spring
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: sprĭng
ipa: /spɹɪŋ/
rhymes: -ɪŋ
Forms: form: springs
Etymology: From Middle English spryng (“a wellspring, tide, branch, sunrise, kind of dance or blow, ulcer, snare, flock”); partly from Old English spring (“wellspring, ulcer”), from Proto-West Germanic *spring, from Proto-Germanic *springaz (“a wellspring, fount”); and partly from Old English spryng (“a jump”), from Proto-West Germanic *sprungi, from Proto-Germanic *sprungiz (“a jump”). Further senses derived from the verb and from clippings of day-spring, springtime, spring tide, etc. Its sense as the season, first attested in a work predating 1325, gradually replaced Middle English lente, lentin, from Old English lencten (“spring, Lent”) as that word became more specifically liturgical. Compare fall.
Senses: examples: text: The pris'ner with a spring from prison broke;
Then stretch'd his feather'd fans with all his might,
And to the neighb'ring maple wing'd his flight.
ref: 1700, John Dryden, The Cock and the Fox:
glosses: An act of springing: a leap, a jump.
examples: text: Spring is the time of the year most species reproduce.
text: You can visit me in the spring, when the weather is bearable.
text: No joy the blowing season gives,
⁠The herald melodies of spring,
⁠But in the songs I love to sing
A doubtful gleam of solace lives.
ref: 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXVIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 59:
text: Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals.
ref: 2012 March-April, Anna Lena Phillips, “Sneaky Silk Moths”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 19 Feb 2013, page 172:
synonyms: springtime
coordinate_terms: summer
autumn or fall
winter
glosses: The season of the year in temperate regions in which temperatures and daylight hours rise, and plants spring from the ground and into bloom and dormant animals spring to life.
examples: text: Chinese New Year always occurs in January or February but is called the "Spring Festival" throughout East Asia because it is reckoned as the beginning of their spring.
topics: astronomy
natural-sciences
synonyms: springtime
coordinate_terms: summer
autumn or fall
winter
glosses: The season of the year in temperate regions in which temperatures and daylight hours rise, and plants spring from the ground and into bloom and dormant animals spring to life.
The period from the moment of vernal equinox (around March 21 in the Northern Hemisphere) to the moment of the summer solstice (around June 21); the equivalent periods reckoned in other cultures and calendars.
examples: text: I spent my spring holidays in Morocco.
text: The spring issue will be out next week.
topics: climatology
meteorology
natural-sciences
synonyms: springtime
coordinate_terms: summer
autumn or fall
winter
glosses: The season of the year in temperate regions in which temperatures and daylight hours rise, and plants spring from the ground and into bloom and dormant animals spring to life.
The three months of March, April, and May in the Northern Hemisphere and September, October, and November in the Southern Hemisphere.
examples: text: ...and it came to passe about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house...
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 9:26:
text: O how this spring of love resembleth
The uncertain glory of an April day.
ref: c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
glosses: The time of something's growth; the early stages of some process.
examples: text: Arab Spring
text: Prague Spring
topics: government
politics
glosses: The time of something's growth; the early stages of some process.
a period of political liberalization and democratization
topics: fashion
lifestyle
glosses: Someone with ivory or peach skin tone and eyes and hair that are not extremely dark, seen as best suited to certain colors of clothing.
examples: text: This beer was brewed with pure spring water.
topics: geography
geology
natural-sciences
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
A spray or body of water springing from the ground.
synonyms: fount
source
topics: geography
natural-sciences
oceanography
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
The rising of the sea at high tide.
topics: geography
natural-sciences
oceanography
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
Ellipsis of spring tide, the especially high tide shortly after full and new moons.
antonyms: neap tide
examples: text: We jumped so hard the bed springs broke.
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
An elastic mechanical part or device in any shape (e.g., flat, curved, coiled), made of flexible material (usually spring steel) that exerts force and attempts to spring back when bent, compressed, or stretched.
examples: text: He had warped round with the springs on his cable, and had recommenced his fire upon the Aurora.
ref: 1836, Frederick Marryat, Mr. Midshipman Easy, volume III, page 72:
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
A line from a vessel's end or side to its anchor cable used to diminish or control its movement.
examples: text: You should put a couple of springs onto the jetty to stop the boat moving so much.
text: Spring is likewise a rope reaching diagonally from the stern of a ship to the head of another which lies along-side or a-breast of her.
ref: 1769, William Falconer, An Universal Dictionary of the Marine, s.v:
text: ‘Springs’ are the ropes used on a ship that is alongside a berth to prevent fore and aft movements.
ref: 2007 January 26, Business Times::
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
A line laid out from a vessel's end to the opposite end of an adjacent vessel or mooring to diminish or control its movement.
