spring

verb \ ˈspriŋ \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: spring in a Sentence

sprang play \ˈspraŋ\ or sprung play \ˈsprəŋ\; sprung; springing play \ˈspriŋ-iŋ\

intransitive verb

1 a (1) : dart, shoot

sparks sprang out from the fire

(2) : to be resilient or elastic; also : to move by elastic force

the lid sprang shut

b : to become warped

2 : to issue with speed and force or as a stream

tears spring from our eyes

3 a : to grow as a plant

b : to issue by birth or descent

sprang from the upper class

c : to come into being : arise

towns sprang up across the plains

d archaic : dawn

e : to begin to blow —used with up

a breeze quickly sprang up

4 a : to make a leap or series of leaps

springing across the lawn

b : to leap or jump up suddenly

sprang from their seats

5 : to stretch out in height : rise

6 : pay —used with for

I'll spring for the drinks

transitive verb

1 : to cause to spring

2 a : to undergo or bring about the splitting or cracking of

wind sprang the mast

b : to undergo the opening of (a leak)

3 a : to cause to operate suddenly

spring a trap

b : to apply or insert by bending

c : to bend by force

4 : to leap over

5 : to produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly

6 : to make lame

7 : to release or cause to be released from confinement or custody

sprung them from jail

Recent Examples of spring from the Web

Midway through the second half, Lloris was there again, springing off his line to punch away a dangerous right-wing cross from Belgium substitute Dries Mertens.

— jerome pugmire, The Seattle Times, "Superb defense takes France close to another World Cup title," 10 July 2018
Fermilab spokeswoman Deb Sebastian said a 400-gallon tank with sulfuric acid for water treatment sprang a pinhole-sized leak Monday around 2:30 p.m.

— megan jones, Aurora Beacon-News, "No injuries reported after acid leak at Fermilab in Batavia," 10 July 2018
When Glenn Taylor saw flames light up his York Township home’s door Tuesday night, the septuagenarian sprung into action and grabbed a fire extinguisher from the garage, the York Daily Record reported.

— astrid rodrigues, Philly.com, "Fireworks ignite Pennsylvania neighbor's front door," 5 July 2018
She was divorced, not widowed, and her 1889 westward journey sprang less from her artistic aspirations than from her deep concern for American Indian rights.

— justin chang, Detroit Free Press, "Review: ‘Woman Walks Ahead’ paints a timid picture," 4 July 2018
This time north—way north: 100,000 people sought their share in the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s, and rail sprang up to accommodate the hordes of miners and panners.

— william d’urso, Outside Online, "The Best Way to See the U.S. Is by Train," 1 July 2018
Asensio was a speculative target, but the German manager is known for springing surprises in the transfer window.

— SI.com, "Real Madrid Reportedly Have 'No Plans' to Let Marco Asensio Leave Despite Liverpool Interest," 28 June 2018
Union leaders on Wednesday pointed to the walkouts—which sprung up organically, rather than through union organizing—as a sign that employees still value the power of collective bargaining.

— kris maher, WSJ, "Public-Sector Unions Brace for Fallout From Supreme Court Decision on Fees," 27 June 2018
In October 1974, Mills made headlines when he was pulled over by police in Washington, D.C., and Foxe sprung out of his vehicle and jumped into the Tidal Basin just off the National Mall.

— emily sweeney, BostonGlobe.com, "Five things you didn’t know about Boston’s Combat Zone," 26 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spring.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of spring

Middle English, from Old English springan; akin to Old High German springan to jump and perhaps to Greek sperchesthai to hasten

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First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of spring

spring, arise, rise, originate, derive, flow, issue, emanate, proceed, stem mean to come up or out of something into existence. spring implies rapid or sudden emerging.

- an idea that springs to mind

arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent.

- new questions have arisen
- slowly rose to prominence

originate implies a definite source or starting point.

- the fire originated in the basement

derive implies a prior existence in another form.

- the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast

flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception.

- words flowed easily from her pen

issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet.

- blood issued from the cut

emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source.

- reports emanating from the capital

proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause.

- advice that proceeds from the best of intentions

stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development.

- industries stemming from space research

spring

noun, often attributive

1 a : a source of supply; especially : a source of water issuing from the ground

b : an ultimate source especially of action or motion

2 : spring tide

3 : a time or season of growth or development; specifically : the season between winter and summer comprising in the northern hemisphere usually the months of March, April, and May or as reckoned astronomically extending from the March equinox to the June solstice

4 : an elastic body or device that recovers its original shape when released after being distorted

5 a : the act or an instance of leaping up or forward : bound

b (1) : capacity for springing : resilience

(2) : energy, bounce

6 : the point or plane at which an arch or vault curve springs from its impost

—

springlike

play \ˈspriŋ-ˌlīk\ adjective

See spring defined for English-language learners

Examples of spring in a Sentence

We'll plant the seeds next spring.
We've had a rainy spring.
a beautiful day in early spring
The first few weeks of spring were unusually warm.
The mattress is old and some of the springs are broken.
The cushion has lost its spring.

Recent Examples of spring from the Web

Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus and his La Bomba spring 2018 collection is partly responsible, with its gigantic shoulder-grazing headgear that defied gravity (and practicality) and evoked the luxurious feel of a beachside vacation.

