spring
spring Lexical Profile
spring Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The season of the year that follows winter and precedes summer, typically associated with the blossoming of plants and the return of warmer weather.
"The cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., are a famous sight during the spring."
An elastic device, typically a helical metal coil, that can be pressed or pulled but returns to its former shape when released.
"The old mattress lost its support because a heavy steel spring had snapped inside."
A natural discharge point of subterranean water at the surface of the ground.
"We filled our canteens with fresh, cold water from the mountain spring."
• verb
To move or jump suddenly and rapidly upwards or forwards.
"The cat waited patiently in the tall grass, ready to spring at the passing mouse."
To originate or arise from a particular source or cause.
"Her intense dedication to environmental causes springs from her childhood spent in the wilderness."
To release or be released from a bent or compressed state, often resulting in sudden movement.
"He carefully set the mousetrap so that it wouldn't spring prematurely."
Word Nuance & Usage
The past tense of the verb is traditionally 'sprang' in formal writing, while 'sprung' strictly serves as the past participle, though 'sprung' is increasingly accepted as a simple past form in conversational English.
• Rhymes for spring
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'springan' (to leap, burst forth, fly up), from Proto-Germanic '*sprenganan'. The noun sense of the season developed in the 16th century as a shortening of 'spring of the year' or 'spring of the leaf'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.