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
A race, a lineage.
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
A youth.
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
A shoot, a young tree.
glosses: Something which springs, springs forth, springs up, or springs back, particularly
A grove of trees; a forest.
glosses: An erection of the penis.
examples: text: A spar is said to be sprung, when it is cracked or split,... and the crack is called a spring.
ref: 1846, Arthur Young, Nautical Dictionary, page 292:
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: A crack which has sprung up in a mast, spar, or (rare) a plank or seam.
examples: text: the spring of a bow
glosses: Springiness: an attribute or quality of springing, springing up, or springing back, particularly
Elasticity: the property of a body springing back to its original form after compression, stretching, etc.
synonyms: bounce
bounciness
elasticity
resilience
springiness
examples: text: Heav'ns what a spring was in his Arm, to throw:
How high he held his Shield, and rose at ev'ry blow!
ref: 1697, John Dryden, Virgil's Aeneis, Bk. xi, ll. 437–8
text: Mrs Durbeyfield, excited by her song, trod the rocker with all the spring that was left in her after a long day's seething in the suds.
ref: 1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 30:
glosses: Springiness: an attribute or quality of springing, springing up, or springing back, particularly
Elastic energy, power, or force.
examples: text: As wel the singers as the players on instruments shall bee there: all my springs are in thee.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 87:7:
text: Such a man can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth him, he can patiently suffer all things with cheerfull submission and resignation to the Divine Will. He has a secret Spring of spiritual Joy, and the continual Feast of a good Conscience within, that forbid him to be miserable.
ref: 1693, The Folly and Unreasonableness of Atheism..., Richard Bentley, Sermon 1:
text: […] discover, at least in some degree, the secret springs and principles, by which the human mind is actuated in its operations?
ref: 1748, David Hume, Enquiries Concerning the Human Understanding and Concerning the Principles of Morals, London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, §9:
text: ‘Have you ever contemplated, Adrian, the phenomenon of springs?’
‘Coils, you mean?’
‘Not coils, Adrian, no. Coils not. Think springs of water. Think wells and spas and sources. Well-springs in the widest and loveliest sense. Jerusalem, for instance, is a spring of religiosity. One small town in the desert, but the source of the world’s three most powerful faiths. […] Religion seems to bubble from its sands.’
ref: 1991 September, Stephen Fry, “[Prelude to chapter 1]”, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section, page 1:
synonyms: impetus
impulse
glosses: The source from which an action or supply of something springs.
examples: text: Our Author ſhuns by vulgar Springs to move / The Hero's Glory, or the Virgin's Love; […]
ref: 1712 (date written), [Alexander] Pope, “Prologue, by Mr. Pope. Spoken by Mr. Wilks.”, in [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC:
glosses: Something which causes others or another to spring forth or spring into action, particularly
A cause, a motive, etc.
examples: text: The firstand spring the fiddle did play
Hey wi the gay and the grinding
Said, "Ye'll drown my sister, as she's dune me."
At the bony bony bows of London
ref: (Can we date this quote?), stanza 18, in The Bonny Bows o London (as collected by Buchan in 'Ancient ballads and songs of the north of Scotland'):
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
music
glosses: Something which causes others or another to spring forth or spring into action, particularly
A lively piece of music.
