spray
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /spɹeɪ/
rhymes: -eɪ
Forms: form: sprays
Etymology: From Middle English spray, from Old English *spræġ, sprei (found in place names such as that of Spreyton, England), of unknown origin.
Senses: examples: text: The bridesmaid carried a spray of lily-of-the-valley.
text: O Nightingale, that on yon bloomy ſpray / Warbleſt at eve, when all the woods are ſtill, / Thou with freſh hope the lover’s heart doſt fill, / While the jolly hours lead on propitious May.
ref: a. 1674, John Milton, “To the Nightingale”, in Paradise Regain’d, Birmingham: J. and R. Tonson and S. Draper, published 1752, page 506:
text: The painted Birds, Companions of the Spring, / Hopping from Spray to Spray, were heard to ſing ; / Both Eyes and Ears receiv’d a like Delight, / Enchanting Muſick, and a charming Sight.
ref: 1700, [John] Dryden, “The Flower and the Leaf: Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 385:
synonyms: sprig
glosses: A small branch of flowers or berries.
examples: text: The tree has a beautiful spray.
text: A blisful flour, owt of this spray schal springe ; / The fruyt þer-of schal be ful precïous ; / A causë haue [we] for to ioye & synge, / In honure of þat maidë gracïous, / That gret comfort schal cause[n] vnto vs ; / ffor now schal faste oure company encrees, / And god with man schal makë smallë pees.
ref: a. 1426, Thomas Hoccleve, “The recordyng of aungeles song of the Natiuite of oure lady”, in Frederick James Furnivall, editor, Hoccleve's Works, volume III (in Middle English), London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., published 1897, lines 8–14, page xlvi:
english: A blissful flower out will spring out of this spray; / Its fruit shall be very precious; / We have cause for joy and song, / In honour of that gracious maid, / Who will make us very comfortable; / for now our company will grow quickly, / And man will make peace with God.
translation: A blissful flower out will spring out of this spray; / Its fruit shall be very precious; / We have cause for joy and song, / In honour of that gracious maid, / Who will make us very comfortable; / for now our company will grow quickly, / And man will make peace with God.
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51
text: And from the Trees did lop the needless Spray;
ref: c. 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book VII, Canto VII:
glosses: A collective body of small branches.
examples: text: Gret fur he made þer aniȝt of wode & of sprai.
ref: a. 1300, Robert of Gloucester, “Henricus”, in William Aldis Wright, editor, The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester (in Middle English), London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, published 1887, part I, page 755:
english: There, at night, he made a great box out of wood and spray.
translation: There, at night, he made a great box out of wood and spray.
bold_translation_offsets: 53
59
text: Troubled, 'wilder'd, and forlorn, / Dark, benighted, travel-worn, / Over many a tangled spray, / All heart-broke I heard her say
ref: 1789, William Blake, “A Dream”, in Songs of Innocence:
text: The pea, being a tendrilled climber, whenever it is to be cultivated to the greatest advantage, ought to be supported by pea sticks, which are branches of trees or shrubs well furnished with spray, and of lengths suited to the height to which the plants grow.
ref: a. 1843, John Claudius Loudon, “Catalogue of Culinary Vegetables”, in The Suburban Horticulturalist, London: Bradbury and Evans, published 1845, page 631:
glosses: Branches and twigs collectively; foliage.
glosses: An orchard.
glosses: An ornament or design that resembles a branch.