  or  from  a  native  internal  proneness, 
  readiness,  or  tendency,  without  constraint;  as  a 
  spontaneous  gift  or  proportion. 
 
  2.  Proceeding  from  or  acting  by  internal  impulse,  energy, 
  or  natural  law,  without  external  force;  as  spontaneous 
  motion;  spontaneous  growth. 
 
  3.  Produced  without  being  planted,  or  without  human  labor; 
  as  a  spontaneous  growth  of  wood. 
 
  {Spontaneous  combustion},  combustion  produced  in  a  substance 
  by  the  evolution  of  heat  through  the  chemical  action  of 
  its  own  elements;  as  the  spontaneous  combustion  of  waste 
  matter  saturated  with  oil. 
 
  {Spontaneous  generation}.  (Biol.)  See  under  {Generation}. 
 
  Syn:  Voluntary;  uncompelled  willing. 
 
  Usage:  {Spontaneous},  {Voluntary}.  What  is  voluntary  is  the 
  result  of  a  volition,  or  act  of  choice;  it  therefore 
  implies  some  degree  of  consideration,  and  may  be  the 
  result  of  mere  reason  without  excited  feeling.  What  is 
  spontaneous  springs  wholly  from  feeling,  or  a  sudden 
  impulse  which  admits  of  no  reflection;  as  a 
  spontaneous  burst  of  applause.  Hence  the  term  is  also 
  applied  to  things  inanimate  when  they  are  produced 
  without  the  determinate  purpose  or  care  of  man. 
  ``Abstinence  which  is  but  voluntary  fasting,  and  .  .  . 
  exercise  which  is  but  voluntary  labor.''  --J.  Seed. 
 
  Spontaneous  joys,  where  nature  has  its  play,  The 
  soul  adopts,  and  owns  their  firstborn  away 
  --Goldsmith. 
  --  {Spon*ta"ne*ous*ly},  adv  --  {Spon*ta"ne*ous*ness}, 
  n. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  spontaneous 
  adj  1:  happening  or  arising  without  apparent  external  cause 
  "spontaneous  laughter";  "spontaneous  combustion";  "a 
  spontaneous  abortion"  [syn:  {self-generated}]  [ant:  {induced}] 
  2:  said  or  done  without  having  been  planned  or  written  in 
  advance;  "he  made  a  few  ad-lib  remarks"  [syn:  {ad-lib},  {unwritten}] 
  3:  produced  without  being  planted  or  without  human  labor;  "wild 
  strawberries"  [syn:  {wild},  {natural}]




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