Synonyms: sense: time of growth, early stages
word: beginning
Derived terms: word: advance spring
word: afterspring
word: after-spring
word: Ainsworth Hot Springs
word: air spring
word: air-spring
word: Alice Springs
word: Altamonte Springs
word: Anderson Springs
word: anti-rattle spring
word: arc spring
word: Arlington Springs Man
word: Arlington Springs Woman
word: artesian spring
word: Aspen Springs
word: Athol Springs
word: Augusta Springs
word: austral spring
word: autumn-spring
word: auxiliary spring
word: balance spring
word: Banff Springs physa
word: Barton Springs salamander
word: Bay Springs
word: Bear Valley Springs
word: bedspring
word: Beijing Spring
word: Belleville spring
word: bending spring
word: Bennett Springs
word: Berber Spring
word: Berkeley Springs
word: Big Spring
word: boiling spring
word: Bonita Springs
word: border spring
word: Borrego Springs
word: bow spring
word: box spring
word: box-spring
word: Boyes Hot Springs
word: brine spring
word: brush spring
word: buckling spring
word: Caballine spring
word: California Hot Springs
word: Cambridge Springs defence
word: Cambridge Springs defense
word: cantilever spring
word: card spring
word: Carrizo Springs
word: Carter Springs
word: cart spring
word: Castle Hot Springs
word: cee spring
word: cee-spring
word: C spring
word: c-spring
word: Clearspring
word: clock spring
word: closed spring
word: coiled spring sign
word: coil spring
word: coil spring clutch
word: Coldspring
word: Cold Spring
word: Cold Springs
word: Colorado Springs
word: compression spring
word: contact spring
word: Coral Springs
word: Crescent Springs
word: Croatian Spring
word: cupped spring washer
word: Damascus Spring
word: damper spring
word: day-spring
word: dayspring
word: DeFuniak Springs
word: Desert Hot Springs
word: detent ball and spring
word: Diamond Springs
word: diaphragm spring
word: door hold-open spring
word: Double Springs
word: draw-spring
word: drawspring
word: driving spring
word: early spring orchis
word: elliptic spring
word: Eureka Springs
word: Excelsior Springs
word: extension spring
word: extra spring
word: farewell-to-spring
word: Fetters Hot Springs-Agua Caliente
word: finger spring
word: Fish Springs
word: flat spring
word: float bumper spring
word: fool's spring
word: footsteps-of-spring
word: forespring
word: forest-spring encephalitis
word: full of the joys of spring
word: garter spring
word: gas spring
word: Geuda Springs
word: Glenwood Springs
word: graduated spring
word: Green Cove Springs
word: Greene Springs
word: Green Springs
word: haemoglobin Constant Spring
word: hemoglobin Constant Spring
word: hairspring
word: hand-spring
word: handspring
word: harbinger-of-spring
word: headspring
word: Heber Springs
word: helical spring
word: helper spring
word: Holly Springs
word: hot spring
word: Hot Spring County
word: Hot Springs
word: Hot Springs County
word: Hot Sulphur Springs
word: hydrospring
word: Idaho Springs
word: Indian spring low water
word: Indian Springs
word: innerspring
word: inside spring caliper
word: Iron Springs
word: Jacumba Hot Springs
word: jagger spring
word: Jesus spring
word: karstic spring
word: karst spring
word: Kesling spring
word: laminated spring
word: land-spring
word: land spring
word: laspring
word: latter spring
word: Laurel Springs
word: leaf spring
word: leaf-spring
word: Lehman Springs
word: lifespring
word: locating spring
word: loop spring
word: mainspring
word: Manitou Springs
word: master-spring
word: mean high water spring
word: mean low water spring
word: meshing spring
word: mid-spring
word: mineral spring
word: motor spring
word: natural spring
word: Navajo Springs
word: negative spring
word: Newberry Springs
word: no spring chicken
word: offspring
word: ofspring
word: Oliver Springs
word: one swallow does not a spring make
word: one swallow does not make a spring
word: one swallow doesn't a spring make
word: one swallow doesn't make a spring
word: open spring
word: Operation Spring Awakening
word: Operation Spring Cleanup
word: Operation Spring of Youth
word: outside spring caliper
word: outspring
word: overload spring
word: paddle spring
word: Pagosa Springs
word: Palm Springs
word: parabolic spring
word: Peach Springs
word: Pierian spring
word: Pierian Spring
word: piston spring
word: Prague Spring
word: progressively wound valve spring
word: progressive rate spring
word: progressive valve spring
word: proxigean spring tide
word: rare spring-sedge
