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   spring

   /sprɪŋ/

   verb

   • 1. move or jump suddenly or rapidly upwards or forwards: "I sprang out of bed" Similar leapjumpboundvaulthopappear suddenlyappear unexpectedlymaterializeinformal:pop up
   • ▪ move rapidly or suddenly from a constrained position by or as if by the action of a spring: "the drawer sprang open" Similar fly backrecoilkick backrare:resile
   • ▪ operate suddenly by means of a mechanism: "the engine sprang into life"
   • ▪ cause (a game bird) to rise from cover.
   • ▪ bring about the escape or release of (a prisoner): informal "the president sought to spring the hostages"
   • 2. originate or arise from: "madness and creativity could spring from the same source" Similar originate fromhave its origins inderive fromarise fromstem fromemanate fromproceed fromstart fromissue fromevolve fromcome from
   • ▪ appear suddenly or unexpectedly from: "tears sprang from his eyes"
   • ▪ suddenly develop or appear: "a terrible storm sprang up"
   • ▪ present or propose something suddenly or unexpectedly to (someone): "we decided to spring a surprise on them" Similar announce suddenly/unexpectedlypresent suddenly/unexpectedlyintroduce suddenly/unexpectedlyreveal suddenly/unexpectedly
   • 3. (especially of wood) become warped or split.
   • ▪ (of a boat) suffer splitting of (a mast or other part).
   • 4. pay for: informal North American "don't spring for the album until you've heard it"
   • ▪ spend (money): archaic "he might spring a few shillings more"
   • 5. come upon (an illicit activity or its perpetrator): informal Australian "our science teacher sprung me acting the goat"

   noun

   • 1. the season after winter and before summer, in which vegetation begins to appear, in the northern hemisphere from March to May and in the southern hemisphere from September to November: "in spring the garden is a feast of blossom" Similar springtimeEastertideliterary:springtideMaytime
   • ▪ the period from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice.
   • ▪ short for spring tide
   • 2. an elastic device, typically a helical metal coil, that can be pressed or pulled but returns to its former shape when released, used chiefly to exert constant tension or absorb movement.
   • ▪ the ability to spring back strongly; elasticity: "the mattress has lost its spring" Similar springinessbouncinessbounceresilienceelasticityflexibilitystretchstretchinessgiverare:tensility
   • 3. a sudden jump upwards or forwards: "with a sudden spring, he leapt on to the table" Similar leapjumpboundvaulthoppouncerare:saltation
   • ▪ an escape or release from prison. informal, dated
   • 4. a place where water or oil wells up from an underground source, or the basin or flow formed in such a way: "the well is fed by mountain springs" Similar well headsourcespageyserhot springthermal springsulphur springliterary:wellwellspringfount
   • ▪ the origin or a source of something: "the springs of his own emotions" Similar originsourcefountainheadrootrootsbasis
   • 5. an upward curvature of a ship's deck planking from the horizontal.
   • ▪ a split in a wooden plank or spar under strain.
   • 6. a hawser laid out diagonally aft from a ship's bow or forward from a ship's stern and secured to a fixed point in order to prevent movement or assist manoeuvring.
   • 7. a flock of teal: rare "a spring of teal follows and we listen as they pass"

   Word Origin Old Englishspring (noun), springan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German springen. Early use in the senses ‘head of a well’ and ‘rush out in a stream’ gave rise to the figurative use ‘originate’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. springless adjective
   • 2. springlike adjective

   Scrabble Points: 9

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   • P

     3

   • R

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