— halie lesavage, Glamour, "How a Larger-Than-Life Sunhat Became Summer's Must-Have Accessory," 11 July 2018
Justice Antonin Scalia’s death the following spring led to a 4-4 split that set no national precedents on whether Abood remained good law.

— matt ford, The New Republic, "How the Supreme Court Kills Roe v. Wade," 11 July 2018
The Blue Jays had high hopes for him again this year, but right shoulder inflammation limited him during spring training.

— mike barner, SI.com, "MLB DFS Plays for July 10," 10 July 2018
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett drove an RV to Goodyear, Arizona, from Sarasota, Florida, for spring training.

— bobby nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "How Scooter Gennett transformed from a Cincinnati Reds waiver claim into an All-Star," 10 July 2018
He was cut by the Cubs in April after hitting .250 last season in Single-A. An ankle injury hampered him in spring training this year.

— dave southorn, idahostatesman, "Ex-Boise State linebacker heads to College of Idaho after ending baseball career," 10 July 2018
That means in the spring clocks leap forward an hour to add extra sunshine to the evenings and fall back in the autumn to maximize early morning rays.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "The EU Mulls Ditching Daylight Saving Time," 9 July 2018
When spring arrives, two primary factors create a change: the phytoplankton bloom removes CO2 from the water through photosynthesis, and the water gets warmer, making conditions more favorable for shell production.

— laine welch, Anchorage Daily News, "For Alaska sockeye salmon, record highs in Bristol Bay, record lows nearly everywhere else," 9 July 2018
Magneuris Sierra, a speedy outfielder who came in the Ozuna trade, got off to a slow start at Triple-A New Orleans following a hamstring injury in spring training.

— craig davis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Marlins' young pitchers impress early, hitting prospects not ready for prime time," 1 July 2018

First Known Use of spring

before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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spring Synonyms

Synonyms

cradle, font, fountain, fountainhead, origin, root, seedbed, source, well, wellspring;

ground zero, square one;

Other Calendar Terms

antedate, estival, gloaming, luster, sesquicentennial

spring

verb

sprung play \ˈsprəŋ\; springing play \ˈspriŋ-iŋ\

transitive verb

: to fit with springs

Recent Examples of spring from the Web

Vegan restaurants, meanwhile, have sprung up in Paris and edgy bits of other cities, serving raw food, kale and green shakes to végétaliens.

— The Economist, "French vegans are tormenting France’s butchers," 5 July 2018
For the fifth year, the community garden beds have sprung to life at Hammond’s Circle of Services location at the North Township Trustees office.

— staff report, Post-Tribune, "North Township gardens come to life," 2 July 2018
Three dozen casinos have sprung up in the once-sleepy resort town, most in the past two years.

— Bloomberg.com, "Bloomberg’s Week in Pictures," 21 June 2018
Wilderness camps and rehabilitation centers have sprung up, but can cost tens of thousands of dollars, with scarce proof of success.

— Anchorage Daily News, "Video game addiction tries to move from basement to doctor's office," 18 June 2018
The population of animals like polecats, pine martens and badgers have sprung back, now that they are not longer widely trapped or killed for being pests.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "The UK’s Hedgehogs (and Other Mammals) Are In Danger," 16 June 2018
The Versa also doesn’t have a shred of playfulness in its chassis, although its softly sprung suspension does make for a comfortable ride.

— Car and Driver, "2018 Nissan Versa," 29 Mar. 2018
New communities and open houses are springing up across the county this season.

— pat setter, sandiegouniontribune.com, "What's new in neighborhoods, open houses across San Diego County," 10 Mar. 2018
Immediately following Kennedy’s decision, which had been rumored for months, conservative groups sprang into action.

— massimo calabresi, Time, "With Justice Kennedy Gone, It's Trump's Court Now," 28 June 2018

First Known Use of spring

1821

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Financial Definition of SPRING

spring

noun

What It Is

Springs are false breakouts that can trap the unsuspecting trader. Spring patterns quickly reverse, with the stock or index then often testing the opposite end of the trading range. A spring is a false breakout to the downside. It is so-named because prices "spring" back.

How It Works

Springs are a type of technical pattern named by legendary technician Richard Wycoff. The quality of the spring can be judged by an examination of the degree of penetration of support or resistance, as well as the volume on the day or period this penetration occurred. These four scenarios are possible:

-- Large penetration on large volume
Large penetration on small volume
Small penetration on large volume
Small penetration on small volume

For a spring, a small penetration on small volume is bullish, as it indicates there are few traders who are willing to sell their shares below support.

Springs provide the swing trader with good opportunities. First, they can provide a stop loss, which should be placed just below the extreme of the day the spring occurred. They can also create a target, since the stock is likely to test the opposite end of the trading range.

Why It Matters

Being able to accurately recognize a spring can turn a potential threat from a false breakouts into an opportunity. Swing traders should always watch the activity following a breakout to confirm whether a stock is behaving as it should. If not, then it might still provide an excellent trading situation -- if you spot a spring in the making.

Source: Investing Answers

SPRING Defined for English Language Learners

spring

noun

: the season between winter and summer : the season when plants and trees begin to grow
: a twisted or coiled piece of metal that returns to its original shape when it is pressed down or stretched
: the ability of something to return to its original shape when it is pressed down, stretched, twisted, etc.