Link Centre Dictionary

spring

UK/spɹɪŋ/ US/ˈspɹɪŋ/ common slang uk us
noun (6) verb (6)

noun

1.

the season of growth

  • “the emerging buds were a sure sign of spring”
  • “he will hold office until the spring of next year”
Synonyms
2.
3.

a metal elastic device that returns to its shape or position when pushed or pulled or pressed

  • “the spring was broken”
4.
5.

the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length

Synonyms
6.

a point at which water issues forth

verb

1.

move forward by leaps and bounds

  • “The horse bounded across the meadow”
  • “The child leapt across the puddle”
  • “Can you jump over the fence?”
Synonyms
2.

develop into a distinctive entity

  • “our plans began to take shape”
Synonyms
3.

spring back; spring away from an impact

  • “The rubber ball bounced”
  • “These particles do not resile but they unite after they collide”
Synonyms
4.

produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly

  • “He sprang these news on me just as I was leaving”
5.

develop suddenly

  • “The tire sprang a leak”
6.

produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly

  • “He sprang these news on me just as I was leaving”

Origin

From Middle English springen, from Old English springan (“to spring, leap, bounce, sprout forth, emerge, spread out”), from Proto-West Germanic *springan, from Proto-Germanic *springaną (“to burst forth”), from Proto-Indo-European *spre(n)ǵʰ- (“to move, race, spring”), from *sperǵʰ- (“to hurry”). Cognates * Saterland Frisian springe * West Frisian springe * Dutch springen * German Low German springen * German springen * Danish springe * Swedish springa * Norwegian springe * Faroese springa * Icelandic springa (“to burst, explode”). Other possible cognates include Lithuanian spreñgti (“to push (in)”), Old Church Slavonic прѧсти (pręsti, “to spin, to stretch”), Latin spargere (“to sprinkle, to scatter”), Ancient Greek σπέρχω (spérkhō, “to hasten”), Sanskrit स्पृहयति (spṛháyati, “to be eager”). Some newer senses derived from the noun.

Phrases

  • advance spring
  • Ainsworth Hot Springs
  • air spring
  • Alice Springs
  • Altamonte Springs
  • Anderson Springs
  • anti-rattle spring
  • hope springs eternal
  • spring a butt
  • spring a leak
  • spring an arch
  • spring at

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.