sprint /spr I nt/ (sprints , sprinting , sprinted )
1 N‑SING The sprint is a short, fast running race. □ Rob Harmeling won the sprint in Bordeaux. □ …the women's 100-metres sprint.
2 N‑COUNT A sprint is a short race in which the competitors run, drive, ride, or swim very fast. □ Lewis will compete in both sprints in Stuttgart.
3 N‑SING A sprint is a fast run that someone does, either at the end of a race or because they are in a hurry. □ I broke into a sprint.
4 VERB If you sprint , you run or ride as fast as you can over a short distance. □ [V adv/prep] Sergeant Horne sprinted to the car.
sprint|er /spr I ntə r / (sprinters ) N‑COUNT A sprinter is a person who takes part in short, fast races.
sprite /spra I t/ (sprites ) N‑COUNT In fairy stories and legends, a sprite is a small, magic creature which lives near water.
spritz|er /spr I tsə r / (spritzers ) N‑COUNT A spritzer is a drink consisting of white wine and soda water.
sprock|et /sprɒ k I t/ (sprockets ) N‑COUNT A sprocket is a wheel with teeth around the outer edge that fit into the holes in a chain or a length of film or tape in order to move it round.
sprog /sprɒ g/ (sprogs ) N‑COUNT A sprog is a baby or child. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
sprout /spraʊ t/ (sprouts , sprouting , sprouted )
1 VERB When plants, vegetables, or seeds sprout , they produce new shoots or leaves. □ [V ] It only takes a few days for beans to sprout.
2 VERB When leaves, shoots, or plants sprout somewhere, they grow there. □ [V prep] Leaf-shoots were beginning to sprout on the hawthorn.
3 VERB [no passive] If a garden or other area of land sprouts plants, they start to grow there. □ [V n] …the garden, which had had time to sprout a shocking collection of weeds.
4 VERB [no passive] If something such as hair sprouts from a person or animal, or if they sprout it, it grows on them. □ [V prep] She has little wire-rimmed glasses and whiskers sprouting from her chin. □ [V n] Kevin is sprouting a few grey hairs.
5 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Sprouts are vegetables that look like tiny cabbages. They are also called brussels sprouts .
6 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Sprouts are new shoots on plants. □ After eleven days of growth the number of sprouts was counted.
spruce /spruː s/ (spruce , spruces , sprucing , spruced )
1 N‑VAR A spruce is a kind of evergreen tree. □ Trees such as spruce, pine and oak have been planted. □ …a young blue spruce. □ …80-year-old spruces. ● N‑UNCOUNT Spruce is the wood from this tree. □ Early settlers built frames of spruce, maple and pine.
2 ADJ Someone who is spruce is very neat and smart in appearance. □ Chris was looking spruce in his stiff-collared black shirt and new short hair cut.
▸ spruce up PHRASAL VERB If something is spruced up , its appearance is improved. If someone is spruced up , they have made themselves look very smart. □ [be V -ed P ] Many buildings have been spruced up. □ [V n P ] In the evening we spruced ourselves up a bit and went out for dinner.
sprung /sprʌ ŋ/ Sprung is the past participle of spring .
spry /spra I / ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone, especially an old person, who is spry , is lively and active. □ The old gentleman was as spry as ever.
spud /spʌ d/ (spuds ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Spuds are potatoes. [INFORMAL ]
spun /spʌ n/ Spun is the past tense and past participle of spin .
spunk /spʌ ŋk/ N‑UNCOUNT Spunk is courage. [INFORMAL , APPROVAL ] □ I admired her independence and her spunk.
spunky /spʌ ŋki/ (spunkier , spunkiest ) ADJ A spunky person shows courage. [INFORMAL , APPROVAL ] □ She's so spunky and spirited.
spur ◆◇◇ /spɜː r / (spurs , spurring , spurred )
1 VERB If one thing spurs you to do another, it encourages you to do it. □ [V n to-inf] It's the money that spurs these fishermen to risk a long ocean journey in their flimsy boats. □ [V n + to/into ] His friend's plight had spurred him into taking part. ● PHRASAL VERB Spur on means the same as spur . □ [V n P ] Their attitude, rather than reining him back, only seemed to spur Philip on. □ [V n P + to ] We may not like criticism, but it can spur us on to greater things. [Also V P n (not pron), V n P to-inf]
2 VERB If something spurs a change or event, it makes it happen faster or sooner. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] The administration may put more emphasis on spurring economic growth.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] Something that acts as a spur to something else encourages a person or organization to do that thing or makes it happen more quickly. □ [+ to ] …a belief in competition as a spur to efficiency.
4 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Spurs are small metal wheels with sharp points that are attached to the heels of a rider's boots. The rider uses them to make their horse go faster.
5 N‑COUNT The spur of a hill or mountain is a piece of ground which sticks out from its side.
6 PHRASE If you do something on the spur of the moment , you do it suddenly, without planning it beforehand. □ They admitted they had taken a vehicle on the spur of the moment.