spur
IPA: spˈɝ
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.
- A jab given with the spurs.
- (figurative) Anything that inspires or motivates, as a spur does a horse.
- An appendage or spike pointing rearward, near the foot, for instance that of a rooster.
- Any protruding part connected at one end, for instance a highway that extends from another highway into a city.
- Roots, tree roots.
- (geology) A mountain that shoots from another mountain or range and extends some distance in a lateral direction, or at right angles.
- 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.
- (carpentry) A brace strengthening a post and some connected part, such as a rafter or crossbeam; a strut.
- (architecture) The short wooden buttress of a post.
- (architecture) A projection from the round base of a column, occupying the angle of a square plinth upon which the base rests, or bringing the bottom bed of the base to a nearly square form. It is generally carved in leafage.
- Ergotized rye or other grain.
- A wall in a fortification that crosses a part of a rampart and joins to an inner wall.
- (shipbuilding) A piece of timber fixed on the bilgeways before launching, having the upper ends bolted to the vessel's side.
- (shipbuilding) A curved piece of timber serving as a half to support the deck where a whole beam cannot be placed.
- (mining) A branch of a vein.
- (rail transport) A very short branch line of a railway line.
- (transport) A short branch road of a motorway, freeway or major road.
- (botany) A short thin side shoot from a branch, especially one that bears fruit or, in conifers, the shoots that bear the leaves.
- A tern.
- (electronics) A spurious tone, one that interferes with a signal in a circuit and is often masked underneath that signal.
- The track of an animal, such as an otter; a spoor.
- An occupational surname from Middle English
- (soccer) someone connected with Tottenham Hotspur FC, as a fan, player, coach etc.
verb
- (transitive) To prod (especially a horse) on the side or flank, with the intent to urge motion or haste, to gig.
- (transitive) To urge or encourage to action, or to a more vigorous pursuit of an object
- (transitive) To put spurs on.
- (intransitive) To press forward; to travel in great haste.
- To form a spur (senses 17-18 of the noun)
- (obsolete, dialectal) Alternative form of speer. [(Scotland) to ask, to inquire]
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Examples of "spur" in Sentences
- The new variety is of the spur type.
- Survival in the looming war was the spur.
- He blurted something out on the spur of the moment.
- The first one just happened on the spur of the moment.
- USATODAY. com - Lakers change series in spur of the moment
- It was an exercise in ostentation, spurred by the window tax.
- He was brave and courageous but acted on the spur of the moment.
- I was acting on the spur of the moment out of angst or something.
- The city hopes to renovate it and spur a revitalization of the area.
- This growth spurred the reorganisation of the governance of the town.
- The building of industrial factories spurred the development of the city.
- The great long-term spur to successful dispersion will come from technology, as James
- Can, and most possibly does, the title spur Millicent’s interest in what follows, or . . .
- "The investment trend shows a strong appetite driven by an economic growth spur from the Asian subcontinent," said the Sunday Mail.
- But now, on the left side, the bone spur is abutting your tibia, and on the right side, we think a bit has broken off and entered your knee capsule.
- Join the discussion: comment here, email spur at redscout dot com to join our mailing list or send a video response, follow us on Twitter (rscout and #spur) and
- Join the discussion: comment here, email spur at redscout dot com to join our mailing list or send a video response, follow us on Twitter (rscout and #spur) and Facebook (Redscout).
- In 2007, as a result of what he calls a spur of the moment decision, Cai left Hubei Province and decided that he would try and move to Taiwan, a country he felt respected human rights and the rule of law.
- The meaning of the phrase spur-ta eisna hinθu is no mystery at all thanks to Pallotino and Bonfante's glossary: "the divine city below" (read Bonfante/Bonfante, The Etruscan Language (2002): eisna, spur and hinθu).