spring (sprɪŋ
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: springs, springing, sprang, sprung, sprung
- to move or cause to move suddenly upwards or forwards in a single motion
- to release or be released from a forced position by elastic force ⇒
the bolt sprang back
- (tr) to leap or jump over
- (intr) to come, issue, or arise suddenly
- (intr) (of a part of a mechanism, etc) to jump out of place
- to make (wood, etc) warped or split or (of wood, etc) to become warped or split
- to happen or cause to happen unexpectedly ⇒
to spring a surprise
the boat sprung a leak
- (intr) to develop or originate ⇒
the idea sprang from a chance meeting
- (intr) from to be descended ⇒
he sprang from peasant stock
- (intr) up to come into being or appear suddenly ⇒
factories springing up
- (tr) (of a gun dog) to rouse (game) from cover
- (intr) (of game or quarry) to start or rise suddenly from cover
- (intr) to appear to have a strong upward movement ⇒
the beam springs away from the pillar
- to explode (a mine) or (of a mine) to explode
- (tr) to provide with a spring or springs
- (tr) informal to arrange the escape of (someone) from prison
- (intr) archaic or poetic (of daylight or dawn) to begin to appear
noun
- the act or an instance of springing
- a leap, jump, or bound
- the quality of resilience; elasticity
- ((as modifier) ⇒
spring steel
- the act or an instance of moving rapidly back from a position of tension
- a natural outflow of ground water, as forming the source of a stream
- ((as modifier) ⇒
spring water
- a device, such as a coil or strip of steel, that stores potential energy when it is compressed, stretched, or bent and releases it when the restraining force is removed
- ((as modifier) ⇒
a spring mattress
- a structural defect such as a warp or bend
- (sometimes capital) the season of the year between winter and summer, astronomically from the March equinox to the June solstice in the N hemisphere and from the September equinox to the December solstice in the S hemisphere
- ((as modifier) ⇒
spring showers
related adjective vernal
- the earliest or freshest time of something
- a source or origin
- one of a set of strips of rubber, steel, etc, running down the inside of the handle of a cricket bat, hockey stick, etc
spring line nautical a mooring line, usually one of a pair that cross amidships- a flock of teal
- architecture another name for springing
Alternative Forms
ˈspringless adjective ˈspringˌlike adjectiveWord Origin
Old English springan; related to Old Norse springa, Old High German springan, Sanskrit sprhayati he desires, Old Slavonic pragu grasshopperQuotations
"April is the cruellest month, breedingLilacs out of the dead land, mixingMemory and desire, stirringDull roots with spring rain"
Translations
- British English:
spring
Spring is the season between winter and summer when the weather becomes warmer and plants start to grow again.They are getting married next spring.sprɪŋ NOUN They are getting married next spring.
- Spanish:
muelle
nm
- French:
printemps
nm
- German:
Feder
nf
- Chinese: 春天 n
- Arabic: الرَّبِيع n
- Portuguese: mola nf
- Russian: пружина nf
- Croatian: opruga nf
- Czech: pružina nf
- Danish: fjeder nutr
- Dutch: veer n
- Finnish: jousi n
- Greek: ελατήριο nnt
- Italian: molla nf
- Japanese: 春 n
- Korean: 용수철 n
- Norwegian: spole nm
- Polish: sprężyna nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: primavera nf
- European Spanish:
muelle
nm
- Swedish: fjäder nutr
- Thai: ลวดสปริง n
- Turkish: yay n
- Vietnamese: lò xo n
- British English:
spring
A spring is a long piece of metal that goes round and round. It goes back to the same shape after you pull it.The springs in the bed were old.sprɪŋ NOUN The springs in the bed were old.
- Spanish:
primavera
nf
- French:
ressort
nm
- German:
Frühling
nm
- Chinese: 弹簧 n
- Arabic: زُنْبُرُك n
- Portuguese: Primavera nf
- Russian: весна
- Croatian: proljeće nnt
- Czech: jaro nnt
- Danish: forår nnt
- Dutch: lente n
- Finnish: kevät n
- Greek: άνοιξη nf
- Italian: primavera nf
- Japanese: ばね n
- Korean: 봄 n
- Norwegian: vår nm
- Polish: wiosna nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: mola nf
- European Spanish:
primavera
nf
- Swedish: vår nutr
- Thai: ฤดูใบไม้ผลิ n
- Turkish: ilkbahar n
- Vietnamese: mùa xuân n
Usage examples
They'd sat down in a sheltered corner, the watery spring sunshine barely warm enough for outside drinking.
, THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)Other Derbyshire favourites include pork pies, Buxton spring water, Thorntons chocolate, gingerbread and real ale.
Country Life (2004)The shamelessly prolific Margaret Atwood and David Adams Richards both have new novels out this spring.
Globe and Mail (2003)The water supply to the house comes from a spring which is cleaned by an ultra violet filter.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Just as night turns to day and winter turns to spring , everything changes.
, MOVING INTO ECSTASY: An Urban Mystic's Guide to Movement, Music and Meditation (2001)