The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Spawn \Spawn\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spawned; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Spawning.] [OE. spanen, OF. espandre, properly, to shed,
   spread, L. expandere to spread out. See Expand.]
   1. To produce or deposit (eggs), as fishes or frogs do.
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   2. To bring forth; to generate; -- used in contempt.
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            One edition [of books] spawneth another. --Fuller.
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