spur
UK /spɜː/ · US /spɝ/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms spurs spurring spurred
- noun A rigid implement, often roughly y-shaped, that is fixed to one's heel for the purpose of prodding a horse. Often worn by, and emblematic of, the cowboy or the knight.
- noun A jab given with the spurs.
- noun (figurative) Anything that inspires or motivates, as a spur does a horse.
- noun An appendage or spike pointing rearward, near the foot, for instance that of a rooster.
- noun Any protruding part connected at one end, for instance a highway that extends from another highway into a city.
- noun Roots, tree roots.
- noun (geology) A mountain that shoots from another mountain or range and extends some distance in a lateral direction, or at right angles.
- noun A spiked iron worn by seamen upon the bottom of the boot, to enable them to stand upon the carcass of a whale to strip off the blubber.
- verb (transitive) To prod (especially a horse) on the side or flank, with the intent to urge motion or haste, to gig.
- verb (transitive) To urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object
- verb (transitive) To put spurs on. “to spur boots”
- verb (intransitive) To press forward; to travel in great haste.
- verb To form a spur (senses 17-18 of the noun)
- noun A tern.
- noun (electronics) A spurious tone, one that interferes with a signal in a circuit and is often masked underneath that signal.
- noun The track of an animal, such as an otter; a spoor.
- proper noun An occupational surname from Middle English
- noun (soccer) someone connected with Tottenham Hotspur FC, as a fan, player, coach etc.
Synonyms
incite stimulate instigate impel drive abet actuate goose fuel light a fire under send sting bring about cheer draw encourage egg on engender evoke excite goad goading prod prodding urging spurring spine acantha gad branch line
Etymology
From Middle English spure, spore, from Old English spora, spura, from Proto-West Germanic *spurō, from Proto-Germanic *spurô, from Proto-Indo-European *sperH- (“to kick”).
See sparrow.
Short for spurious.
English surname, variant of Spurr. Compare the noun spur.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An implement secured to the heel, or above the heel, of a horseman, to urge the horse by its pressure. Modern spurs have a small wheel, or rowel, with short points. Spurs were the badge of knighthood.
- noun That which goads to action; an incitement.
- verb To prick with spurs; to incite to a more hasty pace; to urge or goad; as, to spur a horse.
- verb To urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object; to incite; to stimulate; to instigate; to impel; to drive.
Etymology [See Sparrow.]
Etymology [OE. spure, AS. spura, spora; akin to D. spoor, G. sporn, OHG. sporo, Icel. spori, Dan. spore, Sw. sporre, and to AS. spor a trace, footstep, spyrian to trace, track, examine, and E. spurn. sq. root171. Cf. Sparrow, Spere, Spoor, Spurn.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “spur”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details