word: rattle spring
word: recoil spring
word: restoring spring
word: retainer spring tool
word: retro-spring
word: return spring
word: Richland Springs
word: Rocksprings
word: Running Springs
word: Russian spring-summer encephalitis
word: saddle-spring
word: salt spring
word: Sandy Springs
word: Santa Fe Springs
word: Saratoga Springs
word: sear spring
word: sea-spring
word: seepage spring
word: semi-elliptic spring
word: separating spring
word: Sharon Springs
word: Shingle Springs
word: shoe return spring
word: Silver Springs
word: single rate spring
word: soda spring
word: Soda Springs
word: Spanish Springs
word: spiral spring
word: splayed spring
word: spreader spring
word: spring-action
word: spring ague
word: Spring and Autumn
word: spring and fall
word: spring avens
word: spring azure
word: spring back
word: spring-back
word: Springbal
word: spring balance
word: Spring Bank Holiday
word: spring bar
word: spring barley
word: spring-based
word: spring baton
word: Spring Bay
word: spring beam
word: spring-beam
word: spring beating
word: spring beating spoon
word: spring beauty
word: spring-beauty
word: spring bed
word: spring beetle
word: spring-beetle
word: spring-bell
word: spring bevel
word: spring-biased
word: spring binder
word: spring-binder
word: spring-binding
word: spring-bladed
word: spring-blood
word: spring bloom
word: spring-board
word: springboard
word: spring bolt
word: spring booster
word: spring born
word: springborne
word: spring bow
word: spring bows
word: spring box
word: spring-box
word: spring brake
word: spring branch
word: spring-branch
word: spring brass
word: spring break
word: spring breaker
word: spring bud
word: spring cabbage
word: spring cable
word: spring cankerworm
word: spring cap
word: spring-carriage
word: spring-cart
word: spring catch
word: spring channel binder
word: spring chicken
word: spring choke
word: spring clamp
word: spring clean
word: spring-clean
word: spring-cleaning
word: spring cleaning
word: spring cleavers
word: spring clip
word: spring clock
word: spring clutch
word: spring coach
word: spring collar
word: spring collet
word: spring compressor
word: spring conjunctivitis
word: spring constant
word: spring contractor
word: spring corn
word: spring cress
word: spring crocus
word: spring crop
word: spring crust
word: spring dance
word: spring dart
word: Spring Day
word: spring destroying angel
word: spring disease
word: spring divider
word: spring drive
word: spring-driven
word: spring dwindling
word: springed
word: spring ephemeral
word: spring equation
word: spring equinox
word: spring eruption
word: springet
word: spring eye
word: spring-fed
word: spring feed
word: Springfest
word: spring festival
word: spring fever
word: spring field cricket
word: spring finger
word: springfish
word: spring-fitted
word: spring-flood
word: spring floor
word: spring flower
word: spring-flowering
word: spring fly
word: spring force
word: springforger
word: springform
word: springform pan
word: spring forward, fall back
word: spring fowl
word: spring frame
word: spring-framed
word: spring fret
word: spring frog
word: spring-froth
word: springful
word: spring garden
word: spring gathered
word: spring gauge
word: spring gentian
word: spring ginger
word: spring grass
word: spring-grass
word: spring green
word: spring greens
word: Spring Grove
word: spring growth
word: spring gun
word: spring-gun
word: spring hammer
word: spring hanger
word: spring hare
word: spring-hare
word: springhare
word: spring has sprung
word: spring-headed
word: spring-head
word: springhead
word: spring heath
word: spring heel
word: spring-heeled
word: Spring-heeled Jack
word: spring-heeled Jack
word: spring herring
word: spring hock
word: spring-hole
word: Spring Holiday
word: spring hook
word: spring horse
word: spring house
word: spring-house
word: springhouse
word: spring in one's step
word: springish
word: spring isolator
word: spring jack
word: spring-jointed
word: spring juices
word: spring kale
word: spring-keeper
word: springkeeper
word: spring-knife
word: Spring Lake
word: spring lamb
word: spring lancet
word: spring latch
word: spring lathe
word: springle
word: spring leaf
word: springless
word: springlet
word: spring lettuce
word: spring ligament
word: spring-like
word: springlike
word: spring lily
word: spring line settlement
word: springline settlement
word: spring line
word: springline
word: springling
word: spring-load
word: spring-loaded
word: spring-loaded camming device
word: spring-loaded mode
word: spring-loading
word: spring-locked
word: spring lock
word: spring-lock
word: springlock
word: spring lock washer
word: spring maker
word: spring-making
word: spring-manufacturing
word: spring mattress
word: spring melt
word: spring mix
word: spring-mounted
word: spring net
word: spring of action
word: spring of pork
word: spring of the leaf
word: spring of the sea
word: spring of the year
word: spring of wood
word: spring onion
word: spring-operated
word: spring ophthalmia
word: spring overshoot
word: spring overturn
word: spring padlock
word: Spring Palace
word: spring parsley
word: spring pasque flower
taxonomic: Pseudacris crucifer
word: spring peeper
word: spring peering
word: spring pin
word: spring-pit
word: spring planting
word: spring plate
word: spring ploughing
word: spring pocket
word: spring pole
word: spring-pottage
word: spring power
word: spring-powered
word: Spring Prairie
word: spring punch
word: spring quillwort
word: spring rail
word: spring rate
word: spring-release
word: spring reverb
word: spring rider
word: spring ring clasp
word: spring rocker
word: spring roll
word: spring roller
word: spring root
word: spring rope
word: spring-run fish
word: spring runoff
word: spring rye
word: spring saddle
word: spring sail
word: spring salamander
word: spring salmon
word: spring-salt
word: spring saw
word: spring scale
word: spring scalecap
word: spring searcher
word: spring seat
word: spring seed
word: spring shackle
word: spring-shaping
word: spring-shaw
word: spring shoot
word: spring shower
word: springside
word: spring sludge
word: spring snow
word: spring snowflake
word: springs of life
word: spring soup
word: spring sowing
word: spring sown
word: spring-spawning
word: spring spike
word: springspotter
word: spring squill
word: spring stay
word: spring steel
word: spring stone
word: spring stud
word: spring suit
word: spring suspension
word: spring swamp
word: spring sweep
word: spring tail
word: spring-tail
word: springtail
word: spring tapping
word: spring-teller
word: spring temper
word: spring-tempered
word: spring term
word: spring thaw
word: spring tide
word: spring-tide
word: springtide
word: spring-tight
word: spring tiller
word: spring time
word: spring-time
word: springtime
word: spring tine
word: spring-tined
word: spring tool
word: spring-tooth
word: spring training
word: spring trap
word: spring-tree
word: Spring Triangle
word: spring-type
word: spring-type brake actuator
word: spring usher
word: spring vacation
word: spring valve
word: spring vegetable
word: spring vetchling
word: Springview
word: spring violet
word: spring wagon
word: spring wagtail
word: spring washer
word: spring watch
word: spring-watered
word: spring water
word: spring-water
word: springwater
word: spring-well
word: spring wheat
word: spring wind
word: spring windup
word: spring wood
word: spring-wood
word: springwood
word: spring work
word: springy
word: Stallion Springs
word: Steamboat Springs
word: steel spring
word: sulfur spring
word: sulphur spring
word: Sulphur Springs
word: Sutherland Springs
word: take one's spring from
word: take one's spring out of
word: tensioning spring
word: tension spring
word: thermal spring
word: thermostatic spring choke
word: The Spring Offensive
word: The Spring of Nations
word: throttle return spring
word: torsion spring
word: trailing spring
word: truss spring steel
word: underspring
word: Union Springs
word: upholstery coil spring
word: uprighting spring
word: upspring
word: up what spring
word: Valley Springs
word: valve spring
word: valve spring cap
word: valve spring collar
word: valve spring compressor
word: valve spring depressor
word: valve spring lifter
word: valve spring retainer
word: valve spring seat
word: variable rate spring
word: variable spring
word: Vauclusian spring
word: vauclusian spring
word: vintage spring
word: volute spring
word: V-spring
word: wall spring
word: warm spring
word: Warm Springs
word: watch main spring steel
word: watchspring
word: water-spring
word: wave spring
word: Webster Springs
word: weeping spring
word: well-spring
word: wellspring
word: Wessington Springs
word: White Sulphur Springs
word: Winter Springs
word: zero-length spring
word: Z spring
Related terms: aspring
atspring
bespring
espringal
rumspringa
springal
springald
springboc
springbock
springbok
springe
spring-haas
springhaas
springhalt
springle